Scythe Book Review (Book One of the Arc of a Scythe series)

Have I reviewed Shusterman before? Yes. Is this favoritism to now post on the entire Arc of a Scythe series, starting with Scythe? Absolutely. But when Shusterman stops writing good books, I will stop reading them. For complaints, feel free to email my nonexistent manager. As it is, the characters are superb. Both Citra and Rowan must tightrope the dangerous line between savior and monster, redeemer and reaper. They embody death in order to preserve, and that leaves both of them in conflict regarding the lives they lead. Of course, no one else makes their jobs any easier. The plot races fast enough for the reader to be swept within the action but slows down to keep the character development realistic. It holds more surprises than Goddard gems on his robe. (Wait until you read about Scythe Faraday!) Within yet another fantastic YA novel, important themes about our own world are brought up about religion, methods to detain overpopulation, and the terrifying measures the human race might have to one day take when we hit our carrying capacity. It also goes into the morals of justifiable murder: does the type of person doing the killing make any difference? Shusterman has done it once again, melding seamless storytelling into topics destined to withstand the test of time.

“‘Yes, most of us will live forever, but some of us, thanks to the Scythedom, will not. For those who will be gleaned, do we not, at the very least, owe them a spectacular end? --From the gleaning journal of H.S. Goddard”’

Recommended for anyone who doesn’t understand the point of fictional writing.

--Grace Nask