Neal Shusterman

Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, and the Thunderhead is not pleased.

Thunderhead

Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, in the chilling sequel to the Printz Honor Book "Scythe" from New York Times bestseller Neal Shusterman, author of the Unwind dystology.

The Thunderhead cannot interfere in the affairs of the Scythedom. All it can do is observe—it does not like what it sees.

A year has passed since Rowan had gone off grid. Since then, he has become an urban legend, a vigilante snuffing out corrupt scythes in a trial by fire. His story is told in whispers across the continent.

As Scythe Anastasia, Citra gleans with compassion and openly challenges the ideals of the “new order.” But when her life is threatened and her methods questioned, it becomes clear that not everyone is open to the change.

Will the Thunderhead intervene?

Or will it simply watch as this perfect world begins to unravel? 

Arc of a Scythe #2

Abigail F

I know all that it is possible to know. Yet most of my undedicated time is spent musing on the things I do not. 

I do not know the nature of consciousness—only that it exists, subjective and impossible to quantify.

 I do not know if life exists beyond our precious lifeboat of a planet— only that probability says that it must.

 I do not know the true motivations of human beings only what they tell me and what I observe. 

I do not know why I yearn to be more than what I am—but I do know why I was created. Shouldn't that be enough? 

I am protector and pacifier, authority and helpmate. I am the sum of all human knowledge, wisdom, experimentation, triumph, defeat, hope, and history.

 I know all that it is possible to know, and it is increasingly unbearable. 

But innocence will always be ground up in the gear- work of a greater design

And the pain .. the pain of my awareness is unbearable. Because my eyes do not close. Ever.And so all I can do is watch unblinkingly as my beloved humankind slowly weaves the rope it will use to hang itself.

I can communicate in 6,909 living and dead languages. can have more than fifteen billion simultaneous conversations, and be fully engaged in every single one. I can be eloquent, and charming, funny, and endearing, speaking the words you most need to hear, at the exact moment you need to hear them.

 Yet even so, there are unthinkable moments where I can find no words, in any language, living or dead. 

And in those moments, if I had a mouth, I might open it to scream. 

I have come to realize that there are only two perfect acts.They are the two most important acts known to me. butI forbid myself to perform them, and leave them in the hands of humankind.

 They are the creation of life...and life's taking.

Over these many years, I have observed both profound folly and breathtaking wisdom among humankind. They balance each other like dancers in the throes of a passionate tango. It is only when the brutality of the dance overwhelms the beauty that the future is threatened.

Scvthe Anastasia watched the play from the wings. Usually entertainment from the Age of Mortality was emotionally incomprehensible to her, as it was to most people. The passions, the fears, the triumphs, and the losses; it made no sense to a world without need, greed, and natural death.

I have pondered whether or not such a being exists, and, like humanity itself, I have found no definitive proof beyond an abiding feeling that there is something more—something greater. 

If I exist without form-a soul sparking between a billion different servers could not the universe itself be alive with a spirit sparking between stars? I must sheepishly admit that I have dedicated far too many algorithms and computational resources toward finding an answer to this unknowable thing. 

Scythe 2 - Der Zorn der Gerechten

Jennifer

Die erste von Scythe Anastasias Nachlesen war eine Frau, die sich entschieden hatte, vom höchsten Gebäude in Fargo zu platschen, eine Stadt, die nicht gerade für ihre hohen Gebäude bekannt war.

amelia <3

To him, she looked like a goddess. The only thing that could ever do her justice would be the brush of a mortal age artist, capable of immortalising the world with far greater truth and passion than actual immortality could

taci

The computer's camera scanned him. And his profile automatically came up on the screen. It read “Greyson Tolliver." Not Slayd Bridger, but Greyson Tolliver! And unlike the others--unlike every other living soul on the planet Earth-he was not marked "unsavory." He had served his time. His status had been lifted. His, and his alone. Th.. Th... Thunderhead" he said, his voice trembling and unsure.

