What if death wasn’t inevitable, but regulated? In Scythe, Neal Shusterman dishes up a dystopian future where humanity has cured disease, ended war, and even conquered aging. Death is no longer natural—it’s scheduled. Enter the Scythes: cloaked in robes, wielding deadly weapons, and burdened with the responsibility of population control.
Citra and Rowan, two teens with no desire to kill, are chosen to apprentice under a Scythe. The job is brutal. The expectations? Even worse. And the twist? Only one of them can earn the title—while the other will be gleaned.
Shusterman blends sharp, unsettling worldbuilding with deep moral tension. The Scythedom is terrifying in how plausible it feels, full of political intrigue and ethical gray areas. Each Scythe has a code, but not all play by the rules—and watching Citra and Rowan navigate this world is equal parts exhilarating and gutting.
The writing is clean and direct, letting the philosophy simmer just under the surface. This isn’t a book that preaches. Instead, it plants the questions and lets them grow: What does death mean in a world where no one truly dies? What happens when power stops being sacred and starts being sport?
Standouts on the plate:
- A future that feels unnervingly real
- Two protagonists worth rooting for—flawed, fierce, and layered
- A villain who will make your skin crawl (and keep you turning pages)
- Ethical dilemmas galore, with no easy way out
Shusterman serves up a chilling buffet of power, mortality, and choice—and you’ll be hungry for more the second you finish.
Devour or Nibble?
Devour. Gorge yourself on this. Then clear your schedule and dive into Thunderhead—you’ll need to know what happens next.
literary gluttony 
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