Daaaamn this was a looong third book in this story arc. Shusterman crams so much into this story ~ it's mostly good and really interesting but sometimes he is too enamored of biblical allusions and complex vocabulary & syntax.

The teen in our house loves this series. ( )

What a great book! What a great trilogy!
I have to admit I saw some of the twists coming so I wasn't all that surprised but it was still such a great read. The only thing I regret about reading these books is that I can't read them for the first time again... ( )

This was a rough read for me. I spent a vast majority of the book wishing I was made of the stuff that would allow me to leave a series unfinished. In the end, I felt mildly satisfied, but the journey was turbulent. This book, of the three in the series, had an almost experimental feel. Shusterman's play with PoV, time and place made it an interesting read, once you get to the very end. But it also felt rushed, like it had giant holes missing and the author just wanted to finish the series without taking the time to give the book a life that would last. If only he were a little more like the Thunderhead...

All said, I would not recommend giving this series a read. It's too slow to be read for entertainment factor, too shallow to be read for love of characters, and too unfinished to be the kind of series you'd eventually want to watch on tv. ( )

I was so excited for this book. Let me explain......I adore Neal Shusterman. I think he is a truly brilliant writer. And the Scythe series is one that I refer to a lot of teen readers. Having listened to "Scythe" this year on audiobook reminded me of just how good the series is.

"The Toll" came in the day before my vacation. And indeed, I took it with me and read it on the beach. However, by the time I turned the last page, I found myself with very mixed feelings. Because, frankly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to.

For starters, Citra and Rowen were not present for most of the book. Which is a shame because....they are why I read it in the first place. Scythe Faraday wasn't around much either. Greyson Tolliver (who admittedly was not my favorite character) got a lot more attention. We also were introduced to far too many new characters. I hate when that happens, especially in the final book of a series. And while I do not have an issue with diverse characters, I felt like Jeri, the non-binary addition, felt like a throw in for the sake of being political.

Actually, a lot of "The Toll" felt political. Scythe Goddard was awful as ever....and now took on a decidedly Trump tone in nature. (Which felt true to the character but not to the whole essence of the Scythe trilogy). The plotline of eliminating people based on their differences is very similar to today's headlines. Again, having an LGBTQIA character......I wondered if "The Toll" was more about sending a message than being true to the storylines.

We also went science fiction and TRAVELLING TO DIFFERENT PLANETS?! Granted, I loved seeing how Scythe Goddard had been involved with the scythedom and the killing of humanity from the beginning. (Truth be told, I'm amazed I didn't expect it.) Still, I really hated the ending of deadish characters finding new life on new planets. Rowan and Citra's involvement in this ticked me off. Really I felt that Shusterman didn't know what to do with their characters.......

I really do appreciate the symbolism that can be found in Shusterman's writings. There are many concepts of Christianity and Spirituality to be found in "The Toll." That being said, again, "The Toll" became about symbolism and existentialism more than defeating the scythedom. Well it was.......but......

Sigh. I wish this was a five star book. The first one is for sure. But the final volume has given me a little sour taste (as frankly third books in YA series are apt to do it seems.) ( )

Really enjoyed the last installment of the Scythe trilogy, it only lost a star because it didn't end quite how I expected or wanted. The other two books were stronger. Congratz to the author for not having the two main protag's relationship be the biggest thing. 4/5 Would read again. ( )