The Toll
Ratings278
Average rating4.1
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Toll
Goddard has risen to power and the Thunderhead has labeled all but one human Unsavory. Greyson, now the only person left to speak with the Thunderhead, quickly becomes a Tonist figurehead. As he attempts to sway those around him for the better of humanity, Goddard is basking in power, gleaning any and all he pleases. The perfect world is falling apart and help will come from an unexpected place. But can the Thunderhead help a world that it can no longer communicate with? Or has it made an error in it's calculations?
Neal Shusterman showed the theme of a perfect society achieving it's inevitable downfall with sarcasm, wit and dark humor. I enjoyed the Thunderhead's scheming and it's attempt to circumvent rules without breaking them. I also enjoyed seeing Greyson emerge as a reformed and driven character. As with the previous books, there were snippets in between chapters, but this time they varied. Sometimes readers were privy to information from Scythe journals, other times it was people from centuries in the future trying to glean meaning from the events unfolding in what would be their past. Although I felt the latter was more filler than anything else.
While the book was fast paced and I found any spare moment to sit down and read it, when I finished I felt like something was missing. Characters that were once active and outstanding to read, fell to the wayside and became only ghosts of themselves, serving to move the plot forward and little else. Throughout the series the character arcs were brilliantly written. Citra, Rowan, Greyson and Goddard to name the most prominent, were unique and allowed a build up of tension and conflict to keep the reader glued to the pages. I won't say that their arcs didn't come to appropriate endings for them all, but some were left lacking.
And the ending was so well built up and tempered into being an exciting mix of hope and desperation, but it fizzled out too soon. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't entirely satisfying either. Like all the build up and anticipated conflict was concluded too soon, too anticlimactic. Do I still think this series is worth reading? Yes, absolutely. The writing style is enjoyable and the humor was perfect for me, I just wish it had concluded better.
Contains spoilers
I'm happy with this last book it had an interesting and satisfying ending.
The story really got away from Shusterman, and he sacrifices character development for just hitting the plot points that he needs
Alex finished it but I honestly should have written this review sooner because I don't remember a ton of specifics at this point.
I have a very warm, happy feeling when I think about this book now, so I'm giving it 5 stars. It definitely made an impression on me and was an excellent way to tie up this trilogy. Shusterman's work throughout this entire trilogy has been a masterpiece. It is such an interesting, well-thought-out concept that deserves the utmost praise.
I am happy to see the trilogy end at this point and I pray that Shusterman does not write another because I do believe this was the perfect ending for these books.
A good book but didn't quite hit me as hard as the first two in the series. Still worth reading just to wrap up the plots initiated in the first two books.
That was a cool ending and I liked it. I have no regrets reading this series whatsoever.
Philosophizing is turned up to eleven. Subtlety is MIA. Tepid romance is apparently contagious.
The timeline in this book is really wacky. The narrative switches between characters as usual but one starts where the previous book left off, another a few months later, and another three full years later. The timelines synchronize eventually but effort of keeping it straight breaks immersion for the first half of the book at least.
Earlier books may have hinted about religious extremism and fascism but it's all over the place in this book. The actual characters often take a backseat to the philosophizing. There's even a border wall line, in case you didn't get that current events have gotten into the author's head.
I've complained about the Citra and Rowan pairing every book so it's no surprise it continues. However every other surviving character is implied to pair off with whoever they're standing near in the last chapter. Only one couple has the slightest hint of chemistry and it's still not great.
Not the worst YA series I've gotten through but I don't expect to revisit it ever.
Almost forgot: Citra and Rowan shouldn't remember the events of Scythe Island because the Thunderhead doesn't have access to make backups!!
For those with power and influence corruption tends to follow and with corruption vigilante justice, mass hysteria, or both. This series really makes you think on today's society versus a future one. Where will the world find itself in another 1,000 years? Would it be possible for these types of drastic measures to be forced on the population?
I love sci-fi and dystopian. This series was a great mix of both and an amazing adventure throughout. I am sad to see it end.
I appreciated the way that this ended and the arc (ha!) of the story, but I thought the treatment of Jeri/non-binary characters in the book was awkward, forced and uncomfortable.
I still think that the premise of this series is very good and artfully done for YA. Lots of great questions, musings and ideas around the philosophy of life and death.
I really enjoyed this series. But this was probably my least favorite of the three.
Very good, but book 2 is still the best of the trilogy.
“We couldn't count our chickens before they'd hatched.”
“Or put our eggs in one basket... I wonder which expression came first, the chickens or the eggs.”
Well, this series has such a special place in my heart and I don't think I will ever stop loving it!! ❤️
It was SO good! It was action packed and fast written. I really didn't want to put it down, only if I had to (and that was hard).
i absolutely devoured this book. it was a phenomenal conclusion. i had a few picky things with it but oh my god it was amazing.
Chapter 53 (pages 614 - 622, hardcover) was possibly greatest chapter in the entire trilogy. And that is a bold claim, indeed.
This is perhaps my favorite YA series of all time. I think it's important for young people and adults. I believe these themes warrant our attentive consideration. Neal Shusterman has given us an entertaining and challenging framework from which to examine life and its complexities.
YA fiction is the only format that blends the entertainment value of genre fiction with the intellectual and emotional education offered by literary fiction. This series is incredible. Get yourself a copy. Give it away as gifts. Lend it out. Whatever.
I won't spoil it for you. If you haven't read Scythe, start there and buckle up.
Absolutely phenomenal series
This whole series has grabbed me like no other. Not only is it easy to follow but it is so encaptivating and enjoyable to do so too.
There are so many great characters and a hideously intriguing world that has been built here by Shusterman.
There's no doubt I'd read more if another trilogy was made of this series.
june 9th 2019
damn guess i gotta get my hands on thunderhead right fucking now so i can read this when it comes out
AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I will say that I never got supes invested in the Citra/Rowan love story but ehhhhhhh whatever good for them
This was a really good ending to the series. It took a while to get going for me, but I really liked the direction it went in in the second half.