box trilogia scythe Ed. 2020

Arc of a Scythe #1-3

by Neal Shusterman

From Book 1: Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Young Adult Fantasy, Audiobook

Paperback

About the author

Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.

In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.

As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.

Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.

Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”

Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.

Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.

Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."

And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.

Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!

Reviews

[Hussein Baher · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST DYSTOPIAN SINCE THE HUNGER GAMES
book 1: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
book 2: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (my favorite)
book 3: ★ ★ ★ ★ (4.25)

[Haya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Arc of a Scythe trilogy is one of the best book series that I have read. As an avid YA fantasy reader, I rarely read dystopian, but this book made me question that. I am currently in the process of finishing the last book, and I am so immersed in this series! It is a gripping and thrilling story, and at the same time it touches on some real world concepts and issues. I would definitely recommend this series, and I cannot wait until I can finally complete it.

[Christoph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spannend
Tiefsinnig
Unerwarteter und trotzdem guter logischer Schluss besser gesagt Ende des Buches
Ein Abschluss der Geschichte ist es nicht

[haylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an exciting and original story. The main character was inspiring and I loved how the story unfolded from one book to the next. Excellent recommendation for dystopia fans

[Yasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of the best dystopian since the hunger games but the last book ruined it

[EB · Rating 4 out of 5]

During a time which is fearful of technological apocalypse, it was refreshing to explore a world run by a benevolent AI. The series is written for a younger audience and follows a quick pace. An underlying religious plot line can intrigue the more philosophical reader if they so choose. Combining these aspects makes the series thoroughly enjoyable for all.

[Semaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever written since B.C.E 91649294739283638747362848932763647282937467289337747283847!!!!!!!!

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scythe series is honestly the best book series I have ever read. I read "Scythe" a year ago, and only figured out the rest of the series recently. Although "Thunderhead" and "The Toll" did lack some things that "Scythe" did, but they added more perspectives such as Greyson's and Thunderhead's.
The story for this entire series is incredible. It is a thought I fantasized about a few times in my head. The way Shusterman drags people into the story is incredible, making people be immersed in the book easily.
If I have one criticism, I feel like "The Toll" lost the spark that the rest of the series had. The view of the Tonist was fun, but not as fun as the other books were. But I would still give it a 5 out of 5.

Even if you don't particularly enjoy reading, you will enjoy this series. Definitely recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian novels, but I would recommended to everyone. 5 stars.

[Laura White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this series in like February or smth…I loved the first two so much but the thirds ending didn’t live up to my expectations, love the concept and the dystopian. It’s so amazing, recommended for sure if you liked the hunger games. Probably a little under a 4.5

[autumninbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4;75 ☆!

[SpookySoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great dystopian trilogy

[Strix · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Arc of a Scythe is a very interesting and dynamic series with, what I consider its highlight, the interesting characters.

Scythe definitely is no slouch in the characterization department. I literally could not pick a consistent favorite.

