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sasquach135's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death, Gore, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death, Mass/school shootings, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
heollona's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mass/school shootings
Minor: Suicide
coramae's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Kidnapping, Child death, Death, Torture, Blood, Physical abuse, Mass/school shootings, Body horror, and Grief
Moderate: War, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Suicide, and Violence
joduewekeperez's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I love a great YA story about a utopian / dystopian future, and this one didn’t disappoint!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Violence
abbyweber's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was really good! Such a unique concept told very well. The beginning was a bit slow because there is some world-building that needs to take place, but it had my attention from the first page. Lots of commentary on immortality, compassion, and humanity. The ending, though different than I thought, was pitch perfect and I can’t wait to read the second one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Child death, Murder, Death, and Self harm
renreadsbooks's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.5
They just aren’t making books like this anymore. Written in the golden age of dystopian YA, this book was just insanely captivating, original and fresh in the sludge that is recent releases. Precise and consistent world building that was easy to follow along. Complex multi layered, fully fleshed out characters. And just enough twists and turns with steady pacing for the plot. I loved this book and wish I would have read it sooner. Cannot wait to finish the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Medical content, Suicide, and Violence
megan_j's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Enjoyed this. Wasn’t great wasn’t awful but it definitely kept me interested throughout. All the main characters are likeable (maybe not LOVABLE) and I feel like they might be a bit flat sometimes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Self harm, Blood, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Genocide, Murder, Religious bigotry, Mass/school shootings, and Medical content
theunderfold's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm not sure what I expected from this book, to be honest. It felt too violent for the demographic, but also not specific enough in ways. It's really hard to categorize it.
Honestly, I felt like most of the beginning of the book felt a little boring, even though they were trying to keep me engaged with salacious murders (excuse me, "gleanings" lol). And the end did pick up the pace a bit, but it all felt like it wrapped up a little too conveniently for my taste...your mileage may vary.
Don't think I'll be reading the sequels, but this one was an overall decent read.
Honestly, I felt like most of the beginning of the book felt a little boring, even though they were trying to keep me engaged with salacious murders (excuse me, "gleanings" lol). And the end did pick up the pace a bit, but it all felt like it wrapped up a little too conveniently for my taste...your mileage may vary.
Don't think I'll be reading the sequels, but this one was an overall decent read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Violence, Genocide, Blood, Suicide, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Child death, Death, and Death of parent
leahthebooklover's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. I was profoundly challenged by this book, I was highly entertained by this book. It's interesting to me that my second 5 star book of the year was another YA "fantasy" book. I often find that the important moral, ethical, political, and spiritual issues of the day can be effectively explored within a context of a world that doesn't exist within the confines of reality. It's probably the main reason I enjoy sci-fi and fantasy, aside from the fabulous storytelling. "Scythe" is a bit like "The Hunger Games" (Susanne Collins) meets "The Giver" (Lois Lowry). It's set in a utopian/dystopian future where all the knowledge of the cloud has been consolidated in an all-seeing, all-knowing benevolent AI known as the Thunderhead. With this access to all human knowledge, problems such as racism, crime, war, even age and death have been eliminated. Of course, there are consequences to such a utopia. Creativity, innovation, motivation are unnecessary. Boredom is common. And with no natural death (even fatal accidents can be reversed) overpopulation is inevitable. Enter the Scythes. They are the society of individuals who have been officially sanctioned to "glean" (permanently kill) a percentage of the population, with compassion and without bias or malice. They are governed by a set of 10 rules. Each candidate must undergo an intense training apprenticeship with another Scythe before being accepted. Citra and Rowan are two teenagers who have been invited to train as Scythes, even though neither of them sought the opportunity. They were selected by Scythe Faraday because of their curiosity, bravery, and empathy. Their resistance to the idea of becoming trained killers was also a factor, for as Faraday explains “Those who wish to have the job should not have it… and those who would most refuse to kill are the only ones who should.”
As a book about training killers, there is (not surprisingly) quite a bit of violence. There are hints of romance between Citra and Rowan, but no sex (the Scythes are a celibate society). Mild language, no profanity. Because of the violence I wouldn't recommend this to highly sensitive people, or anyone under the age of 13 or 14. But for those with the maturity to handle it, it would open the door to some great discussions about life, death, purpose, faith, and power.
"My greatest wish for humanity is not for peace or comfort or joy. It is that we all still die a little inside every time we witness the death of another. For only the pain of empathy will keep us human. There’s no version of God that can help us if we ever lose that."
As a book about training killers, there is (not surprisingly) quite a bit of violence. There are hints of romance between Citra and Rowan, but no sex (the Scythes are a celibate society). Mild language, no profanity. Because of the violence I wouldn't recommend this to highly sensitive people, or anyone under the age of 13 or 14. But for those with the maturity to handle it, it would open the door to some great discussions about life, death, purpose, faith, and power.
"My greatest wish for humanity is not for peace or comfort or joy. It is that we all still die a little inside every time we witness the death of another. For only the pain of empathy will keep us human. There’s no version of God that can help us if we ever lose that."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Child death, Bullying, and Fire/Fire injury
ging090803's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I read it during final exams so it was a pretty slow read but very worth my time!
Even though it feels Y/A when I read it (Idk how to describe it but it feels young), its still a greeeaaat story. It covers several ethical/moral topics which I really loved. It feels as if it could happen. Things that feel very far away but we are, nonetheless, starting to talk about just like AI.
In a perfect world where everything has been eliminated (diseases, crimes... death), death still needs to happen to avoid overpopulation. That's when Scythes are introduced. Their job: to take life in dignity.
Citra and Rowan are taken as apprentices to become one. They must learn the mechanics of killing, but also the psychology/philosophy behind it so as not to fall into the abyss of the past where the action of killing could be enjoyable.
We learn at the same time as them which was something I was hooked on. The political set-up was also great. I always appreciate a good book with great political intrigue.
Even though it feels Y/A when I read it (Idk how to describe it but it feels young), its still a greeeaaat story. It covers several ethical/moral topics which I really loved. It feels as if it could happen. Things that feel very far away but we are, nonetheless, starting to talk about just like AI.
In a perfect world where everything has been eliminated (diseases, crimes... death), death still needs to happen to avoid overpopulation. That's when Scythes are introduced. Their job: to take life in dignity.
Citra and Rowan are taken as apprentices to become one. They must learn the mechanics of killing, but also the psychology/philosophy behind it so as not to fall into the abyss of the past where the action of killing could be enjoyable.
We learn at the same time as them which was something I was hooked on. The political set-up was also great. I always appreciate a good book with great political intrigue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Blood and Fire/Fire injury