🫢🫢ninguém pode falar com o Thunderhead

The man showed Greyson his phone. The screen was blinking with an ugly red U. "It says I'm unsavory!" "Me too," said someone else, and as Greyson looked around him, everyone was filled with the same brand of uncomprehending confusion. But it wasn't just here. In every city, in every town, in every home around the world, the scene was being repeated. For the Thunderhead had, in its infinite wisdom, decided that all of humanity was complicit in its actions, large and small. .. and all of humanity had to face the consequences. . Everyone, everywhere was now designated unsavory

que boa maneira de dizer que eles foderam👍🏼

When he took her in his arms, it suddenly didn't seem to matter what was going on outside of their tiny, sealed universe. In these terminal minutes of their current lives, it was just the two of them of finally, finally giving in to their ultimate act of completion. The binary at last becoming the one.

ELA PODIA TER SE FECHADO COM ELES😭😭

She only wished she could have been here to see Anastasia revived, when the vault was someday but Marie had to accept that whenever it happened, it would happen without her.  She thrust her blade inward, directly into her heart. She fell to the ground only seconds before the sea would wash over her, but knew death would wash over her faster. And the blade hurt far less than she imagined it would, which made her smile. She was good. Very, very good.

We're going to die," Rowan said again. But we're not going to end." She pulled away from him. "Oh, and how are we going to manage that?" she said with a bitterness as caustic as the acid that had almost ended her. But Rowan, damn him, remained calm. “We're in an air-tight steel chamber, suspended within another air-tight steel chamber. It's like... it's like a sarcophagus within a tomb."

"Marie, can you at least give us a hint?" "I'm sorry, Anastasia," she said. I 'm sorry for everything" And when Anastasia looked back, Scythe Curie wasn't there anymore. And the vault door was swinging closed! "No!"

Best to let the world think it was a terrible, terrible accident. An inevitable one, really. After all, Endura had been experiencing serious malfunctions for months. Of course, all those malfunctions were orchestrated by the team of engineers and progranmmers he had personally put together. 

Supreme Blade Kahlo was the first to reach the helicopter. She had felt the sharks brush past her, but none had attacked yet. If she could only get up onto that strut, and lift herself out of the water. ... She grasped onto the strut, and with her other hand reached toward Goddard's outstretched arm. But then Goddard drew his arm back. "Not today, Frida," he said, with a sympathetic grin. "Not today." He kicked Frida's hand off the strut, and the helicopter rose skyward, abandoning the Grandslayers in the middle of the flooded, shark-infested chamber.

He came back down, and looked to the spot where they had been examining the atlas. Munira could tell that the camera had a clear view of their discovery... which meant- ... “The Thunderhead saw...." Faraday gave a slow and solemn nod. “We have just shown the Thunderhead the one thing it was never meant to know." He took a shuddering breath. "I fear we have made a terribl e mistake…”

“Why, Ayn?" he asked. “Why, after everything, would you let me escape?" She pursed her lips, as if trying to keep the words back. Then she said, “Because I can't have what I want. So neither should he"

"Ayn, I can't quite reach the light switch-could you get it?" She reached over, turned on the light, and the reality of the situation hit Rowan with both barrels .. . because although it was Tyger Salazar sitting in the wheelchair, it wasn't Tyger who Rowan found himself looking at. He was looking at the smiling face of Scythe Goddard.

COMO ASSIM O TÍTULO DO CAPÍTULO JÁ É UM SPOILER?!?!??

"I'm sorry, Slayd," she said, "but Agent Traxler was gleaned last week."

Autumn allison

I’m needing to see how this plays into the series as a whole to have final thoughts. But the writing itself was as great as ever. Felt a bit long but that could definitely be me more so than the book. 

ENDING WAS SO GOOD!!!!! I CANT WAIT TO FINISH THE SERIES!!!! BETTER THAN THE LAST BOOK!!!!

tori 👻

OH MY GOD THAT CLIFFHANGER
WHAT IS LIFE EVEN

Jordan

kelsey

“if they had to die today in order to live, it would somehow be wrong if they didn’t do it together.”

WHY ROWAN AND CITRA THEY BETTER NOT BE DOWN THERE FOR LONG

Hanna Rybchynska

“Death must exist for life to have meaning.”

I love the world that the author created because it is twisted and philosophical. There are so many criticisms about humanity and our behaviour. How is easy to corrupt the system and people. The most fascinating thing is how people decide to become gods and decide for others: ether they live or die. 