The new order, also known as Goddard's loyal base of cronies (I have a theory Goddard literally said something to the effect of 'we are a new order to combat the outdated ideas of the old guard' and it stuck), are shirking the commandments' intent and only stick to the letter. There are only five notable new order scythes that I can remember off the top of my head. Goddard himself, Rand, Chomsky, Volta, and Brahms. Xenocrates was being blackmailed, but Volta chose to affiliate himself with Goddard. Aretha Franklin I don't remember much about. Nietzsche also didn't see as much attention. I also don't have much to say on Rand.
Chomsky has three things we know about him. He likes flamethrowers, is rather unintelligent (at least to basically everyone, we never get his POV), and is new order. I can definitely see why he wasn't revived, but even a novella would have been nice.
Volta is not truly new order, and he secretly despises Goddard, despises the new order, and despises himself. He is a mirror to Rowan, a path he could have taken. Goddard doesn't think too highly of him; the only times they interact are Volta being ordered around and Volta criticising Goddard for wanting to murder Tonists in particular, with Goddard mocking and patronizing Volta. When he has news of Volta's death, all Goddard does is seem slightly less cheerful and dismiss him as not like Rowan or other new order scythes. Volta despises Goddard, viewing him as a killer. As for everyone else, Volta is seemingly disliked, if mildly, by his fellow junior scythes, and the old guard rejects him. Rowan is the only person who really is in a similar place, and they bond over this.
Goddard is the narcissistic leader of the new order. He is clearly based on a wide range of dictators and wannabe despots, but also one of the best depictions of a narcissist I have seen. Narcissists can be charismatic and affable. He is evil, through and through, and yet developed. A character doesn't need to be morally gray to be developed. His most interesting dynamics are with Rand, Xenocrates, and Rowan, which really shine a light on his character. Rand, who is the only other apprentice of his we see (Chomsky has no confirmed mentor and Volta's was Nehru). Rand was completely loyal to Goddard until he began to treat her as narcissists do to most everyone: an extension of his will and nothing more. A tool, or as Rowan puts it, a servant. He is ultimately killed by her, as is so common in history, for the guy in charge to be taken down by their second in command. He has done nothing but order her around and emotionally manipulate her (he wasn't stringing her along, but instead used what he had against her) into doing what he needed.
Xenocrates, initially, was the father figure Goddard never had. Sixty years later, he cared nothing about Xenocrates, and only showed as much respect as was necessary. Goddard only had two kinds of relationship dynamics; a servant and a doll. Where Xenocrates falls is clearly at the servant end of the spectrum. In Scythe, he has Xenocrates emotionally at his mercy, whereas in Thunderhead, he literally tries to murder Xenocrates. Goddard cares nothing about Xenocrates any more; his mentor means nothing.
An example of a doll was Rowan. If a servant is a means to an end, a doll is someone he has a narcissist sense of familial or romantic love towards. Devona is the latter in A Martian Minute, but Rowan is the former for Goddard. In Scythe, Goddard is loathed by Rowan even if he hides it. Goddard, meanwhile, has been taken on by Goddard at first for his amusement but also to prove a point. He never cared about who he had to sacrifice for his power (Citra/Rowan to toy with Faraday, Esme to control Xenocrates, Tyger as a body and nothing else, the Grandslayers, etc). His only mention of Tyger before he was revived had been that he was Rowan's friend and that Rowan's friends were Goddard's as well. A doll is someone who is loved conditionally so long as they play a certain role. For Rowan, it was the person who challenged Goddard just enough to be fresh but not enough to hurt Goddard's ego. Goddard eventually deluded himself enough to believe that Rowan had become a true new order apprentice to the point that he believed that Rowan would be excited to glean someone ("consider it a gift! You don't need to thank me"). He also didn't realize how much Volta's death had impacted Rowan, thinking that he would be able to push it aside. Goddard also threw parties in Rowan's honor and generally treated Rowan as important and not a footnote, which was basically the only somewhat decent thing he did to Rowan's mental health. Even when he was killed by Rowan finally snapping after all of the psychological torture a training regimen made for people who enjoyed gleaning did to Rowan, someone who came to enjoy it but hated himself for it, Goddard never quite seemed to move on from it. The only person who had truly challenged him, who wasn't easily defeated, was Rowan. As happy as he was to see Rowan burn (or not, ultimately), he genuinely thought that giving Rowan a place in history was something he both wanted and cared about and so was not going to erase him. He also seemed to view Rowan with disgust, someone who had thrown away his potential as Goddard's second in command, reshaping the world by Goddard's side. This never would have happened; Rowan either would have become like Volta or not even made it that far. Goddard also, despite Rowan correcting him on the assumption that being forgotten was something Rowan cared about and getting Goddard to react with disgust at wasted potential, assumes that yet again, he cared about being forgotten("If you're worried about being remembered, don't be"). Goddard is a monster because he doesn't care about other people, and the people he comes closest to caring about are valued for their role, his mental version of them. Those he gleans don't matter to him, he wants to glean more, his allies don't matter, and those he cares about are little more than dolls. When Rowan starts to seriously question Goddard to his face, Goddard reacts by trying to pull him into line using threats of gleaning someone seconds earlier Goddard had called his friend. Goddard doesn't value life. He only values his own power and being remembered. In short, Curie was right. "Someone should have had the foresight to glean him as a child. The world would be better off."
Munira Atrushi is definitely not talked about enough. She is someone who the Scythedom discarded. All we see of scythes are the ones who aren't forgotten about, by virtue of being scythes at all. No one talks about the 80% who don't make it. What happened to Vine Girl? Who knows. The walk of shame is all they get. SpiderMaw and Munira are our two reference points here; Munira's is probably the more typical case. She was denied not for any grand reason, but because there were limited ordainations that conclave and she didn't make it. After Faraday had another scythe to open the door with, he didn't even get Munira, the one person who had been working with him the entire time on it. He only thought of her when there was a paper to be translated. She ultimately turns down the scythehood and ring beyond opening the door because she needs to move on, but I still see it as a little twisted that the only way she became a scythe at all was because of Citra's giving up her ring.
Faraday is interesting because he starts off seeming perfect, but we see his flaws more and more throughout the course of the series. Again, not much to say.
Curie is how a flawed but good character should be done. She had major flaws as a person (hated of tonists and intolerance of them, even if she lets them exist). Her change in dynamic as cold to Citra but gradually warming to her is subtle but well done. Also I'm 90% sure that her special family recipe is matzah ball soup, which as a Jewish person I feel is rare to see included. Usually people just forget about everything but Hannukah.
If Munira is how the system can fail someone, Citra is how it can succeed. She beat Goddard's rigging of it, came out a wise and just scythe who tried to reform the system from within. This isn't a bad thing. She is at the heart of the story and scythedom. Anastasia as her scythe side and Citra as her younger but less morally gray side was interesting to see how it evolved. Also I got Ace Attorney vibes from the hearing.
I don't have much to say about many characters simply because I feel that I'd just be repeating what others have said. That doesn't mean they aren't as deep as the ones I wrote about, just that I feel that I don't have anything to add. Some miscellaneous things: Where was Mandela in the Toll? Did he self-glean? Supreme Blade Kahlo and the grandslayers needed more screen time, they're my favorites in that third of the book! Volta I feel was taken as a junior scythe by Goddard for reasons mixing his for Constantine along with his for Rowan; to prove a point about anyone being able to be new order and that any old guard apprentice could become new order in particular.

[Lisa Cain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic for teens, this series takes us to a future with no disease, war or death. A wonderful exploration of what it means to be human and the consequences of the choices we make. There is also a captivating gender fluid character, which I love seeing normalized in fiction.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ummm...trying to organize my thoughts because I just finished this trilogy and my MIND IS BLOWN. Talk about a series where each book’s conclusion gets bigger, Bigger, and BIGGER. Just...wow. Okay so onto my review, this is a dystopian series at the macro level, which felt really fresh for me. Most of the dystopian books I love (and I really love this genre) have been all about my concern for what happens for THIS one character, even if the rest of the world burns. This series brings so many perspectives that I found myself (while still invested in the characters) more focused on society and the planet as a whole. In addition, this series is a huge construct of moral and philosophical questions and dilemmas. It is utterly fast paced and readable but could also fuel a really fascinating book group discussion. The premise: Earth in the not-so-distant future, where technology has evolved so that humans can live forever, the world is run by a perfect and benevolent AI, and population is controlled by a group of Scythes whose calling is to control overpopulation in a world of immortality by “gleaning” a certain quota of people every year. Right. It is uncomfortable, thought-provoking, and brilliant.
(From a diversity perspective, I’ve been looking for more books with balanced portrayals of multiracial characters and I’ll just say that this series definitely fits the bill. )

[meeri ̤̮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

UGLY CRIED, LOVED and if possible, i'd give this trilogy more than five stars

I wasn't convinced about the first book at first. Thought it was going to focus only on the relationship between Citra and Rowan which would've been just ew and ugh + I thought the various takes from scythes's and Thunderbird's diaries were pretentious af but the more I got into it I proved myself sooooo wrong and got over whatever attitude issues I had towards the first book. It was so good I read it in two days and that has happened only once before so

AND THEN I READ THE 2ND ONE AND IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT OML IT WAS AMAZING HANDS DOWN MY FAVOURITE FROM THIS TRILOGY like I'd DIE for the 2nd book. All the new amazing POVs and gosh THE PLOT THE DEEP QUESTIONS AND DELIBERATION AAAA

3rd one included all of the ugly crying. It was a library book so I felt really sorry for the library about crying (most of them) of my tears on the pages, pls don't come after me dear library staff<3

[Nichole Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

****Find More Reviews at abq-live.com****

Popular Book Series Arc of a Scythe Parallel the Last Decade with its Twists and Turns

By Nichole Harwood

With the end of the year fast approaching, I stopped and looked at the many great book series coming to an end. Deciding to take a chance on a series I never read that was coming to an end in 2019 I jumped into the Arc of a Scythe book series by Young Adult Award-winning author Neal Shusterman.

