Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Reviewed by Arthi J.
Grade 11

"Thou Shalt Kill."

Scythe, by Neal Shusterman, is a young adult novel that takes place in a unique, dystopian society. The year is 2041, and by now what we refer to as “the cloud” has developed into the Thunderhead, and has solved all of humanity’s problems. An almost perfect utopia exists, where humanity has conquered poverty, hunger, disease, corruption, and even death itself. Almost.

Scythes, who operate separately from the Thunderhead, are the only ones with the license to permanently kill, or “glean” (in order to keep the size of the population under control). With this great power, they are expected to kill with morality and honor. The novel follows the story of Citra and Rowan, two teenagers who are reluctantly taken under the wing of the honorable Scythe Michael Faraday in an apprenticeship to become a scythe. They are expected to become the deadly weapons of society, because if not, their failure will result in grave consequences. However, they are living in turbulent times where not all scythes glean with honor and integrity and have their own selfish and sinister desires in mind. Cracks are forming within the Scythedom, and Citra and Rowan will soon find out that this so-called utopia they are living in is not so perfect after all. But will they be too late?

I really enjoyed reading Scythe. To be honest, this trilogy (Thunderhead and The Toll follow this novel) has been on my book list for a while now and I’m especially glad I finally took the time to read it. At first, the plot moved a bit slow, and I had a lot of unanswered questions; but I later realized that the build-up was worth it because the ending absolutely blew me away. I think that Neal Shusterman did a good job in balancing his focus between building the world surrounding Scythe and the characters themselves.

I would definitely recommend this book to almost anyone. However, if you are the type of reader who is more invested in the characters themselves, or more specifically the relationships and romances between them, then this book might not be the best fit for you. While it does include some romance, it is not the entire focus of the novel. In my opinion, Shusterman does a fabulous job in following the moral grey area regarding killing in order to maintain the size of the population and in creating an incredibly unique, dystopian world like no other. Overall, this was a great novel to read, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Fairest: Levana's Story by Marissa Meyer

Reviewed by Susan Z.
Grade 11

Having been burned as a kid by your supposedly loving older sister really does something to you.

The book Fairest: Levana’s Story written by author Marissa Meyer is a prequel to The Lunar Chronicles. The entire series is, what I would describe as, classical fairy tale characters but placed in a sci-fi futuristic setting. Levana, our main antagonist, is the power-hungry, manipulative, and extremely cruel ruler of Luna. It doesn’t take much to guess who she’s based off of. Based of the main series, readers know her as a tyrant who's the stepmother of Princess Winter, trying to murder Cinder, and conquer Earth. Fairest: Leavana’s Story gives readers an insight as to how Levana became the Evil Queen.

The book begins with the accident and ends events that occur right before Cinder (the first book in the main series). In Fairest, readers get a glimpse of Levana’s history and events that made her the person she is. It has bits of her childhood, filled with neglectful parents and an abusive sister, her love life--falling for someone who was already in love with another, and her rise to power. Despite her traumatizing childhood where her sister, Channary, basically threw her into a fireplace, Levana always had love for Luna. When their parents died and Channary became queen, Levana had ideas on how to make Luna better. When Channary died however, and Levana became queen...the power got to her. Though initially she had good intentions on making Luna better for its people, being the queen eventually got to her head. Levana craved power; she wanted to be loved by her citizens forever. The only thing that could stop her was Channary’s little daughter. Because the daughter was so young, Levana, the only other member of the royal family, temporarily took the throne. But Levana wanted forever; she wanted to secure that position of power. So she did the only reasonable thing and had her niece disposed of--or so she thought. Now with her out of the way, Levana had full control of Luna. But eventually the love of an entire planet wouldn’t be enough for her, and Levana would turn to Earth.

Even after learning Levana’s backstory, I didn’t feel remorse for her. I understand she had a very abusive childhood and practically never felt any love, but in the end she was still a bad person who continued doing bad things. Fairest is a really good book and did a really good job describing Levana. It explains Levana’s backstory and I understand how she became the person she is. I am happy that this is what we got instead of a redemption arc for Levana. Another thing I thoroughly enjoy about this book is that it doesn’t defend Levana. It’s not a book trying to explain her actions by any means. Even in Fairest, Levana does some pretty bad things--like how she got rid of her niece, so it’s definitely not a book trying to defend who she is or trying to put the blame on someone else.

I recommend Fairest for people who have read The Lunar Chronicles. I’m not saying if you haven’t read the series that you shouldn’t read Fairest, there’s just a lot that I wouldn’t understand if I hadn’t already read the other books. And if you haven’t read The Lunar Chronicles, I definitely would recommend those too for really everybody.

Nil by Lynne Matson

Reviewd by Ela P.
Grade 11

Of course I'd hallucinate a zebra. Why couldn't I dream up Robert Pattinson or, better yet, a river of Gatorade?

Have you ever had a dream that seemed too real to be just a figment of your imagination? Well, the novel, NIL, by Lynne Matson explores that unreal experience through the lens of a normal high school girl, Charley. However, rather than make this whimsical island one filled with everything a girl could dream, it was filled with real-life experiences and its many wild horrors. Charley is a normal high school girl, who couldn't think any differently from the life she was living. However, when she is taken from her normal home life, and randomly dropped on NIL, an island that the world doesn't know exists, she is forced to prioritize her survival over every distraction NIL presents. No matter how hard she tries, getting off of NIL is more than just a task, its a game, in which their only opponent is NIL herself.

