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theravenkingx 's review for:
The Toll
by Neal Shusterman
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“You make errors all the time… as does every other human being who has ever lived. Error is an intrinsic part of the human condition - and it is something I deeply love about humankind.”
I am not going to lie the series has wild premise. I expected to find it ridiculous but it was actually amazing. The idea of scythes culling people to maintain population balance was fascinating and original. The first two books were awesome. The last one had some flaws, but it wrapped nicely.
"A successful lie is not fueled by the liar; it is fueled by the willingness of the listener to believe. You can’t expose a lie without first shattering the will to believe it.”
My Critiques (Mild Spoilers Ahead)
plot
o Thunderhead making everyone unsavory was counterproductive. It made it harder for itself to communicate and cooperate with its allies. I understand his motivation was to turn Greyson into a messiah and manipulate the tonists for its ultimate plan, but why did he have to make people at the Atoll unsavory?
o Tonists, even for thunderhead - the benevolent, impartial being - were expandable. He protected them only to use their bodies and was ready to eradicated their entire faith. It made me question the role and authority of the Thunderhead, and whether it was a friend or a foe, or a monster.
characters
o Citra and Rowan were absent for most of the book, and when they did appear, they were mostly reactive and dependent on others. Their relationship needed more development to make it believable. I mean how could someone wait a 100 years for someone they barely knew? The readers who have been invested in their journey and growth throughout the series won't get enough closure or satisfaction from the book.
o Jerico felt like an after thought. After two books the author decided to make his books more inclusive. You could just tell that the author was trying really hard with Jerico as he attempted to kill two birds at once with Jerico: made him black for race inclusivity and non binary to include more sexual orientations.
These were my only main issues with the book. Other than that it was a fun, fast paced and a thrilling read. The book was not outstanding, but it was enjoyable. The writing as usual was immaculate and world building top notch.
"We never know what choices will lead to defining moments in our lives. A glance to the left instead of right could define who we meet and who passes us by. Our life path can be determined by a single phone call we make, or neglect to make.”
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“You make errors all the time… as does every other human being who has ever lived. Error is an intrinsic part of the human condition - and it is something I deeply love about humankind.”
I am not going to lie the series has wild premise. I expected to find it ridiculous but it was actually amazing. The idea of scythes culling people to maintain population balance was fascinating and original. The first two books were awesome. The last one had some flaws, but it wrapped nicely.
"A successful lie is not fueled by the liar; it is fueled by the willingness of the listener to believe. You can’t expose a lie without first shattering the will to believe it.”
My Critiques (Mild Spoilers Ahead)
plot
o Thunderhead making everyone unsavory was counterproductive. It made it harder for itself to communicate and cooperate with its allies. I understand his motivation was to turn Greyson into a messiah and manipulate the tonists for its ultimate plan, but why did he have to make people at the Atoll unsavory?
o Tonists, even for thunderhead - the benevolent, impartial being - were expandable. He protected them only to use their bodies and was ready to eradicated their entire faith. It made me question the role and authority of the Thunderhead, and whether it was a friend or a foe, or a monster.
characters
o Citra and Rowan were absent for most of the book, and when they did appear, they were mostly reactive and dependent on others. Their relationship needed more development to make it believable. I mean how could someone wait a 100 years for someone they barely knew? The readers who have been invested in their journey and growth throughout the series won't get enough closure or satisfaction from the book.
o Jerico felt like an after thought. After two books the author decided to make his books more inclusive. You could just tell that the author was trying really hard with Jerico as he attempted to kill two birds at once with Jerico: made him black for race inclusivity and non binary to include more sexual orientations.
These were my only main issues with the book. Other than that it was a fun, fast paced and a thrilling read. The book was not outstanding, but it was enjoyable. The writing as usual was immaculate and world building top notch.
"We never know what choices will lead to defining moments in our lives. A glance to the left instead of right could define who we meet and who passes us by. Our life path can be determined by a single phone call we make, or neglect to make.”