The Toll (Arc of a Scythe #3) by Neal Shusterman -- Restarting January 5th 2024

[Abby]

It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.

In this pulse-pounding conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.

[Jill]

Starting!!

[[deleted user]]

Going to be getting it in a day or two. Plan on joining in if timing works

[Claire]

I'll be starting as soon as I finish my current book, hopefully within the next 2 days!

[Courtney]

I'm hoping to start in two days as well. I just gotta finish my reread of Thunderhead first.

[Jill]

(view spoiler)[Starting off with a recap of where Thunderhead left off, which is good because I needed a refresher. Goddard is High Blade, God help us all. Wonder what he has up his sleeve. The Thunderhead is still silent and everyone is unsavory. Curie perished but I think she will come back later. Faraday made it to the lost land but he's stranded there with all these other Numbus agents. Rowan and Citra are back, but Rowan is deemed a criminal. Wondering what they are going to do on the island and what the Thunderhead has planned.. (hide spoiler)]
Part 1

[Jill]

(view spoiler)[ I'm worried for Rowan's future because it is looking grim, but glad he is managing as best as he could and still being cheeky. Rand feels guilty about Tyger. Will she go rogue again and help the good guys? Why did the Thunderhead pick Greyson. Is it a coincidence that his last name is TOLLiver? Morrison failed to kill him and instead joined his pack. Now what? (hide spoiler)]
Part 2

(view spoiler)[ I feel like not much is happening. We are kind of stagnant with the action. Glad Rowan got to escape, but now he's in custody of other people. Wonder how they will use him. When will him and Citra finally reunite again? (hide spoiler)]
Part 3

[Claire]

Part 1
(view spoiler)[Woo, so many new characters! I really love that we get little sections showing us brief glimpses of the lives of characters who have very little connection to the main plot, it lets us learn more about the world without having to have way too many POV characters (although there are a lot of POV characters).

I'm really curious who's the one talking to the Thunderhead in the between chapter sections? At first I thought it was Greyson but looks like the conversations might be happening either way before or way after the events of this main story. (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Part 2
(view spoiler)[Yay Morrison is gonna be around now! He is mildly irritating but I did like him in the previous book.

I'm loving the little sections with the people from the future analysing 'The Toll', also I can't believe I never made that connection, Greyson TOLLiver!

I'm not sure if I'm really liking the constant POV shifts and the jumping back and forth in the timeline but it's kinda cool, like puzzle pieces coming together? (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ Two timelines are going on. There are so many POVs. Rowan and Citra are revived. Goddard is as wicked as before. Faraday hasn't found anything yet. Thunderhead is definitely planning something big and I am not sure if it is for good or bad. Why there is a blind spot? Was thunderhead a danger? (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

@Claire- Part 1 (view spoiler)[ I think thunderhead conversations between the chapters happened before the events of this main story. It could be the time when thunderhead was made and these could lead to the reason for blind spot. It's just my theory. (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

@Pragya
(view spoiler)[That makes sense! Yeah I was thinking it might be from when the Thunderhead was being created and was being tested out. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Starting this later - shuffling a few BRs around. So curious to see how this resolved itself.

[Pragya]

@Claire- I am thinking the same.

[Katie]

Chapter 9- (view spoiler)[ Citra and Rowan are awake!!! Citra had a longer time remembering what happened, but Rowan remembered everything, but has been blamed for the attack. And they were dead for 3 years!! (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Part 3
(view spoiler)[Lmao yikes, well that was unexpected (actually not that unexpected, I've read a surprisingly similar scenario in another YA book before actually) but still, wow.

Gotta give Goddard points for that quick thinking though, I wonder how many people are actually going to buy his excuse.

Also, aha! I did find it weird that space travel/colonisation was said to be impossible at the start of the first book. I dismissed it as the topic just being handwaved because the author didn't want to involve spacey scifi stuff in this series, but looks like that's being reincorporated now. (hide spoiler)]

[Rachael]

Okay I'm super late but I started this last night and super excited to read!

[Evelyn]

I'm joining the Dec 1st BR!

[Jill]

Katie wrote: "Chapter 9- [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I knew it wasn't the end of them!! (hide spoiler)]

[Jill]

Pragya wrote: "@Claire- Part 1 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I didn't get what these parts were so I've been ignoring them. But it is starting to make more sense later in the book (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Read up to ch10. Love how some of them have been missing for three years so need filling-in on what’s happened (handy recap). Does seem as if the Thunderhead has some kind of plan.

