Winter Read: Scythe
By Peyton Spera
Scythe by Neal Shusterman is truly one of the best dystopian novels I have ever read. It follows the story of two teenagers, Citra and Rowan, in a dystopian society. In their society, humanity has gotten rid of the ability to die. Due to this, the government enacted Scythes. Scythes act as a grim reaper sort of figure. They take a certain number of lives every year to make sure the world does not become overpopulated. Rowan and Citra are chosen to apprentice under Scythe Faraday. They are forced into this apprenticeship and to eventually become a scythe, a position neither of them wants.
Throughout his novel, Shusterman explores many deep themes with maturity while keeping the story interesting. It captures thought-provoking ideas on mortality and answers, “What if humans couldn’t die?” This book also captures the split views in society. It shows how, in the world, there can be many disagreeing points of view and that not just one is solely right. Even the view of death is unique and approached in many different ways. Some Scythes kill peacefully, others with violence. It even explains how calculated society is towards killing, using statistics and religious beliefs to further explore this. The novel shows how differently everyone views topics, especially ones as deep as death.
It also describes two very different perspectives on the same situation. Being able to view both perspectives gives a better understanding of society and how different two people can be. The Scythe shows many incredible moving moments of friendship, romance, and mentorship. Shusterman uses a unique format to keep readers engaged. After each chapter, there are pieces of old journals and news articles. These pieces show new information that even Citra and Rowan do not know.
Although I am not one of dystopian or science fiction novels, Scythe captivated me. The story constantly keeps you interested. It slowly unravels the story and lets you in on the secrets of this society. This is why I truly believe that this book can interest anyone, regardless of what genre you like. It is interesting to get to view how society would act without the pressure of death or true conflict. It pictures society as one that many love, but if you look, you can see the true horrors their society faces. I especially like how it is not approached as a normal dystopian book with people overthrowing the government, yet it was two teens working together to better themselves. All in all, Scythe is a thrilling novel and explores many great themes.
