# Scythe <span style="font-size: 13px;"> <span style="color: var(--tx2);">Planted:</span> <span style="color: var(--tx1);">03 January 2025</span><br> <span style="color: var(--tx2);">Last tended:</span> <span style="color: var(--tx1);">06 November 2025</span><br> <span style="color: var(--tx2);">Status:</span> <span style="color: var(--tx1);">Read</span> </span> >[Scythe](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28954189-scythe) by [Neal Shusterman](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19564.Neal_Shusterman) <span style="color: var(--ax1); font-size: 13px;">★★★★★</span> *Scythe* was the book, that reintroduced me to reading again. It was a recommendation by someone that remains meaning the world to me, thus it also holds a high emotional status, which add bonus points; thus the five star rating (unfair? I don't think so). That said, this personal connection doesn't overshadow the book's quality. I found the story incredibly compelling, from its world-building to the moral and ethical questions it raises. *Scythe* plays in a future, where humanity has conquered death, meaning humans may live forever. This leads to a fairly warped perspective on the meaning of death itself, which the books explores in the context of the story. >*“When I look at news archives from the Age of Mortality, it seems people had more reasons to do the things they did. Life was about forging time, not just passing time. And those news reports - how exciting they were. Filled with all nature of criminal activity. Your neighbour could be a salesperson of illegal chemicals of recreation. Ordinary people would take life without the permission of society. Angry individuals would take possession of vehicles they didn't own, then lead law enforcement officers in dangerous pursuits on uncontrolled roadways.”* But this supposed milestone in human evolution leads leads to the problem of overpopulation. In response, the *Scythedom* was founded: an order of individuals tasked with population control through sanctioned executions; "gleanings." Each Scythe must fulfill a yearly quota, choosing their victims by their own moral logic. This premise leads to another ethical exploration, one that asks what it truly means to wield power over life and death. It also forms the core of the story, centered around two protagonists, *Citra* and *Rowan*, both chosen to apprentice as Scythes, though only one will ultimately be selected. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the world, and the journey of *Citra* and *Rowan*. It remains the best book I've read to date. For someone who was never particularly drawn to books, Scythe was the turning point, and the reason I immediately picked up [[Thunderhead|the sequel]].