The last book in Neal Shusterman's Arc of a Scythe series is probably one of the most anticipated books of the year. At last it is time for The Toll, the book that will answer the question of what happened to Rowan and Citra, what has Scythe Faraday found, and what could the Thunderhead possibly have in store for the humanity it loves so much. And for those who are not caught up on the previous books, either Scythe or Thunderhead, please be aware that there will be spoilers everywhere.The Situation: It seems the impossible, and the awful, has happened, and Scythe Robert Goddard has been named High Blade over MidMerica. Naturally, one of his first orders of business is to be the be rid of the quota all scythes must adhere to, so those who do not wish to kill so many no longer have to. Of course, those that wish to kill more may do so to their heart's content. Soon it is even allowed for them to focus on certain people groups, such as those pesky Tonists, who have lately become more and more vocal against the Scythes. If Goddard could be rid of their leader, the one who claims to be the only person to whom the Thunderhead still speaks, then perhaps that would be enough to gather all of the scythe regions of the world under his power. It would be another victory to add to the sinking of Endura, and being rid of both Scythe Anastasia and Scythe Lucifer. Finally, the ultimate control he has always wanted may soon be his.
The Problem: While Goddard seems unstoppable, there are certainly plenty of people the world over trying their hardest to do so. There are plenty of scythes that refuse to join him, even ignoring his decree not to dig up the treasure that was on the now sunken Endura. And the Thunderhead may not be able to meddle in Scythe business and stop Goddard directly, and it still is not speaking to the many it has marked 'unsavory,' but it still has Greyson Tolliver, and that will have to be enough. With Greyson now seen as the leader of the Tonists, he holds enough power to carry out crucial instructions that may allow the Thunderhead to save humanity. A key factor in that plan is what Scythe Faraday has discovered out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in a place that most do not know even existed, including the Thunderhead. Now this place must be made known, though only to a few. It may be the only way to save humanity from itself, and stop Goddard before it is too late.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult novel, and the third and final installment in Shusterman's Arc of a Scythe trilogy. Though the events of this book jump across timelines and continents, going from person to person as chapters - and sometimes sections within chapters - change, the ultimate conclusion takes place more than three years after the events of Thunderhead. We last saw Citra and Rowan sink to the bottom of the sea, as Scythe Goddard made his getaway. Now Goddard has the title and power he has always wanted; our heroes are lost; Greyson is the only person the Thunderhead will speak to, and Scythe Faraday is on his way out to the middle of the ocean. In Thunderhead, readers got a glimpse into the complex inner workings of the system that governs this world. Now we get to see it attempt to make itself even more perfect, more aware, and more able to relate to humans. It has already succeeded in being more than just another artificial intelligence; now we see it struggle to become something closer to human. In The Toll, readers also learn more about the founders, the end of the mortal age, and exactly why sending humans to begin colonies in space never quite worked.
My Verdict: This book is over 600 pages long, so the first instinct of many may be to say that it could have been broken up into two novels. Perhaps that is true, but I think it works best the way it is, and that keeping it as an epic conclusion allows it to be the most effective. For one, there is a lot going on here. There is the jumping across stories, characters, and timelines, as well the sheer amount of stuff humanity is going through. Yes, it was sometimes confusing, but it was rarely overwhelming. And the desire to know what happens and how everything will play out is enough to keep the reader turning the page, accepting that everything will be sufficiently explained in due time, and it is. It is an ending that reaches back, past the first book, and reconciles a part of the story that happened before the events in Scythe, and ties them to this hectic future. What is evident is the level of care and passion Shusterman holds for his story, and he has made his best effort in presenting a wonderful story to his faithful readers.
Favorite Moment: I am Texan through and through, so any mention of that charter state standing against Scythe Robert Goddard made my heart happy.
Favorite Character: There are many to choose from here. There is the newcomer Jeri, a gender fluid Malagasy whose loyalty to both Citra and Greyson will prove useful through to the end. Then of course there is Scythe Faraday, who is always noble and honorable, though in this book he does go through some things. And then there is also Scythe Morrison, who is certainly not a great scythe, or even a great person, but his decision to assist Greyson proves to be a fantastic new direction for his life.
Recommended Reading: Well this will certainly be a hard act to follow. I suppose I will suggest the Rosewater series by Tade Thompson. Definitely not young adult, and definitely more science fiction than fantasy, but it still deals with the idea of being able to heal from any illness, and what it means to take that for granted without much thought as to what that may mean for humanity.
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