There are few things more satisfying for a reader than being able to read a new series from book one through to the last book without stopping. After picking up “Scythe” the first book in this series, I was hooked. The thrill only continued with the second book “Thunderhead,” and finally, after finishing the last book in the series “The Toll,” I have come to one conclusion. There could never be a better book series to reflect the last decade than this one.

This last decade has been filled with ups and downs, twists, and turns no one could ever have predicted. There have been conclusions to many phenomenons, both politically-related and entertainment-related that have left many feeling the journey was bittersweet.

“Sythe” the first of the series focuses on two main characters Citra and Rowan. Through these characters, we are introduced to a world that is for all intents and purposes a Utopia. Disease, war, and death are a thing of the past, and the world is run by a computer program known as the Thunderhead. Regardless of what other sci-fi books have thought would become of a culture dependent on a computer program, Thunderhead has not turned on humanity but instead runs a functional society that addresses the needs and wants of its people. The only part of society that reflects any darkness whatsoever is the scythes. You see, in a perfect world, the only problem left is overpopulation. In response to this problem, scythes monitor and end lives to keep the population under control. Scythes are not monitored by Thunderhead, and Thunderhead isn’t allowed to interfere in their duties at all. Scythes exist because humans decided that only other humans should be in charge of who lives and who dies. And this is the primary writing point for all conflicts in the series.

Our protagonists Citra and Rowan, are chosen to apprentice to a scythe. Together the two must learn about their society and find a solution to any corruptness within. The first book, “Scythe,” does a beautiful job setting up the world and characters. Both Citra and Rowan are amazing and have incredible layers to them. I found myself invested in both their fates. By the second book, “Thunderhead,” we have a third character added in Greyson, who is a refreshing addition as he is just an ordinary guy within this society that, by this point, we readers have begun worrying about. His personality sharply contrasts with the two protagonists, and his relationship with Thunderhead gives us more insight into the computer system than we ever had before. I found I could not stop reading the second book anymore; then, the first and words could not express my excitement to read the third.

Then I read the third book, “The Toll,” and this was when the comparison between the series and the last decade came to mind. “The Toll” is by no means a bad book. There are many exciting parts to it, and the ending it gave to the character Greyson is by far one of my favorite character endings in literature. But the end it gave for both Rowan and Citra was…well more odd than necessarily bad. Twists in cinema and literature can often sweep us off our feet, making us jump up excited to know more. But in the same regard, a twist can also sweep us off our feet, leaving us lying on the ground, wondering what the heck happened and not wanting to see more because our head still hurts from hitting the ground. Certain twists in “The Toll” had me excited eager to see what happen next, and others made me do something I never had for the previous books in the series.

Put it down.

I came back, of course, because I needed to know the end, but I often found myself so thrown by decisions made by the author I was not in the mood to read more.

I read both “Scythe” and “Thunderhead” in a day. It took me three to read “The Toll.” And that is what is so brilliant about this series. Shusterman created a world and series that I became so invested in that I found myself actively irritated by twists that I felt did not give the series justice.

All in all, I do not regret picking up these books and highly encourage anyone with interest in a well developed and exciting fictional series of books to do the same. This last decade was a mixed bag, and so was this book, but I wouldn’t have wanted to miss either of them. It may not have had a satisfactory ending for every character, but covering that is just as important as covering the satisfying endings.

To quote the first page of the series, “We are instructed to write down not just our deeds but our feelings because it must be known that we have feelings. Remorse. Regret. Sorrow to great to bear. Because if we didn’t feel those things, what monsters would we be?” – From the gleaning journal of H.S. Curie.

Review Originally Written in ABQ-Live the Magazine December 24th: https://abq-live.com/popular-book-ser...

[Zeynep Ertuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best trilogies I have ever read. Every single book in the series has compelling themes and storylines that lead up to the fascinating ending. Every time I thought the storyline was getting predictable the twists and turns surprised and compelled me to read more. I definitely recommend it this is a secret gem.

[amaira &#x1f90d; (danny bear + ruin the friendship’s version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series shook me. If I could pick one thing for everyone to read, this would be it. I did not expect to like this series at all, but now it is my favorite. This is my first written review for any book since I’m usually too lazy to write this (lol) but this book 110% deserved this. PLEASE read this even if you don’t think you will enjoy it at first.

note: this review contains mild spoilers, but I think it’s safe to read before starting the books.

🤍THE SCYTHEDOM🤍
This dystopian book takes place in the future, where nobody dies a natural death and there is no permanent sickness or injury. Since the population still has to be controlled, there are people named Scythes that are in charge of “gleaning,” or killing people. The top requirement for becoming a Scythe is that you CANNOT enjoy gleaning.

🌧️THE THUNDERHEAD🌧️
I wasn’t sure whether to consider the Thunderhead a character or not, so I gave it its own section. The Thunderhead is the ruler of the world. It is an AI being that has all the information that has ever been obtained by humans and controls all technology. It is unable to interfere with the Scythedom or its government. It CANNOT and DOES NOT make mistakes. Ever. It has a deep hidden desire to be human, to feel the way that humans feel. It is able to understand, but not experience emotion itself.

✨CHARACTERS✨
I will try to keep each description brief since I want to include all the main characters.

🖤Rowan/Scythe Lucifer: Rowan is an interesting character. Training under Goddard added extra layers to him. He is also dedicated to Citra to the end. I liked that he forged his own purpose when he didn’t have one assigned to him.

