Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

4/5 stars

Scythe! This book surprised me in all the best ways and I’m so glad I picked it up and didn’t leave it gathering dust on my shelf like so many other books.

Scythe was never high on my TBR and the only reason I have it was because a friend unhauled it. I picked it up in a last minute rush that involved a train coming and no book chosen to bring and luckily! It was quick, unique, and murdery. Just what I need on the way to work tbh.

Some Letter scores coz why not: 
World: A+
Conflict and Murder villains: A+
Characters: C
Characters relationships with family and teachers: A

The world is amazing, it’s our world in the future where all knowledge is known, the governments have been replaced by an artificial intelligence who isn’t evil and is much better then humans tbh. With the all seeing computer there’s no crime, there’s no homelessness, there’s no injuries, no pain, just life, oh and reapings.

Because no one dies anymore the only problem there is, is over population. This is controlled by employing Scythes to kill a certain amount of people in a certain time frame, how ever they like really. Poison, guns, stabbings, drowning, dueling, whatever is fitting to how they may have died in the *mortal* ages.

When a gang of scythes turn more murdery then usual things go haywire. Two apprentices are forced to compete against each other killing the loser once they pass the apprenticeship.

The two main characters were gooood but not great, while I really liked the 3rd POV I think I would have connected to the characters in duel POV more so they were both a bit too bland but had potential.

 

I am excited to read the next book and see where this takes us! Have you read Scythe? Did you like it? Is it on your TBR?