[Rachael]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ I freakin LOVE this world. I'm so intrigued and addicted! I totally forgot about the super dramatic sinking of the underwater city... and Rowan & Citra FINALLY becoming an item.. But now what? They need to be reunited.. I'm loving the introduction of new characters.. so interested in the Nimbus agents that are now unsavories like everyone else.. (hide spoiler)]

Just need to add that if you guys love this series and storyline, you would probably also love . Similar, but not really, but SO SO SO good.

[Rachael]

Jill wrote: "[spoilers removed]
Part 1"

I agree with "God help us" ughhh

[Rachael]

Pragya wrote: "Part 1 [spoilers removed]"

I'm having a hard time keeping up with the different timelines.. It takes me a few pages to realize we have jumped from one to the other

[Katie]

^^ I agree Rachael- I started this on audiobook, and had to switch to the physical copy, and that has helped, but I have keep asking myself if I know what time line I'm in.

Chapter 16- (view spoiler)[ I really enjoyed this chapter, and how they talked about "if they could glean any type of person, who would it be?" and "if people had genetic markers that indicated they might do something before they do it, is that still a crime?" I LOVED THIS! And the way they switched the definition of bias.

I can tell all these little stories are going to come together, but I'm hoping it's soon...I am still struggling a little bit with the timeline. (hide spoiler)]

[Claire]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[Wow. Okay then. So, having read both this entire series as well as Unwind makes me pretty sure now that I just have a fundamental issue with Shusterman's train of logic or something. If I discard all of my personal views, then I think that this was an awesome ending, very satisfying. It's crazy and out-there (literally) but makes complete sense in the context of the story.

I'm glad that the issue with space colonisation was addressed here, it makes much more sense than it just not working out for 'reasons'. I do feel that the plot had a few contrivances here and there but nothing too inexplicable.

I was really glad that Rowan came to his senses and decided to stay awake during the journey, I was a bit weirded out when it seemed like he was going to join Citra since it didn't really fit in with his established personality, so I was really glad when he changed his mind.

This is going to sound nuts but I actually really love Scythe Rand and I'm glad that she made it through despite the fact that she's morally very questionable. It was almost a tiny bit anticlimactic that she just ended Goddard so quickly, but she deserved that victory, I reckon, after all she'd done. I think that it was a very fitting end for her that she got Tyger back, yes, but she's literally forced to look her mistake in the face for as long has he stays with her.

This is the first time in ages that I've finished a series and immediately craved fanfiction, I want to see other fans' interpretations of what life will be like on Earth after the plagues have been introduced, as well as life on the other planets! (hide spoiler)]

I second the recommendation for ! It's such a fun and amazing series, and it deals with AI and various other scifi topics in a very interesting manner.

[Pragya]

Jill wrote: "Pragya wrote: "@Claire- Part 1 [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

That's great as they are many conversations happening and it might have gotten confusing. 😊

[Pragya]

Rachael wrote: "Part 1 [spoilers removed]

Just need to add that if you guys love this series and storyline, you would probably also love . Similar, but not really, but SO SO SO good."
Illuminae is in my TBR. I will start reading it soon. 😊

[Pragya]

Rachael wrote: "Pragya wrote: "Part 1 [spoilers removed]"

I'm having a hard time keeping up with the different timelines.. It takes me a few pages to realize we have jumped from one to the other"

Me too. 😆

[Jill]

(view spoiler)[Goddard was always a bad dude. Mass killing on mars and now genocide of Tonists. We haven't seen whats going on with Faraday or Rowan in a while but I'm sure they'll come into play soon. I liked Shusterman's nod to Trump when he wrote "Only idiots build walls." Seem to be a pretty political book so far (hide spoiler)]
Part 4

(view spoiler)[So the deleted convos was the making of Cirrus, a new updated Thunderhead and he saved them all basically. Scythes have been eliminated and now they are traveling to other planets to colonize. I don't even think Goddard died. And I'm pissed Rand got her happy ending with Tyger. Ugh. Rowan and Citra seem to have ended up together, even though Rowan has to wait to revive Citra for all those years. (hide spoiler)]
End

(view spoiler)[Didn't love this one like the others. Too long for no reason. Not enough wow factor considering the hype for this release (hide spoiler)]
Final Thoughts

[Karen]

Up to ch24. Lyrics to ‘Light my fire’ and Scythe Morrison likes to be called Jim...definitely not to be taken too seriously!