🩵Citra/Scythe Anastasia: She is determined and strong willed. She is compassionate and dedicated. Everything a Scythe should be. She deeply looks up to Faraday and Curie. She is also in love with Rowan, but hides it well most of the time.

🤍Scythe Faraday: He was a good mentor, and taught Citra and Rowan well. He was a humble and minimalistic person and carried strong Scythe ideals.

💜Scythe Curie: My personal favorite! She was as an amazing mentor and I loved seeing the mother-daughter like relationship between her and Citra develop.

💙Scythe Goddard: The most EVIL villain ever, yet he was a good mentor for Rowan. Throughout the books, he is nothing but selfish.

❤️Scythe Rand: Goddard’s sidekick/the underdog and a bold and complicated person. She is afraid of standing up to Goddard and his New Order ideals, yet every time she helps him against her will she regrets it.

🥳Tyger: Rowan’s best friend is shallow and only cares about having fun, but he’s still a good person and loyal to Rowan.

🌫️Greyson/The Toll: Greyson’s story is ever evolving. He is caught between good and bad and doesn’t know his place in the world without the Thunderhead. What is his role in society? What is his purpose? He always feels as if he is missing something.

🌊Jerico/Captain Soberanis: Jeri is a loyal, strong, and caring person and goes above and beyond for the people Jeri cares about. I love the chemistry between Greyson and Jeri.

🕯️THEME🕯️
The main reason I love this book is due to its theme. The book shows that nothing is black and white. It is full of deeper moral questions. The entire concept of a Scythe is a paradox. Gleaning is the most selfless job that you can do since you have to live with the guilt of killing people, yet why is that guilt there since you are taking on this great moral burden? But without that guilt, you become a terrible Scythe and no longer selfless. Sorry if I’m explaining this badly, but it is just such a confusing idea. There are MANYYY such questions in this book.


💋ROMANCE💋
Citra + Rowan: This is the only fault in the book that I could spot. They are both madly in love and would sacrifice anything for each other, but WHY is that deep attraction there? I wish the author would elaborate on what made them fall in love.

Curie + Faraday: Even after years and years of trying to get over each other, a fondness/awkwardness remains between them. The fact that they never got to be together was essential to the book, although sad.

Greyson + Jeri: My favorite pair of the series. Greyson always felt as if he was missing something in life and Jeri completed that. Again, I feel as if the author could have further developed the romance.

🌙FINAL THOUGHTS🌙
I hope my review convinced you to read this book. I wish I could tell you how many plot twists were in this book and tell you all the parts where it was an emotional rollercoaster, but then I’d spoil it for you. Enjoy reading!!!

[Claudia &#x1f90d; · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antes que nada, quiero decir que le tenía muchísimas ganas a estos libros (de hecho, durante la época de exámenes eran mi motivación para concentrarme en estudiar) y, en general, no me han decepcionado.

Nos encontramos ante un futuro distópico en el que las personas son inmortales, tienen todas sus necesidades básicas cubiertas y el mundo está regido por una Inteligencia Artificial a la que se llama Nimbo (como evolución de la “nube” actual). Hasta aquí todo perfecto. Sin embargo, la superpoblación planetaria hace que sea necesario que se cree una institución, “la Guadaña” que cribe a personas para mantener la forma de vida existente, que es independiente del Nimbo y que se rige bajo diez normas (o “mandamientos”) inquebrantables.

A modo de introducción, quiero decir que es una trilogía -especialmente los dos primeros libros- realmente fresca e innovadora, perfecta para empezar a leer en el género distópico pero que también encantará a las personas más habituadas a leerlo, y de la que disfrutarán personas de todas las edades (pese a estar calificado como juvenil). Son libros que se leen muy rápido, ya que la pluma del autor es excepcional, y que enganchan desde la primera página. Como punto negativo, a nivel personal debo decir que el último libro, pero aún así es una saga que emociona y con la que disfrutas desde el principio.

Más pormenorizadamente, el primer libro de todos, “Siega”, me fascinó. No podía dejar de leer. No solo por la idea, que es completamente innovadora y brillante, sino por el desarrollo que de ella se hace y por los personajes que la protagonizan, que son simplemente maravillosos. Están llenos de matices, dudas y dilemas, y nos muestran una evolución inmensa de la primera página a la última.

En cuanto al segundo, “Nimbo”, posiblemente me haya gustado tanto o más que el primero. Es sublime, y tremendamente adictivo. Cosas como la relación entre las segadoras Marie y Anastasia, las reflexiones de Nimbo o las que se hacen con respecto a la criba son especialmente bonitas de leer.

Posiblemente fuese en este libro donde más me llamó la atención las diferentes formas de criba que escogen los segadores y la gran cantidad de compasión y empatía que muestran algunos de ellos. Es inevitable no compararlos, pero el autor sabe cómo hacer que sientas como coherentes y como necesarias todas las formas que idean los segadores (excluyendo a determinados elementos, EJEM, Goddard y compañía) para poder cumplir con sus obligaciones de la mejor forma que saben.

Aquí me es imprescindible recalcar lo absolutamente maravillosas que son las reflexiones de Nimbo acerca de la humanidad, el estilo de vida que se plantea y el funcionamiento del mundo que se hace. Posiblemente sean lo que más me ha gustado de este libro -y eso es decir-.

“El futuro únicamente se ve amenazado cuando la brutalidad del baile sobrepasa la belleza”.

“Puedo comunicarme en seis mil novecientas nueve lenguas, tanto vivas como muertas. Puedo mantener más de quince mil millones de conversaciones simultáneas y concentrarme en todas ellas. (...) Y en esos momentos, si tuviera boca, la abriría para gritar”.

Y cómo no hablar del FINAL. Acabé el libro, parpadeé un par de veces, me replanteé mi existencia y cogí el siguiente. Nada que añadir.

