Want personalized picks that fit your family?
Set preferences to see our top age-appropriate picks for your kids.
Scythe: Arc of a Scythe, Book 1
Common Sense says
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that 2017 Michael J. Printz Honor Book Scythe, by Neal Shusterman, is set in a future where most of the human population is immortal but where a few are chosen to die at the hands of mysterious officials known as "scythes." There are many scenes of violence -- suicides, mass murder, beatings and torture, and intimate killings -- which may upset younger, more sensitive readers. Strong language is limited to under a dozen uses of "hell" and "damn," with one or two instances of "ass." There's an attraction between the two main characters, but they don't act on it.
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Great Message...just have to read to the end.
Intense Violence, Clever Writing, Fantastic Concepts
It really depends. . .
Scythe
What's the story?
As SCYTHE opens, Rowan and Citra have no intention of becoming scythes, favored officials who rule on matters of life and death in a future where disease has been vanquished and death can be easily thwarted. But when they both become students of Scythe Farraday, they begin to question the meaning of life and death. And when they're pitted against each other, they will have to face the possibility of personal extermination, even as they struggle against the machinations of a corrupt band of renegade scythes.
Is it any good?
A fresh, rich central conceit is often the first step toward a superior science fiction saga, and this new novel has a winner of a premise. Readers of Scythe will be with Rowan and Citra every step of the way as they prepare for their duties as dealers of death. Author Neal Shusterman tackles big themes but keeps the action running high, with plenty of twists, reversals, and unexpected secrets. This volume delivers a satisfying reading experience, but it also leaves plenty of room for an exciting follow-up.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how Scythe portrays a world where death is an infrequent occurrence. How would near immortality change civilization? Would human nature change at all?
How is violence used in Scythe? Is it only used for evil? Do people ever welcome death?
What would it be like to have the power of life and death over someone?
Book details
- Author: Neal Shusterman
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Friendship, Misfits and Underdogs
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster
- Publication date: November 22, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
- Number of pages: 435
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Themes & Topics
Browse titles with similar subject matter.
For kids who love science fiction and dystopian novels
Our editors recommend
Top advice and articles
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.