Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) by Neal Shusterman - Restarting May 1st 2023

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Chapter 5:
(view spoiler)[I’ve been curious about who H.S. Curie is... the author of the journal entries. But I’m starting to think it’s either Rowan or Citra. Because at the beginning when we were introduced to Faraday, he was told that was a good name that he chose, that of a scientist. So I’m thinking... it’s obvious once you become a scythe that you can choose your name, right? So maybe H.S. Curie is the name either Rowan or Citra chose once they became a scythe. Hmm...
(hide spoiler)]

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Chapter 9:
(view spoiler)[I wasn’t expecting them to take Esme. I guess she’s gonna be the “bad” scythes’ apprentice. I really don’t like that group of scythes, the ones doing the mass gleanings. That’s effed up.
(hide spoiler)]

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Even though I hate what he does... for some reason I really like Scythe Faraday. I like his characteristics, his personality. I like how even though he was chosen to be a scythe, he still has some decency & compassion about him.

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Chapter 13:
(view spoiler)[Okay, so we find out who Curie is... but something still doesn’t seem right... I wonder what her significance is that they would use her journal entries before each chapter? Part of me still feels maybe it isn’t the Curie we just met at the conclave. But I guess it is... I don’t know... (hide spoiler)]

EDIT: Okay, nevermind... she’s the (view spoiler)[Grande Dame of Death so I guess that’s her significance LOL (hide spoiler)]

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Chapter 14:
(view spoiler)[Wow. I didn’t see that coming... the winning apprentice having to glean the loser. That sucks. So bad. (hide spoiler)]

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Chapter 16:
(view spoiler)[“I need a new pool boy.” WOW. Goddard is way, way up on his high horse. I hope Faraday (or someone) brings him crashing down somehow. (hide spoiler)]

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Too bad scythes can’t glean each other, or be gleaned. Because I wouldn’t mind one bit if Goddard was gleaned. :-\

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Chapter 17:
(view spoiler)[WHATTT NOOOO! I liked Faraday! At first I didn’t believe he actually killed himself... but now I do. So he could prevent Rowan & Citra from having to glean one another. It really sucks that Rowan is going into the hands of Goddard. I really can’t stand him at all! I hope he doesn’t turn Rowan evil like him... (hide spoiler)]

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Page 202 - “Nature deemed that to be born was an automatic sentence to death, and then brought about that death with vicious consistency.”

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Chapter 28:
(view spoiler)[I had a feeling this was going to be the reason Esme was so important. Or something similar to it. (hide spoiler)]

[[[ Frankie ]]]

Chapter 34:
(view spoiler)[SCYTHE FARADAY IS ALIVE!! Hell yes. Didn’t see that coming, either. ;p (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

40%

(view spoiler)[At first, I couldn’t believe that either Citra or Rowan would have to glean the other. Now, I believe that Scythe Goddard asked Scythe Rand to suggest it. I believe Goddard knew that if the High Blade and the Parliamentarian accepted it that Scythe Faraday would glean himself. Goddard knew that he would get rid of his enemy. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

67%
(view spoiler)[I understand that Goddard wanted the estate for the parties. He could at least let the person keep their job.
(hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

75%

(view spoiler)[I can’t believe that they would believe Citra murdered Scythe Farady. I understand why Citra looked into the matter but am surprised by the outcome (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

79%

(view spoiler)[It’s better to know that Faraday wrote that journal entry about Scythe rather than having been forced to write it by his murderer." (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Finished

I didn't predict the ending. When you finish, what do you think?

[[[ Frankie ]]]

I just finished the book & I loved it! Five big, beautiful, shiny stars from me! I loved everything about this book... the characters, the world building, the plot... it was never predictable for me & that’s rare. Shusterman did an incredible job with this one & I’m looking forward to reading Thunderhead!

[[[ Frankie ]]]

(view spoiler)[The ending was amazing! I hoped there would be a way they could both live so I was really happy about that. I think Citra will make a good Scythe. & what about Rowan becoming Scythe Lucifer? Killing off all the evil scythes? That’s awesome. LOL. (hide spoiler)]

[callie]

Could I join in for the 8th?

[[[ Frankie ]]]

We’ve already finished this buddy read. Do you have a buddy to read it with on the 8th? You can only earn extra team challenge points if you have a buddy scheduled with you. But if you’re not in the monthly team challenge & don’t need the points, I wouldn’t mind discussing it with you when you read it! I loved this book so much. I’m reading the second book right now, almost finished with it.

[callie]

[[ Frankie ]] wrote: "We’ve already finished this buddy read. Do you have a buddy to read it with on the 8th? You can only earn extra team challenge points if you have a buddy scheduled with you. But if you’re not in th..."

I don't know... some other people reset the thread for the 8th and i just got a copy so I thought i'd join in.... I'm not doing the monthly challenge thing this month

[callie]

I'll comment on here anyways because I'm loving this book.

