First published 2021
Citra and Rowan live in a perfect world. Death no longer exists. Disease has been eliminated. War and hunger are memories. But population must be controlled, so scythes carry out necessary killings. Neither teenager wants this role when they are selected for apprenticeship. They must learn to end lives skillfully and without emotion. Their mentor teaches them the rules and techniques of the scythe profession. Citra struggles with the moral weight of taking innocent lives. Rowan discovers he has a talent for the work that disturbs him. Both know that failing their training means death. As their apprenticeship progresses, they face impossible choices about who deserves to die. The work changes them in ways they never expected. They must decide what kind of scythes they will become and whether they can live with the consequences of their actions.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, thriller, young-adult
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, enemies-to-lovers
448 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: death, murder