The Toll

My feelings about this third installment of the Arc of Scythe trilogy are very mixed. While I enjoyed the action and intrigue, I found that there was just too much going on which made it hard for me feel attached any one storyline. I feel like this book would have been better in a pared down version with more focus.

In this final book of the series, Scythe Goddard has achieved reign over much of his continent after the sinking of Endura. His influence reaches even farther into other regions of the world. His new order of scythes embraces mass gleanings and shows no conscience or mercy. The Tonists have a new prophet, the Toll, who can still speak to the Thunderhead, which has gone silent to all others. These two forces stand at odds with each other and could destroy humanity.

My main issue with this book is that there are too many story lines, and the narration jumps around too often between these story lines. It never allows the reader to connect completely with each story line before switching to a different one. Some story lines are abandoned for quite a while so that when the book comes back to them, the reader has lost touch with that story and its characters. I am aware that this may be an aspect of the book that some readers find appealing, but it is jarring to me. I can appreciate the skill that it took the author to weave these story lines together, but it just didn't work for me.

I also wish that Citra and Rowan had played more prevalent roles in this book. These characters that I grew to love in the first two books are the main reason for my continued reading of the series. To have them be so absent in this book is disappointing.

I will say this for this book: It is a wild ride. I do not regret the experience of reading it even though ultimately it disappointed me.

Le colocaría 3.5 si pudiera, pero dejémoslo en 4 estrellas, los primeros 2 libros me los leí de una sentada, no podía parar de lo buenos que eran, pero este se sintió más lento como que la trama no terminaba de avanzar cosa que hizo que me demorara como 4 meses en leerlo (me provoco un bloqueo lector en resumen). Entre ayer y hoy finalmente lo termine y pues la verdad si me gusto, el final no me lo esperaba y pues estuvo chido

Great, but not amazing. I think the Thunderhead was better, and Scythe is waaaay better. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read 87% of it on my phone's narrow, annoyingy glarey and eye-fatiguing screen. Glad I have an e-reader now.
Still a good read. Buuuut what happened to those elegies Faraday told Rowan to make for his victims? That plot thread was just left there, hanging. Okay, technically that's a cliffhanger from Thunderhead, not The Toll, but still, come on. I wanted to read those elegies! I wanted to seeing how Rowan would handle them!
I guess the lesson of this book is that humanity can't be perfect. Therefore, to embrace our humanity means to embrace death and imperfection. That message still has two ways of being interpreted, though...

Chapter 53 (pages 614 - 622, hardcover) was possibly greatest chapter in the entire trilogy. And that is a bold claim, indeed.

This is perhaps my favorite YA series of all time. I think it's important for young people and adults. I believe these themes warrant our attentive consideration. Neal Shusterman has given us an entertaining and challenging framework from which to examine life and its complexities.

YA fiction is the only format that blends the entertainment value of genre fiction with the intellectual and emotional education offered by literary fiction. This series is incredible. Get yourself a copy. Give it away as gifts. Lend it out. Whatever.

I won't spoil it for you. If you haven't read Scythe, start there and buckle up.

What a finish to this dystopic series by Neal Shusterman. I have never ever thought I can find so many plot twists in one book. Until this one. And it was really great. It will have a special place in my heart and in my bookshelf especially after meeting Neal Shusterman in person during our book convention in Prague. He is simply perfect and Arc of Scythe is such a special series.

Não fazia ideia do que ia rolar pra finalizar essa história e Neal Shusterman foi lá e me surpreendeu com um final maravilhoso. Gostei demais de todo o ritmo desse livro, que é sim um pouco mais lento que os outros - que são porradaria grande, mas a história é tão boa e as construções das tramas tão interessantes que detalhes ficam em segundo plano. É um final de trilogia muito bom, amei assim como amei os outros dois.

For those with power and influence corruption tends to follow and with corruption vigilante justice, mass hysteria, or both. This series really makes you think on today's society versus a future one. Where will the world find itself in another 1,000 years? Would it be possible for these types of drastic measures to be forced on the population?

I love sci-fi and dystopian. This series was a great mix of both and an amazing adventure throughout. I am sad to see it end.

Memulai penutup seri Arc of Scythe dengan hanya 10% ingatan dimana Thunderhead berakhir. Endura tenggelam, membawa serta Citra dan Rowan bersamanya. Thunderhead menjadi diam. Scythe Goddard dinobatkan menjadi Overblade. Jadi siapa yang akan menghentikannya?
Membutuhkan waktu yang lama untukku untuk mencapai 100 halaman pertama, karena sudah lupa Thunderhead. Butuh beberapa kali japri @myreadingplace , thanks ya bestie

It's hard for me when authors break their own rules. The world and characters did not feel entirely consistent in this final installment, and it made it hard for me to be satisfied with the ending.

Age range: 15+
Probably too violent for younger readers. Plus, the philosophy of death may be distressing.