Part 1 Robe and Ring - I've kinda been in a reading slump for the whole of March (a whopping nine days when I started this book, but it's felt like forever because I literally read constantly) so I needed a good fantasy book to get me out. I think I found it. So far, I've loved Scythe. I'm interested in the characters, I'm anxious to find out what happens, I love the world building. Ahh, the world building. (view spoiler)[I think that it's very interesting that they know everything. I feel like that would be a sad day when everything is known and there is nothing left to learn. I personally love learning, I strive to know things, so reading about this world is very thought provoking to me. If I lived in a world where there was nothing left to learn, I would feel empty. I think it's interesting how they say that there is nothing left to learn, but then Scythe Faraday says something about him personally not knowing something but the information was probably in the Thunderhead. So, everyone doesn't know everything, the knowledge of everything if just available to them? That's how I'm understanding it. If that's true, then I would probably spend all my time learning things from the Thunderhead. Just because someone/something knows everything doesn't mean that there is nothing left to learn. I'm honestly so interested in this world. I also love the entire topic that humans need to die. Yes, it tragic, yes, nobody wants to die or kill, but yes, it needs to be done. Population control is something that I am very interested in due to the circumstances of how overpopulated the earth is. I feel like it's a topic that needs to be discussed but nobody wants to talk about it. I love that this books kinda sorta talks about that. Now, I don't think the earth needs Scythes (though that is one way to go) but it needs something. I've heard things about a new diet plan to feed 10 billion people, but we don't need a new "diet plan" what we need is to un-overpopulate (is that a word?) the earth. Okay so I just ranted about the world building and overpopulation…. Oh well! (hide spoiler)]

[callie]

Part 2 No Laws Beyond These (view spoiler)[ WOAAHHHH I totally didn't see that coming. I liked Scythe Faraday, I am sad he died. Not like super said, but kinda sad. And I was shocked. I think the kiss between Citra and Rowan was weird and I don't get why it happened? SInce it is a book I was no idea what the tone of "I haven't fallen in love with you (either)" sentences were in. was it sarcastic? Serious? Wistful? IDK IT ALL MAKES IT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS! I don't get the point of the kiss right now. It was weird, and not like good weird. I love the world building I could talk so much about the world building, but I won't. I think it would be nice if it ended very dramatically, like the Thunderhead crashes, and nobody is immortal, new information is discovered, the Scythedom breaks, everything goes haywire. I don't think that will happen because the next book is called Thunderhead, but I think that'd be fun. That's about all I have to say about this section... (hide spoiler)]

[callie]

Part 3 The Old Guard and the New Order (view spoiler)[ I"m liking Scythe Curie! I love her style and the fact she eats with the families of the gleaned, that's really nice. Like everyone probably does, I think Goddard sucks. I can't wait to see what happens with him. BUT OMG WHEN ROWAN BROKE CITRA'S NECK! Not gonna lie, I thought was was so CLEVER! I really liked that. I was really curious about Emse, turns out she is the High Blade's illegitimate daughter? That's cool! I'm really loving this and can't wait to read more!
(hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

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Date changed. Restarting November 5th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

I am a few days early as I want to re-read the first two before I get to

I always love Neal Shusterman's choice of vocab. This is a true YA bordering on Adult as there are several words that would be challenging for someone just on the cusp of YA.

I also love how it really makes you think. :)

[Courtney]

Thats the same reason I wanted to reread the series too. I really love this series.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Courtney wrote: "Thats the same reason I wanted to reread the series too. I really love this series."

I'm not sure I would say I love it. Especially right at the beginning. It gets a lot better later on. I am honestly desperately wanting to read

[Courtney]

It just had me hooked by the beginning, but I can see why people say it goes slow.

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

Courtney wrote: "It just had me hooked by the beginning, but I can see why people say it goes slow."

I think the concept had me at the very beginning but I think it's the narration that throws me off. I tried this as an audio and it was horrible but I can read it fine as a book. There's just something about the 'voice' that takes time to get into. ^_^

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

I'm still only on chapter one as I haven't had much time to read right now. But I love the world-building. The idea that (view spoiler)[humanity has achieved all goals basically and can't grow is a really weird and cool concept. I also love the ability to age back although that is not as unique. I also love how Scythes are treated. Like it's a very realistic concept that is somehow also (I can't figure out a word to decribe it) (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Starting now :)

[Courtney]

Chapter 1 (view spoiler)[ Citra is so fiesty. I still love her. (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Chapter 2 (view spoiler)[ I wish people werent so mean to Rowan. Nobody else would have been there for Cole. (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ I couldnt imagine having to go through this process. No thank you! (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Chapter 6 (view spoiler)[ This chapter always freaks me out. Those Scythe's are so nasty! (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Chapter 16 (view spoiler)[ God! I hate Goddard! (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Chapter 17 This chapter is still sad.

[Courtney]

Chapter 26 (view spoiler)[ This just shows not everyone who runs with Goddard is heartless, but I still wish Volta would have chose another path. (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Chapter 29 (view spoiler)[ I really wish Goddard didnt know about Esme because he is bringing the ugly out of everyone including Xenocrates. (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Chapter 32 (view spoiler)[ So glad Faraday is still alive. (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Finished and I am still 100% behind this series.

[Pragya]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ I liked Citra for being bold and spoken. They are apprentice to glean people which they don't want to do but still will do it. Huh. (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Part 2 (view spoiler)[ Scythe Faraday was such a good Scythe. It's so sad. (hide spoiler)]

[Courtney]

Pragya wrote: "Part 2 [spoilers removed]"

It is one of the saddest parts in this book in my opinion.

[Pragya]

@Courtney- I totally agree with you.

[Pragya]

Part 3 (view spoiler)[ High Blade has a daughter. Goddard is a murderer. While in the starting in the book it seems there will be no corruption but in Scythedom there is so much politics and corruption. (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Part 4 (view spoiler)[ I can't believe Rowan killed them. (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Courtney wrote: "Chapter 2 [spoilers removed]"
Yes, people were so rude and mean towards Rowan.

[Pragya]

Courtney wrote: "Chapter 32 [spoilers removed]"

I am so happy. I cried when he died. Now I feel silly about it.