Scythe (Arc of a Scythe)

Price: $12.99 - $10.43
(as of Jan 09, 2026 10:26:47 UTC – Details)

A Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021)

Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.

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.

Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.

From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 28, 2017
Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 144247243X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1442472433
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 years and up
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.25 inches
Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ Arc of a Scythe
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 – 9
Best Sellers Rank: #1,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #3 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Death & Dying #7 in Teen & Young Adult Science Fiction Action & Adventure #8 in Teen & Young Adult Dystopian
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