Scythe

 By Neal Shusterman

For a few years my friend has been urging me to read this book and now that I have there is no going back. I mean that in the best possible way. There is no way for me to mentally get out of the Scythe universe and the fact that this is a trilogy fuels my desire to stay. The three books are Scythe, Thunderhead, and The Toll. I will discuss all as it is my favorite fictional universe to date (again, that's saying a lot because 'favorite' is hard for me to delineate). 

The story revolves around high school aged boy and girl, Rowan and Citra. Both have become a Scythe's apprentice and must learn the art of gleaning. Gleaning is taking life as a means of population control as there is no more disease or famine or suffering in general. If you have not read this book yet, it is my number one recommendation. Neal Shusterman took some big risks with his readers but once I got over the trauma, the characters pulled me back for more. 

Okay, moving forward I will discuss in slight code as I do not want to ruin anyone else's journey.

OH MY GOODNESS Shusterman really really did that. He actually removed one of the most admirable characters. He took away all that is honorable about the Scythedom and replaced it with 1. a power-hungry humiliation of a Scythe, and 2. a cold, menacing, infamous Scythe. Clarification not needed. I stopped reading. I stopped for about four days; an eternity for daily readers. I was so upset. I almost didn't pick up the book again. But, as this book was incredibly recommended to me over and over, I powered on. I read and tried to just focus on Rowan and Citra and the story was beautiful. I was so surprised at how far around the globe we traveled! And then Citra found that hermit man on the beach and all was at peace (not really, but for that moment kind of). I think I even shed a tear when that wounded man entered the scene. 10/10. And can we discuss the conclusion?! While there is still much to be corrected and the journey has just begun, Shusterman can close a story. As I was reading the final pages I felt as though I were in a James Bond film (and maybe that was the point) and soaked up every last lip-brushing punch. If the other books are inferior in caliber it will be because this author has proven that he can tie a gorgeous bow on any situation and wrap it up perfectly. The expectation is now set in high altitudes.

I lost a lot of trust in the author while reading and in conversations with my friend about all of these details I was immensely vocal about the fact that Shusterman really does not worry about the fact that you may put down the book... because he knows that he's created enough attachment for you to have already fallen in love with some characters and created enough juicy turmoil to keep you engaged in every twist or turn of the plot! I wonder if the second and third books will follow suit in the idea of lots of mini plots that all converge in the end. He seemed incredibly comfortable in that writing style and wonder if he will play the same games in subsequent stories. If I were an author that had just thrown a gut wrenching twist into the first book of the series, in terms of strategy I probably wouldn't throw another twist like that again. If I were to want to throw another twist, I would wait a book to gain the audience's trust back before squashing it completely. Simple strategy. 

Read this book. I am now saying the same things my friend once said to me. I know what it feels like to be told what to read something; it's not always fun. But for the sake of humanity and bettering your own world, read this book :) 

Happy Reading, Bookworms!