[Dr. Andy]

I'm going to do my best to read this by the end of the month!

[Aly]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ There's a lot of characters, I'm taking notes to keep them straight lol. I'm glad Rowan and Anastasia are okay and Faraday made it to the island. Goddard is so crazy, hopefully the others can join up to overthrow him (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch30. There’s a real sense of lots of threads pulling together, slowly. Desperate to see if the Thunderhead has a coherent plan all along.

[Rachael]

Chapter 25 (view spoiler)[ wow I’m really intrigued by the Madagascar region and their beliefs! I think that would make a great spin off series (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Part 2 (view spoiler)[ I really like Grayson and I'm glad he turned the situation with Morrison around. I want more of Rowan and what's going to happen with him. I wonder if the Thunderhead's plan is to bring back regular death so people can't be brought back or make themselves young again? (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch36. (view spoiler)[ So pleased Jeri gets to be helpful, but I am waiting to see whether Rowan and Grayson will be part of some bigger plan. (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Part 3 (view spoiler)[ I'm glad Rowan escaped and the tech that was tied to the pyre was killed so he didn't suffer. Jericho is such an interesting character. Feeling like a man or woman depending on the sky. Cool that people accept it (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Part 4 (view spoiler)[ It's good Anastasia/Citra reunited with Grayson and Morrison. Things are starting to get really crazy and Grayson dismissing that guy that wanted to kill all the Scythes is going to cause more problems. I wonder what Rowan and Faraday are up to? (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I'm sad that Grayson, Jeri (spelling?), and Faraday didn't go on the rockets. But if they're happy staying on Earth then that's good. I think everything turned out for the best and I loved this! (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch39. Did chuckle at the conversation with Grayson and his go-between, but I am not sure how things will progress from here.

[Katie]

Part 2 - (view spoiler)[ FINALLY!! I'm starting to get into this!!! I prefer when they stay with one of the stories longer than jumping all over the place...Like at the end of the part 2 they stayed with Grayson's story line and the attempt to kill him for a few chapters. It helped me so much more getting into this book!!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch43. I am wondering how the various conflicts will be resolved. Nobody seems quite sure at the moment.

[Rachael]

Through chapter 49... on one hand I feel like it’s taking forever to finish it but on the other hand I don’t want it to end and I’ve just been gobbling it up!

[Karen]

Up to ch48. I feel like I’ve taken ages to read this, but it’s so absorbing when you’re reading. Interesting position from the Thunderhead regarding physical presence.

[Katie]

Part 3 - (view spoiler)[ Whoa! Goddard is....Whoa! I'm glad Rowan was able to escape, but the ending of part 3 was pretty intense! I'm enjoying this so much more now that the different stories are starting to make sense on how they are connected! (hide spoiler)]

[Rachael]

All done... What... the hell...
(view spoiler)[ This was hard to follow because there are SO MANY POVs and so many timelines.. But the puzzle all came together finally and my mind is blown. I need time to digest it all. We saw a whole world rise and fall in this series. A world that is unlike anything else that has ever been created. I am so thankful for this journey.. AND SO HAPPY CITRA WOKE UP! I really thought she was dead and that was that but the author gave us that little gem right at the very end.. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Finished...finally. Review on home page. Loved the series as a whole. The final section really picked it up for me, but it felt like something of a gruelling read.

[Katie]

Part 4- (view spoiler)[ Annnnnndd....it slowed back down for me :( I'm having a hard time with the pacing of this book, and it's taking me FOREVER to finish this thing. Citra and Grayson have been reunited and we have found out that Goddard also was involved with the Mars attack. I found Jeri's gender introduction super out of place. It was mentioned that it was so nice that Citra thought to ask about pronouns, and Jeri is "so different" just seems out of place to me for so far into the future...it was almost like someone told the author he needed more representation in the series.... Overall, it has slowed down for me, but I'm anticipating an EPIC ending!! Looking forward to seeing how this will end! (hide spoiler)]

[Pragya]

I am stuck at Part 2 😩