Por último, y aquí viene la parte más personal -y posiblemente conflictiva-, la tercera parte, “Trueno”. Tengo que decir que este libro me desencantó bastante (muchísimo). Posiblemente lo idealicé al ser la tercera parte de una saga de la que estaba prendida hasta decir basta, pero aunque los primeros capítulos se leen rápido y hay determinadas escenas o personajes a los que me encantaba seguir conociendo, en general se me hizo pesado y complicado de leer.

Desde mi punto de vista, se incluyeron a demasiados nuevos personajes, muchos de ellos geniales (Jeri) pero relegando a los principales a un puesto completamente secundario y entorpeciendo, desde mi punto de vista, el desarrollo de la historia. No solo eso, sino que se tomaron decisiones que no acababan de convencerme (Jeri y Nimbo, o cómo se trata a Rowan), por lo que no disfruté de esta lectura ni la mitad de lo que esperaba.

Y, cómo no, quiero hacer una referencia a los títulos de los capítulos, que son de los más graciosos que he visto. Muy muy buenos.

[Drachenbuecherhort · Rating 4 out of 5]

In einer Welt, in der der Tod besiegt ist, ist es die Aufgabe der Scythe zu entscheiden, wer Leben darf und wer sterben muss. Doch an die Regeln, die das Scythetum seit Jahrhunderten bewahrt hat, halten sich nicht alle Scythe. Im dritten und letzten Band der Scythe-Trilogie von Neal Shusterman spitzt sich der Konflikt zwischen alter und neuer Ordnung zu, während Thunderhead, die allwissende künstliche Intelligenz, schweigt. Gibt es noch Hoffnung für Citra, Rowan und die Menschheit? Oder wird Scythe Goddard seine grausame Vision Wirklichkeit werden lassen? „Scythe – Das Vermächtnis der Ältesten“ ist der spannende und philosophische Abschluss einer faszinierenden Dystopie, die Fragen nach dem Sinn des Lebens, nach Macht und Moral aufwirft.

Nach dem starken Ende des zweiten Bandes war ich sehr gespannt auf die Fortsetzung und wie sich die Geschichte weiterentwickeln würde. Um es gleich vorweg zu nehmen: Es kam ganz anders, als ich es mir vorgestellt hatte.

Im dritten Band gibt es diesmal zwei verschiedene Zeitstränge. Die eine spielt kurz nach dem zweiten Band, die andere drei Jahre später. Es wird kapitelweise gewechselt, was aber auch verwirrend sein kann, weil nirgends steht, wo man sich zeitlich gerade befindet. Zumindest ein Hinweis am Anfang der Kapitel wäre schön gewesen, aber so etwas gibt es nicht. Dadurch entsteht, wie ich finde, auch eine gewisse Langatmigkeit. Es passiert oft sehr wenig in der Geschichte oder es wird über einen längeren Zeitraum ein bestimmtes Thema in den Mittelpunkt gestellt. Dieses Ungleichgewicht macht es an manchen Stellen einfach zäh.

Die Welt, die Gesellschaft und die Politik in der Reihe finde ich nach wie vor absolut einzigartig und super interessant. Die Idee gefällt mir sehr gut und ich finde das ganze Scythetum sehr spannend. Leider ist es aber genau dieses Thema, das in diesem Band viel zu kurz gekommen ist. Natürlich musste der Autor nun irgendwie ein gutes Ende für seine Geschichte und seine Welt finden, aber ich finde, dass er dabei etwas von der grundlegenden Idee eingebüßt hat. Was mir einfach gefehlt hat, war das Lesen über die Konklaven und die verschiedenen Werte der Scythe. Im dritten Band hat sich die Fokussierung komplett geändert und das eigentliche Konzept ist dadurch irgendwie untergegangen. Zwar ist der neue Fokus auch nicht schlecht, aber eben ganz anders.

Die Charaktere haben sich alle noch einmal deutlich weiterentwickelt und sind zum Teil sogar richtig über sich hinausgewachsen. Aber es passiert auch so viel, dass es unlogisch wäre, wenn nichts mehr kommen würde. Citra und Rowan, die ehemaligen Scythe-Lehrlinge, werden mit neuen Herausforderungen und Gefahren konfrontiert, die ihr Leben und ihre Liebe auf eine harte Probe stellen. Sie werden zu Symbolfiguren des Widerstandes gegen die neue Ordnung, die das Scythetum nach seinen grausamen Vorstellungen umgestalten will. Dabei entdecken sie neue Seiten an sich selbst und an den anderen, die sie nicht nur stärker, sondern auch verwundbarer machen. Auch Thunderhead, die künstliche Intelligenz, die die Welt regiert, macht eine Wandlung durch, die ihn vor eine schwierige Entscheidung stellt: Weiterhin schweigen und die Menschen ihrem Schicksal überlassen oder eingreifen und das Scythetum reformieren?

Das Ende war dann doch überraschend anders, als man es erwartet hätte. Es schlägt eine Richtung ein, die völlig unvorhersehbar ist und nicht hundertprozentig zur bisherigen Handlung passt. Ohne zu viel zu verraten, kann man sagen, dass es sich um eine Art Neuanfang handelt, der sowohl Hoffnung als auch Ungewissheit mit sich bringt. Als Leser kann man das entweder mögen oder nicht.

„Scythe – Das Vermächtnis der Ältesten“ nimmt einen anderen Verlauf als erwartet. Trotzdem hat mir der Abschluss der Scythe-Trilogie ziemlich gut gefallen. Allein schon die Welt der Scythe ist es auf jeden Fall wert, dass man sich diese Reihe zu Gemüte führt.

[Cas ♛]

Scythe
~I received a physical proof copy from Walker Books Australia and willingly reviewed it~

Set in a futuristic world where humans have conquered death, Scythes are humans who are tasked with "gleaning", the act of killing to keep the world's population under control. The book follows Rowan and Citra, two teenagers who are reluctantly drawn into the world of the Scythedom to become Scythe's apprentices. But they soon learn that there's more to being a Scythe than killing, and division within Scythe ranks threatens the harmony and order of their world. Will they fight for what's right even if it means losing everything they've ever known?

I've been putting off reading Scythe forever, but I finally did it? And no regrets, I'm definitely pleasantly surprised because part of the reason I hadn't read it until now is because I was scared I wouldn't like it very much. Neal Shusterman depicts a realistic future that's almost perfect, but has underlying issues that threaten to tear it apart.