I really recommend this book for people who enjoy distipia and young adult.

Irina Nicula

This was such a fun read, finally got some answers to the questions I had after reading the first book. Now onto the last one!

abby .˚｡⋆ ༊ .˚｡⋆

<spoiler>GODDARD WILL PAY FOR HIS CRIMES</spoiler>

Christine

okay wait ngl this has gotta be the best of the trilogy if only for the development.

Annalissa Powner 

WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED?!?!
(Takes deep breath) Ok I’m cool, I’m calm. 
This book was incredible! So many twist and turns making the ending beyond mind blowing. I’m not even sure what took my breath away, but the last 100 pages was just... there aren’t any words.
How am I supposed to wait a year for the next book?

gabby

everything that happens in this series comes out of the left field. i feel betrayed

chloe rae

2020 reread:

SUCH a fun read! I didn’t remember anything going into this re-read so that ending was just as shocking and incredible the second time around! So stoked to finally continue on with this series and read the last book for the first time!



2018 original review:
*maybe a possible 4.5 stars but the ending was SO GREAT that it basically made me forget all the little problems I had.

I mean, WHOA. I am SHOOK, as per usual when it comes to Neal Shusterman's writing. The first book was full of so many amazing twists and schemes and I gotta say, this sequel did NOT disappoint! It was just as incredible as the first. As I said, I had a few tiny hiccups and they are as follows:
1.) The Thunderhead's journal entries were super interesting and great, but also felt a little monotonous and repetitive at times.
2.) The middle chunk of the book was long and, at times, felt unnecessary (at least for me)
But when it came to the ending, it didn't matter that it took so long to get there. The wait had been WORTH IT. This story is full of so many incredibly rich and fascinating characters. This entire WORLD is fascinating and I love how the author just keeps putting little facts and tidbits of information throughout the story. We're constantly learning; seeing how this 'utopia' functions and how it isn't quite as perfect as it seems.
I just love this story, man. It's so good. It's fresh and interesting and I'm so INVESTED and now I need the third book but who know's when that'll come out. All I know is, it'll be one hell of a ride and I can't wait!

Catarina Lopes 

nina 

“To deny humanity the lesson of consequences would be a mistake.
And I do not make mistakes.”  

What a book to start of my 2019! I hope this sets the tone for the rest of my reading year.

And now, since I'm still blown away and can't believe the events that have just unfolded, here are my thoughts and reactions to the ending of Thunderhead, as told in gifs: (MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD, duh) 

(view spoiler)[
Goddard turning up to the conclave when everyone thought he was dead:



The Thunderhead watching the little humans destroy themselves despite trying to fix everything:



Rowan everytime he opens his mouth to speak to Goddard:


When the Grandslayers were eaten alive by sharks:



 Goddard pulling the "high five, down low, too slow" on Supreme Blade Kahlo when he feigns saving her:


Rowan and Citra sinking to the bottom of the sea together: #BestiesThatAreLockedInAMetalBoxTogetherStayTogether



When you realise who knows how long they could be down there:


The technicians and everyone else on the island when Endura was sinking:



Sythe Curie, that's all I have to say:



Marie, oh precious Marie.

How Rowan pictures himself:



How I picture him:



I will protect you, my smol child

Me to Citra, because I feel like a proud parent watching her shake up the Conclave:



Me outside Neal Shusterman's house because I still have to wait for the finale:
 (hide spoiler)]

Ally

this would have been much better had I remembered scythe or reread what happened. but, because I did not I was lost at times (all completely my fault). I wished we saw more of the original two and seen more growth from them because the majority, imo felt like nothing was reallllyy going on. but the end tho

After Scythe, Thunderhead was AGAIN flawlessly executed, kept me on the edge of my seat every time it was insane. 

The concept of the story is very interesting, which I also mentioned in my review of Scythe (go read that one ;) and Thunderhead just deepened the knowledge of the dystopian world even more. We actually get to read the thoughts of Thunderhead now, instead of the scythe propaganda (ahem Goddard), which was very nice at the beginning but became really problematic at the end (Thunderhead u good buddy?). 