Everything was always easy for Charley as a normal teenage girl, or so she thought... until she got to NIL. Trapped naked on an island that nobody knew about, and little hopes of contact with the normal world, Charley finds herself lonely and afraid of all the dangers that lurked in the woods on the island. This all changed when she met Thad, a Canadian boy, who introduces her to a small village of other teenagers from around the world who ended up on NIL just like her. They quickly fall for each other, creating the only feeling of happiness that she gets on the island, but also a weakness for NIL to prey on. The people on the island treat NIL like a curse watching over them, toying with their lives as if they were a game to her, and doing everything in her power to stop them from escaping her torture. In order for them to beat NIL, they all have to work together to do their part, but when some are filled with jealousy and desperation, their union slowly falls apart, leading them all to face many more disasters. In order to get off of NIL before their 365-day limit is over, they all have to work harder than ever, face their fears, put their lives in danger for the people they love, and make sacrifices to remain in order. Charley is forced to change herself, to cooperate with these vastly different teenagers and learn to keep her new family on the island safe by stepping out of her comfort zone, something she wouldn't be willing to do before. As Thad's time on NIL is coming to an end, their desperation causes their love to become stronger, and the two teenagers are faced with a debacle. Should Thad go before his time is up or should he take the risk to save the one he loves?

At first, it did seem like it was the stereotypical "trapped on a dangerous island" book, however, towards the end I realized that there was more reality than fantastical elements underlining the story. It shows ups and downs of every person, which is more down to Earth than the typical "struggle after struggle" plot, which made it more realistic. Every character makes mistakes and all struggle between acting on their sense versus emotions, which better represents the human instincts and their need for survival. Similarly, their situation makes the reader think about the difference between the dreams and realities, and the line that can be crossed. I thought that using an Island as the setting, and personifying "mother nature's power" was very good since it is still a belief that many cultures think true. It made me rethink the power of nature and its curses that it could very well present to any of us at her mercy, whether we are on an island or not. It's very mind-boggling and provides a thrill to anyone looking for an interesting book to read.

I really loved reading NIL, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wanted a fantasy-based book with certain realistic elements. It is a very important lesson to the young adults reading the book and puts their lives in perspective to Charley's. Personally, I find it an important book that teaches the moral of perseverance no matter what struggle people are facing in their lives, and that eventually, it pays off. It was a lesson even I had to learn from the book when I read it. Her story made me reflect on my life, and how in order to achieve my goals, I had to keep working towards them without stopping to even consider quitting. The sequels of NIL are also very good, though they are told from different perspectives of different teenagers living on the island, I would recommend reading those as well. Overall, this was a very good and influential book that I would hope you enjoy as well.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Reviewed by Arthi J.
Grade 10

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a young adult novel about a young teenage girl named Hazel Grace Lancaster, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer for as long as she can remember. By now, she has lost all hope and has come to terms with what her life will be like with her diagnosis. At first, she is reluctant to attend a local cancer support group recommended to her by her parents, but she soon realizes after meeting a boy named Augustus Waters (diagnosed with osteosarcoma), that maybe it isn’t the worst thing.

Augustus is charming and witty, however Hazel can’t help but to push him away like everyone else in her life. Augustus is not like everyone else, however, and he keeps coming back. He is drawn to her in a way that Hazel doesn’t understand. As Hazel and Augustus embark on an emotional roller coaster of romance, sadness, and humor, including a trip to Amsterdam in search of Peter Van Houten, the author of An Imperial Affliction (Hazel’s favorite book), Hazel starts to realize that her life is more than just terminal . . . it is about to be completely rewritten.

This is one of the best books I have ever read and not at all just, as Hazel would put it, a “cancer book.” Behind Augustus and Hazel’s stories, lies many themes and morals that are up for the reader's interpretation. I really appreciate how John Green builds this heart-warming story out of the darkness and despair that comes with the topic of cancer. I can also honestly and proudly say that I cried during the ending of this novel (which is saying much because it takes a lot for me to cry).

I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for a sweet, humorous, and, sadly, tragic love story to read. I thought that this was a beautifully, well-written novel and that the characters and plot were both unique beyond measure. So, get out your tissues and embark on this crazy, emotional roller coaster, and I hope you enjoy this novel as much as I did.

At the Edge of the Universe by Shaun David Hutchinson

Reviewed by Arthi J.
Grade 10

At the Edge of the Universe by Shaun David Hutchinson is a young adult novel told from the perspective of Ozzie, a high school student. Tommy and Ozzie have been best friends since the second grade and boyfriends since eighth. Ozzie doesn’t have many plans for the future, but the only thing he knows for certain is that Tommy is in it.

But then one day Tommy disappears or, more accurately, he ceases to exist. Tommy has been wiped from the memories of everyone he knew and loved . . . everyone except Ozzie. Now, Ozzie doesn’t know what to do, and people start to think he’s crazy. Between creating a person out of thin air and going through therapists quicker than underwear, they’re not that far off. In addition, Ozzie is certain that the universe is shrinking and that somehow he, Tommy, and his new physics project partner, Calvin are involved. As Ozzie and Calvin spend more and more time together, it gets harder and harder for Ozzie to deny his feelings for Calvin even though he still loves Tommy. But time is running out, and Ozzie knows that the window for saving Tommy is closing, and once it’s closed it can’t be opened again. But, Ozzie is determined to keep it open for as long as possible to get Tommy back. How he will do it? Now, there’s the real question.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and the ending truly had me shook. I thought that this was a very beautifully written novel and that even though some parts were difficult to read, it was all very realistic. In my opinion, the characters were well developed, and the plot was very unique and unlike anything I have ever read before.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a sweet and humorous, yet meaningful book to read. Hutchinson includes many layers, hidden meanings, and ambiguities in his novel that certainly keeps his audience guessing and on their toes. So if this seems like your kind of novel I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.