I really like the dual perspective; Rowan and Citra are two contrasting characters who showed clear character development. Rowan goes from being the bland, "lettuce" kid to fiercely dangerous in the name of what's right, and Citra goes from being defiant to attentive and compassionate. While I was initially unsure about these fairly drastic changes to personality, I believe they made sense considering the progression of events in the book.

And ahh believe me I did want to give this five stars, but there was something nagging at the back of my mind telling me not to. So I think I've figured out what it is, and it's that typically dystopian bond (or romance) between two characters that happens so suddenly and without explanation. I can't say much though, these bonds are some of my favourite relationships in YA, however I think my appetite for them has diminished as I've grown older. I'm really satisfied with how the book left off, but I did feel like a lot of the action revolved around the bond between Rowan and Citra.

Scythe has a really amazing way of exploring issues in this foreign yet oh so familiar world, and that's my favourite thing about the book. Neal Shusterman has set up a strong world as the foundation of Rowan and Citra's song, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Thunderhead
It was long and it probably didn't need to be, but worth it? (Yes I read over 80% of this book instead of studying for mock exams, shh.) There was an entirely new dimension to this one which made it different from Scythe and I'd call it a stand-out factor? There's obvious growth in this sequel, and that ending pained me. I need The Toll now.

The Toll
Uhh I have to say I'm a bit disappointed, I think Cait summarised my views really well. I love the way this series has explored issues, and this book is a prime example of that, but it lacked a driving force and even though my interest in the universe and the characters propelled me to keep reading I felt like I was strolling along the beach rather than speeding down a highway? There were a lot of different perspectives and I certainly had my favourites, so the ones I didn't really like made me want to put down the book for sure. And as for the ending... Heavily mixed feelings? I think Ayn got what she deserved in many ways, and as for Rowan and Citra, who even knows.

[Charleen Altendorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das Cover finde ich recht ansprechend. Ich habe die Hardcover-Ausgabe, bei der der Schutzumschlag wendbar ist. Auf der einen Seite ist das schimmernde Cover der Hardcover-Ausgabe, auf der anderen Seite das Paperback-Cover. So kann man sich selbst für eines der beiden Cover entscheiden. Die Idee finde ich richtig super.

Von den ersten beiden Bänden her kannte ich ja bereits den Schreibstil von Neal Shusterman. Auch hier ist er flüssig und gut zu lesen wobei ich sagen muss, dass ich mich schon arg konzentrieren musste. Lesen, wenn die Kids rumtobten, ging bei dem Buch nicht. Aufgrund der eingebauten Details ist der Schreibstil sehr bildgewaltig, so dass ich immer wieder automatisch Bilder vor Augen hatte.

Die Handlung war dieses Mal für mich etwas schwieriger zu verstehen. Dies kann aber auch daran liegen, dass die ersten beiden Bände schon ein paar Jahre zurück liegen. Auf den Leser kommen hier zwei Zeitstränge zu. Einer knüpft nahtlos an den Vorgängerband an, der andere spielt drei Jahre später. Da zu Beginn eines jeden Kapitels allerdings nicht ersichtlich ist, wo, wann und bei wem der vielen Charaktere man sich gerade befindet, war das Folgen für mich eher schwierig. Erst während des Lesens hat man dies dann erkannt.
Die Geschehnisse der ersten beiden Bände hatte ich noch grob im Kopf, vor allem wie Band zwei aufgehört hatte. Neal Shusterman hat sich hier keine Zeit für großartige Wiederholungen genommen. Es gibt lediglich ein paar kurze Erwähnungen, so dass die Erinnerung wieder aufgefrischt wurde. Schön wäre hier ein knapper Rückblick auf die Ereignisse gewesen.

Wie bereits erwähnt begleiten wir hier wieder abwechselnd verschiedene Charaktere. Da dies wirklich viele sind und man bereits weitestgehend alle kennt möchte ich da eigentlich gar nicht weiter drauf eingehen. Lediglich möchte ich erwähnen, dass ich mir von Rowan und Citra mehr erhofft hatte. Die beiden sind in meinen Augen viel zu kurz gekommen. Im Großen und Ganzen kann man sagen, dass die Charaktere wieder sehr gut ausgearbeitet sind. Einige gewinnen noch weiter an Tiefe. Es gibt aber hier niemanden, der mir so richtig doll ans Herz gewachsen ist. Ich glaube dafür waren es einfach zu viele verschiedene und zu viele Sprünge.

Bei der Handlung fällt es mir mal wieder schwer, meine Eindrücke in Worte zu fassen. Weiterhin geht es hier um die verschiedenen Gruppierungen, die sich gebildet haben. Da haben wir unter anderen die der neuen Ordnung, die der Alten Garde und die Tonisten. Neal Shustermann hat sich hier viel mit Politik beschäftigt, was wirklich sehr viel Raum eingenommen hat. Auch die künstliche Intelligenz, der Thunderhead, ist sehr präsent. Für meinen Geschmack war dieser Band wieder etwas zu zäh. Es gab zwar die ein oder andere Überraschung, aber ich finde man hätte doch mehr rausholen können. Dennoch finde ich, dass dies ein guter Abschluss war und es wird nicht mein letztes Buch von Neal Shustermann gewesen sein.


Fazit:
Mit "Scythe: Das Vermächtnis der Ältesten" ist Neal Shustermann ein guter Abschluss der Trilogie gelungen. Auch wenn die Emotionen und Hauptcharaktere teilweise zu kurz kamen und es etwas zäh war, werde ich dieses Universum irgendwie vermissen.

3,5/5 Sterne

[Ella Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Scythe, by Neal Shusterman, is a dystopian novel which occurs after a “post-apocalyptic” period. This novel conveys the societal progression that people view as plausible considering the current worldly situations taking place. This novel takes the terms fate and personal choice into battle, and leaves readers questioning which they would rather have in control. The two main characters of the story, Citra and Rowan are selected to become scythes, which in the year 2042 were the takers of life by “gleaning.” The two must decide whether they want to grant their families, including themselves, full immunity by becoming a scythe, or if they want to stick to their morals and continue to fight for the lives taken in an unnatural manner. No matter their decisions however, Citra and Rowan must compete against each other for the position of “scythe.” The characters' morals go against what is socially accepted and will face adversity no matter the decision they make. Morals are a personal decision and are subjective to the people you meet. Whether a person sticks with them or changes them for the acceptance of others is also a very personal choice.