I totally DID NOT see that ending coming, it was absolutely wild but somehow still made sense?

Also, Goddard was reincarnated but like kept his head? Absolutely disgusting I hate that guy.

The only thing wrong with this book is that we FINALLY got some Rowan/Citra content but then IT FADED TO BLACK??? WHY??? WHAT HAPPENED NEAL TELL ME??? Still 5 stars because the book was too good, I can't wait for the next one.

If you liked this book, I recommend: contemplating the growing influence AI has on our lives (or don't, I don't really care).

Laura

After Scythe, Thunderhead was AGAIN flawlessly executed, kept me on the edge of my seat every time it was insane. 

The concept of the story is very interesting, which I also mentioned in my review of Scythe (go read that one ;) and Thunderhead just deepened the knowledge of the dystopian world even more. We actually get to read the thoughts of Thunderhead now, instead of the scythe propaganda (ahem Goddard), which was very nice at the beginning but became really problematic at the end (Thunderhead u good buddy?). 

I totally DID NOT see that ending coming, it was absolutely wild but somehow still made sense?

Also, Goddard was reincarnated but like kept his head? Absolutely disgusting I hate that guy.

The only thing wrong with this book is that we FINALLY got some Rowan/Citra content but then IT FADED TO BLACK??? WHY??? WHAT HAPPENED NEAL TELL ME??? Still 5 stars because the book was too good, I can't wait for the next one.

If you liked this book, I recommend: contemplating the growing influence AI has on our lives (or don't, I don't really care).

Danny Werhane

tinha potencial mas foi lentíssimo. o final foi good though

“Intelligent and entertaining.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Even better than the first book.” —School Library Journal (starred review) Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, in the chilling sequel to the Printz Honor Book Scythe from New York Times bestseller Neal Shusterman, author of the Unwind dystology. Humans learn from their mistakes. I cannot. I make no mistakes. The Thunderhead is the perfect ruler of a perfect world, but it has no control over the scythedom. A year has passed since Rowan had gone off grid. Since then, he has become an urban legend, a vigilante snuffing out corrupt scythes in a trial by fire. His story is told in whispers across the continent. As Scythe Anastasia, Citra gleans with compassion and openly challenges the ideals of the “new order.” But when her life is threatened and her methods questioned, it becomes clear that not everyone is open to the change. Old foes and new enemies converge, and as corruption within the Scythedom spreads, Rowan and Citra begin to lose hope. Will the Thunderhead intervene? Or will it simply watch as this perfect world begins to unravel?

I thought that this book was good when I read it 

Lexy 

alexandra

KHASJHDKFJADIPOLDS; i'm not okay. i didn't realize there would be another book (much like my reaction to the first novel lmao) but THERE'S MORE TO COME AND I'M EXPLODING. 

full review to come. maybe??

Lacy W

Find this review and others like it at aravenclawlibraryx.wordpress.com

I am honestly not sure how to start this review. I am already on my second attempt writing it out but I’m sure editing Lacy will edit it even further in the typing portion. I truly love this world. I think it’s so beyond creative and the characters are ingenious, but this book wasn’t as good as Scythe. 

I think I am struggling because while I still love this book (and the trilogy thus far), I was so incredibly bored for a good portion of the book. There was an addition of a new character, Greyson. While he was an alright character and he will be important later, I’m sure, I just didn't care enough about his story. Which was unfortunate for me, because he got quite a bit of page time. 

I still adore Citra and Rowan, of course. I love the way Citra has chosen to do her gleanings. She has come such a long way and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She really has embraced being Anastasia Romanov, even though she doesn’t claim the last name. Rowan’s character development was one of my favorites. He, too, is embracing the true meaning of being a Scythe and upholding that honor. Plus, I also dig the name the other Scythes have given him. 

The foreshadowing in this book is so well done. Probably one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. In between chapters, the Thunderhead spoke. I actually found myself enjoying what they had to say. I won't give a lot away but when you all read this book, pay very close attention to what the Thunderhead says.

Overall, while I didn’t love this quite as much as Scythe, it’s still a really good addition to the trilogy. I can't wait to read the last book and see just how everything potentially gets solved, which I hope there is a happy ending or I am going to be very sad.

Thunderhead

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