June 2024 Not First in a Series BOTM - The Toll, by Neal Shusterman

[Alaina]

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.

**This BOTM thread will be open until July 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

Started this one this morning after finishing with Thunderhead last night, which ranks up there with one of the most shocking endings ever.

To Page 26: (view spoiler)[I didn't get far in this morning, but immediately disgusted that Goddard has taken over and no one knows, or suspects, he was behind all that went down on Endura. At least, I don't think anyone knows. Also, quite a flip for Greyson to now be the only person in contact with the Thunderhead, after the Thunderhead cut him off last book. Interested for Citra and Rowan to be found -- hopefully soon! (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Page 60: (view spoiler)[I'm really enjoying all the political things going on. The other areas starting to stand up against Goddard's rule. Also, it seems the salvage team is close to finding Citra and Rowan!!!!!! I can't wait. I need my babies back.

Oh, and Faraday and his associate trapped on Nod is giving me such LOST vibes. He doesn't seem to concerned about being stuck there. I feel like the fail safe they're going to find is going to be nuclear weapons. I hope not, but what else could it be? (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Page 125: (view spoiler)[Citra and Rowan are awake! Of course Rowan is incarcerated. I hope Citra can convince everyone that Goddard was behind the sinking of Endura! Also, so many dead on the atoll, but it serms they could end up being rescued soon. Who is going to help Faraday get into that vault!? (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Part 1

(view spoiler)[Start is a little bit slower since Rowen and Citra are mostly not there but I'm loving this. The World is opening up so much in this book. (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Part 2
(view spoiler)[I really liked this part. I just wishe there was more Rowan. Greyson and Morrison are going to be an interestind duo. (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Part 3

(view spoiler)[Goddart just lost it (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Page 175: I'm finding the religious symbology represented so very interesting. That's something I've noticed Shusterman always includes. It's so fascinating. (view spoiler)[Like Greyson and his new position as the Toll and the whole father, son and holy spirit symbology that has been developed with that storyline. It's really well done. (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Page 202: (view spoiler)[I was a little confused by that last section between Rand and Goddard; like why were the paragraphs blocked like that? But also, I came away with a huge hope in my heart that Rand will ultimately betray Goddard in a big way that hopefully leads to his downfall. I'd say she is definitely starting to begrudge him. (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[I'd forgotten about how much is unknown here. I love all of the conflicting and all-encompassing POVs we experience. I don't always like books with so many POVs, but Neal Shusterman does it amazingly. (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Through chapter 16 (view spoiler)[There's so much I forgot about this one, as with the other two. In particular, I'd forgotten Scythe Rand's change and the Thunderhead's conversations. Excited to see where this goes, since I don't remember much. (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Part 2 (view spoiler)[I forgot how much I liked the dichotomy between the Thunderhead and Greyson, and the Thunderhead and itself. Clearly, we haven't come even close to that level of AI, but the Thunderhead is the ideal AI. (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Part 3 (view spoiler)[Oh my god this is so good! I had forgotten the extent of Goddard's insanity and power-hunger. I love this book and series so much.

I love the Symphonius and Coda commentary about The Toll stuff too. It shows that there is a future, even after all of this, where people still try to piece together history. As megs_bookrack said, the religious (and historical) symbology here is particularly interesting. I like the idea of a world that recognizes that religion was the precursor to science, and that wants to be purely scientific, but that people will still try to make meaning of in some undetermined future. (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

Through chapter 40 (view spoiler)[It is books like this series where I get so enraptured with the story that I can't begin to look beyond, at the writing and strategies used. It would be interesting to know what Neal Shusterman's views on organized religion are. Does he take a cultish view of leaders? Think that leaders can be an influence for change if done the right way? These are questions I'm starting to ask more in dystopia these days in general. (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

megs_bookrack wrote: "To Page 202: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I'd forgotten how much I appreciated Rand. She might not be good for the right reasons, but she was influenced by one person (Tyger) that changed her trajectory in the story. I think she's a good example of how nothing is black and white. Greyson represents that on the hero side, and Rand represents that on the villain side. (hide spoiler)]

[Celia]

FINISHED (view spoiler)[I actually think The Toll might be my favorite book ever, and definitely my favorite series finale.

One thing I noticed more this time reading the series is the comparisons that can be made between Greyson and Scythe Rand. Greyson does a lot of the wrong things for the right reasons, both at the Thunderhead's command and at Mendoza's. He struggles to do the right thing, and also to make his own decisions.

Scythe Rand arguably has some flawed reasoning for why she makes some of the best decisions. She feels scorned by Goddard because he's not Tyger, and by Tyger because he's not Goddard. She's haunted by her own decisions and outcomes.

Both struggle with a sense of self as well, and wanting to be loved and appreciated. They both follow the commands of others blindly for a while, but learn to make their own decisions when it counts. Greyson and Rand are polar opposites; one doing all the wrong things for the right reasons, and the other, the right things for a wrong reasons. Both needed another person to break them out of that (Jerico for Greyson and Tyger for Rand), and this makes their stories fascinating.

The other thing I think is interesting in this is that the era of Scythedom is considered just that, an era. I like science fiction that has a clear beginning and end of an era. It makes the current situation seem less bleak. We just have to live through it first. (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Finished
(view spoiler)[I just love this series! I actually love we got a little snippet of what happened after they left - on Earth and with others. I hope get to see it more in Gleanings. (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

Celia wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "To Page 202: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"
Yeah, that is interesting to think about and true in real life, I would say as well.

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Page 266: (view spoiler)[Morrison infiltrating the abbey and trying to glean Greyson was so intense. I am glad it didn't work. I am wondering if Morrison can be turned to work for Greyson now? Also, interested to find out where Anastasia is being shuttled away to. Clearly, she's no longer safe in Amazonia.(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[EdRafael]

I read this a couple months ago, before even joining this group, but I hope y'all don't mind me sharing my opinion.

I was disappointed with how the trilogy ended. The whole reading experience was a big rollercoaster for me, but the ups always outweighted the bad. Until the last book, that is, where it just felt like a big down hill that never ended.

[Alaina]

Today is the LAST day to add comments for BOTM points!

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

Sadly, I'm not finishing it in time for these points, but am continuing on nevertheless. I've been distracted lately with new releases, so haven't picked it up in a while!