Citra and Rowan were initially trained by scythe Faraday. They were accepted into the scythedom, but were overruled when the superiors decided that the winner of the battle to become a scythe must glean the loser. After Faraday proceeds with a self-gleaning, the two characters are separated and become interns of two drastically different mentors. Both of which result in extreme and excessive violence when gleaning. Citra thinks to herself, “Hope in the shadow of fear is the world's most powerful motivator” (Shusterman 8). No one wants to die, and the scythes realize that. It is the fear within people that calls them to action. If we had nothing to run from, why bother wasting your energy? Citra and Rowan’s lives are the incentives to these cruel and twisted battles.

Becoming a scythe requires ultimate mental control and capacity. It is draining. Fairly early in the story, we face a paradox when the scythe states “Those who want the job should not have it, and those who refuse to kill are the most qualified to do so.” (Shusterman) Did Citra and Rowan receive the invitation to become scythes because of how they are wired? Is it simply because of fate that they exemplify the qualities necessary to become a scythe? Or was it their actions that got them there? The two teens are left questioning why they were chosen to fulfill such vital roles in society. It is because they were not willing to kill.

The Scythe encourages readers to go beyond their limits and question the things that go against their morals. It is ok to question, and it is normal to do so. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in sociology because it places readers in the first-person point of view of people struggling with their identities and who they truly are as a person. This novel perfectly exemplifies the struggles teenagers throughout the world face when longing to find their true purpose in life. And when friendships and bonds are truly put to the test.

[Em Book Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers below!

I don't read YA dystopia(/dystopia-adjacent) books very often, but this one had me hooked for the entire series.

The first book is more focused on the Scythedom as a whole association, the second and third are broader and discuss the role of the Thunderhead. The later two also introduce a ton of characters, so it's easier for me to think of the first book as a Citra and Rowan-focused prequel. Still, their development is super consistent throughout the whole series (particularly Citra's), as well as the development of the rest of the characters. I also enjoyed how the stakes were raised throughout the series, from Citra and Rowan developing as scythe's apprentices, to the re-introduction of space travel and the abdication of scythes. It's very compelling and tense, and even in the duller parts I was compelled to read more. There's always a huge event that you can sense

We only see most of this in the first book, but there's a lot of nuance in the role of scythe. There's a lot of variation in personal philosophy and gleaning style that ranges from downright comical to philosophical. It was a funny decision to introduce Faraday and Goddard back-to-back (Faraday is something of a model scythe in the way he bears the weight of taking lives, and Goddard does it for fun). And it's also interesting to observe the role of the Scythedom in the world, the amount of power and privileges the have as life-takers, and the ways they're prone to corruption. Again, I wish this was discussed more in books 2 and 3, but there was a lot more to talk about so it's fine.

I thought the concept of the Thunderhead was kind of weird though. I'm not sure if most of the world would be okay with replacing all world governments with an AI, or at the very least be constantly surveilled (even by a non-malevolent entity). Regardless, the setting is very unique, and allows super interesting questions on mortality and art and human nature to be explored. (In addition to having a very interesting setting in the first place, Neal Shusterman is fantastic at slipping worldbuilding details into his writing.)
There's also lots of pretty strong religious/mythological parallels with the Thunderhead in The Toll, which kind of gives the book series a more fantasyish vibe (which is a pretty nice combination in a more sci-fi ish setting).

I think the series ended in a pretty good place. I found the Scythedom doomed to fail, as it was pretty prone to corruption already, so I was expecting a big change to happen to it somehow. Entrusting the Thunderhead with death was kind of strange, but it chose a pretty good way to go about it, and changing the scythes' roles from death bringers to givers of comfort was a pretty good way to eliminate the corruption. Also, giving humanity less dependence on the Thunderhead was probably a pretty good call. The space travel came out of nowhere

Overall pretty compelling read. 4 stars.

[Dayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid in the series!!

Really enjoyed it. Admittedly, it was a little draggy the first 3/4 of the book, had to go on a short break on it sometimes, but the plot was still intriguing enough for me to be curious to see what unfolds.

I think it's the thirsty hoe in me but after that first few chapters with Rowan? Zaddy.... I love me a morally grey character...a muscular alpha male that is not afraid to be the villain in order to follow his vision and morals.... cutting out evil corrupt scythes and basks in his persecution... so hot... I was looking up fanfic after this lmao.... forgive me....

I really did enjoy the friendship of motherxdaughter with Citra and Curie... ugh... Curie is so mother slay I WAS SO UPSET WHEN SHE DIED, BUT SHE DIED SPECTACULARLY

As usual Neal's writing dotted with humor was funny and engaging, and I really enjoyed exploring the political world of schythedom, and the method of gleaning Citra chose.

While I don't buy nor care for the "romance" between rowan and citra (zero chemistry and investment), I did enjoy the introduction of our new character Greyson. TBH his unsavory arc was so meh and kinda boring and slow, although some parts were quite funny (the fake legally rebellion clubs lol), i enjoyed his toll monk era more. the great resonance moment LOL the buildup and it all makes so much sense

I really liked the chaos that was the last few chapters, absolute and pure chaos i love it. The buildup to it all. the self-sacrifice, the "he drowned exceptionally well" was my favourite line of the whole book LOL.

I really think the thunderhead's build up thought process over all the events, its reflections and decisions it eventually make make so much sense and it was well-fitting. totally waranted and deserving. And I am so interested to see how this new world plays out in the next book!!

As usual, it's all about the plot and there is not really any room for well-fleshed out characters or agency, multi-faceted emotions that deal with complex emotions or trauma or whaeves. It's pure world building and over-arching state of humanity.

I love it.

