Student Book Review: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Scythe by Neal Shusterman has a very unique premise. Unlike many books that have been coming out recently, the futuristic world where the novel set in is not dystopian. Rather, in this novel, Shusterman presents us with the opposite: a utopian society. A utopia is a world that has highly desirable or near-perfect conditions for its citizens. Everything is great. No crime, no government. The world is run by a form of artificial intelligence, and everything’s doing fine. Humanity has even conquered death. However, fears of overpopulation mean that people still have to die. Because of this, Scythes must exist. It is their responsibility to “glean” the population without bias, and live a humble solitary life.

The story follows two young apprentices; Citra and Rowan. They are competing for a role neither of them want: Scythedom. As they get tangled in the politics of the only part of the world not controlled by AI, their competition turns dark and deadly. This book is wonderfully written, with so many well-placed metaphors and a great narrative voice. Occasional excerpts from various Scythe’s journals, the Thunderhead and third-person perspective break it up and make it easy to read.

Scythe covers big moral topics through the lives of two teens in a futuristic world. It is wonderfully written and has a quick-moving plot that makes for a great binge-read. I think it’s a ten-star read. It’s one of the few books that I’ll actually re-read because I notice something new every time. I think that anyone who likes mystery novels, dystopian books or a really well-written book should read Scythe.