logo

101 pages 3 hours read

Scythe

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2016

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Book Brief

logo
Neal Shusterman

Scythe

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2016
Book Details
Pages

449

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Mid Merica • Distant Future

Publication Year

2016

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

13-18 years

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In Neal Shusterman’s Scythe, two teenagers, Citra Terranova and Rowan Damisch, are selected to be apprentice scythes in a future society where an advanced AI called the Thunderhead has eradicated death but mandates population control through selected killings performed by Scythes. The story follows their intense training, ethical dilemmas, and complex challenges as they navigate the implications of wielding the power to end lives. This book involves themes of death and violence.

Mysterious

Dark

Suspenseful

Challenging

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.3

343,188 ratings

86%

Loved it

11%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Neal Shusterman's Scythe is praised for its imaginative world-building and thought-provoking themes. Reviewers appreciate its engaging plot and complex characters, though some find the pacing uneven and certain philosophical explorations heavy-handed. Overall, it offers a compelling story that challenges readers to think deeply about life and death.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Scythe?

Fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent will relish Scythe by Neal Shusterman for its gripping blend of dystopian themes and moral quandaries. Ideal readers are young adults and teens who enjoy fast-paced, thought-provoking narratives set in meticulously crafted worlds.

4.3

343,188 ratings

86%

Loved it

11%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

449

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Mid Merica • Distant Future

Publication Year

2016

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

13-18 years

Continue your reading experience

Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.