Scythe by Neal Shusterman

In a world that conquered death, Scythes are the only beings that bring actual death; once killed by a Scythe, medical attention is forbidden. Arc of the Scythe follows two Scythe apprentices, Citra and Rowan, as they learn about the moral art of killing and that the Scythedom might not be as neutral as humanity would like to believe.

In the future, the world is controlled by the benevolent AI, the Thunderhead. The Thunderhead provides everything, and none are sick or dying. Free from politics and biases, Scythes are tasked with “gleaning” individuals for population control. Scythes operate outside of the Thunderhead, and each chooses their own method and determination system for the gleanings.

Arc of the Scythe is a completed, fast-paced YA sci-fi novel perfect for readers wondering how human advancements and AI will shape the future. Like Shusterman’s other novels, Scythe digs into the human psyche and poses the ethical dilemma, “How does one person choose when another should die?”

Purchase Scythe on Amazon or your local bookstore, or borrow from the library.

Amazon Summary:

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

After reading Scythe, make sure to check out my other YA recommendations!