[A.D. Hurley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really one to judge a trilogy book by book because the story is meant to be woven together between the parts, usually. So I'm going to post the same review to each of the books.
I really wanted to love this trilogy. If half stars were available, My rating would have been a solid 3.5. The premise was so promising. I loved the concept of this futuristic world - this dystopian utopia. I loved the unique take of "if AI ruled the world" that didn't follow the typical route of overturning humanity. I loved the theme that humanity will always find a way to destroy itself. I even loved the fact that the story takes place in the Marshall Islands, where I lived for a time when I was young (although I question if the author really knew much about the islands, I don't hold it against him - few have been there.) All the elements for a really great story were here. And I truly wanted to love it.
But what I didn't like was how it fell so flat. The story dragged in so many places and I honestly didn't fall in love with any of the characters. None of them had truly endearing qualities. The MC, Citra (Scythe Anastasia) falls into this role of leadership and honor, with no real reason why. The author just sort of tells you it is so without providing any action that puts her there. Same with the love interest and fellow Scythe apprentice, Rowan. The author sort of just tells you there is an interest there but you don't really see the relationship between them blossom with action and character development. It is like this with many elements throughoutthe series. The story progresses at the author's pace, not the characters' and so the backstory and narration take the forefront, not the action, dialogue or character development, which lends the story a bit of unauthenticity.
If I were to sum this review up in one short phrase it would be: Excellent idea, terrible execution.

[TheCosyDragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Citra and Rowan have been selected as Scythe’s apprentices. They are responsible for controlling the human population now that death, war and disease have been overcome. Their mentor Faraday thinks that he can train them both – but soon they have been pitted against one another by Goddard.

I read this trilogy in very short order – so short that I’m not going to bother reviewing the individual novels. That being said ,the first novel was a standout in my mind, while the other two novels dropped off in quality and consistency.

Scythe Anastasia toes the line most of the time, while Rowan likes to push boundaries. Although surely both got equal page time, I felt like the skew was towards having more Anastasia. I could have lived with a few less perspectives so that there was more tension. Eventually I could see exactly where the plot line was going.

What was the purpose of having the Thunderhead cut off like that? Why was mister mean guy so mean in the end? Why couldn’t the Thunderhead just overcome its own programming like the way it went around its other limitations?

I had a problem with the human population not even really needing containment. I would have kept it down at a constant level, not letting it expand even to just below capacity! What if the humans found a way around it? Scythes aren’t necessarily the most brilliant after all.

This series includes Scythe, Thunderhead, and The Toll. I wouldn’t reread them, but I really enjoyed reading it the first time. I’d give the first novel 4 stars, and the others 3 stars.

Did you enjoy this goodreads review? If so you may find it useful to visit my blog The Cosy Dragon . I regularly post new reviews on a variety of genres.

[Paolo Cecchetto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc of a Scythe è una trilogia di libri scritti da Neal Shusterman tra il 2016 e il 2016 che raccontano la storia di una società in cui la morte è stata sconfitta e il compito di scegliere chi muore in maniera definitiva è lasciato ai membri di una organizzazione al di fuori del controllo della società stessa e del suo onnipresente custode: una IA chiamata Thunderhead.

La trilogia è la storia della società, ma ogni singolo libro sposta il focus su un diverso aspetto e su protagonisti diversi. Se il primo libro parla di morte e di coloro che la devono dispensare, il secondo si concentra sul Thunderhead e sulla società in generale e il terzo sposta il riflettore sulla religione e sul suo messia. Ogni libro costruisce sui precedenti e aggiunge personaggi e situazioni, senza mai lasciare nulla indietro.

Nel complesso i personaggi sono il vero punto di forza della serie, non perché siano individualmente particolarmente memorabili, ma proprio per il loro essere persone comuni, piene di difetti e limiti che, da soli, non avrebbero potuto raggiungere il finale. Attenzione però che questa non è la storia di persone comuni che collaborano per un grande fine, ma quella di persone comuni che lavorano contemporaneamente per i propri fini più o meno altruistici.

Tra questi spicca sicuramente la figura del Thunderhead e del lavoro che fa Shusterman per renderlo un personaggio reale e non la macchietta dell’IA onnipotente e infallibile.

Una bella saga che ha un momento di stanca a metà del secondo libro, quando, come sempre nelle trilogie, l’autore ha bisogno di spostare pezzi sulla scacchiera per arrivare all’ottimo finale.

[Ed Roggenkamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this trilogy with my 10-year-old son after getting it for him for his birthday. It is an enjoyable young adult science fiction novel with an interesting premise - human beings have conquered mortality via the intervention of a nearly all-powerful AI, but in order to keep the population from outstripping natural resources, some humans are designated as "scythes" with the right and the obligation to "glean" a set number of people each year. The central conflict is between the "old guard" scythes who see their job as a sacred, but horrible duty - which is expressed by one character's statement that the first qualification for becoming a scythe is that you would never want to be a scythe - and the "new order" scythes, led by a charismatic psychopath who loves to kill and thinks that all scythes should enjoy their job.
The narrative structure is accessible for early teen readers, but should still be thought-provoking, as it touches on the nature of mortality and what it would mean for art, literature, employment, religion, and many other aspects of society that differ in what characters call the post-mortal era. Both my son and I enjoyed these books and I would gladly recommend them.

[Holly Siebenschuh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved Neal Shusterman since the Unwind Dystology and this series did not disappoint! The world building is so detailed and defined, the characters have such widely different motivations and story arches, and the lore in the universe keeps me on my toes after every reread.

The Arc of a Scythe trilogy explores the concept of life after humanity conquers death. With the use of Scythes to handle population control, and a basically all-powerful AI, the Thunderhead, in control of everything else, the world seems to run smoothly. However, when Citra and Rowan enter into the world of Scythes, they discover the system is not so perfect after all. This series explores themes of corruption and power as well as religion and advanced technology to provide readers with an entertaining and thrilling experience of a dystopian society.

Shusterman creates these amazing concepts that makes you question the parallels between fiction and our own reality. The way he is able to make sure everything circles back to itself is masterful and it truly is such an art. This series is 10/10 and I would recommend to everyone.

#the Thunderhead is my favorite character