Scythe by Neal Shusterman, a review

This book. THIS BOOK! Okay, so I loved it, starting here. 5 stars, no question about it. I really don’t know why I’ve not read more by him because I always seem to be completely engrossed within his writing and this book has just proved it to me. 100% recommend! Now, let’s get into an actual coherent review that isn’t just me going aaaahhhhh!!!

In this world, all disease, hunger and was has been wiped out. People no longer have a natural lifespan, as medicine can solve any aging issues. This sounds great, until you think about the massive overpopulation. To control this issue, there are Scythes. Scythes are the only people who are able to end a life, and they are commanded to do so. It is mostly a job that no one wants, but someone has to do it, and if you are recruited your family gets immunity from gleaning (their name for the killing done by Scythes). A good incentive to keep recruits incoming.

Citra and Rowan have been chosen by a master scythe to be his apprentice, only one of them will become a fully fledged scythe. Neither of them wants the job, but neither of them wants to give up the immunity it would offer their loved ones or the chance to be part of something. One problem. Master scythes can only have one apprentice, and the other scythes are not happy.

So much goes down in this novel, we learn a lot about the different arts of killing and when each method is used. Many are killed as kindly as possible and based on mathematics equations, but some have less kind deaths. There is also the internal politics of the Scythes themselves, there seems to be corruption high up in the ranks, but some haven’t noticed, and others are too scared to act against this group who are ignoring the basic rules of Scythdom.

It is one of the most perfect ya novels I have ever read, and I borrowed my copy from the library (poor student problems), and I 100% need to own my own copy in the future! One of my favourite reads so far in 2018 and I am super excited for Thunderhead when my library gets it in stock!