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The Toll (Arc of a Scythe #3) by Neal Shusterman

"Shusterman is a master storyteller and once this book hit its stride, all you can do is hang on and enjoy the ride. Everything is brought together and tied up in a deep, meaningful, heartfelt way and though I'm sad to see the series end, I finish it with contentment and satisfaction."

5 Stars. 

Pros: Greyson Tolliver is an interesting character. He's spent his whole life wanting to serve the Thunderhead and now, he truly can. He's humble, down to earth and realistic in a world that's becoming increasingly terrifying. 

Cons: A little slow to start but once it hits its pace, in true Shusterman fashion, it never lets up/Citra always being right and always being able to find the answers to things is tiresome but it makes the plot move. 

Full Review: 

***Spoiler Alert ***

Greyson Tolliver is the one remaining link to the Thunderhead, since the omniscient AI classified all of humanity as unsavory and went silent. He had been hiding out in a Tonist monastery but once it's confirmed that he can indeed communicate with the Thunderhead, he is elevated to an almost God like status and goes by the moniker, The Toll. 

Rowan and Citra are rescued from their watery tomb after the sinking of Endura. Goddard, who planned the destruction of Endura and survived, puts the blame entirely on Rowan. So when he and Citra are revived, he finds himself in a cell in Amazonia and the Scythe in charge, Posseulo, doesn't know what to do with him. Citra on the other hand is revived at a revival center and has become a symbol of renewed hope since Goddard has proclaimed himself the Overblade of MidMerica and is turning the Scythedom at his every whim. 

Scythe Faraday and his accomplice, the Librarian from Alexandria, Munira have found the blind spot within the Thunderhead and travel to a set of islands not far from Hawaii. There they find an old base with computers and a door that that needs two Scythe rings to open it, so they hit a dead end. At the beginning of the novel, Nimbus agents, who were fired when humanity was deemed unsavory, kidnapped Greyson and asked for proof that he could speak to the Thunderhead. His proof was a set of coordinates. They are coordinates to the blind spot. 

They go there in search of answers but all they find is Faraday, Munira and an old base. But eventually ships begin to appear, bringing food and supplies and construction starts. It appears that the Thunderhead became aware of his own blind spot when Faraday and Munira were searching for it. And one day, Loriana, the impromptu "director" of the Nimbus agents on the atoll, gets a package that only she can open. And inside it is something that both terrifies and amazes her, giving her an inkling of what the Thunderhead has planned. 

I've already said too much but it's impossible to even begin trying to explain this book without giving a little bit away. Suffice it to say, once the book hit its stride, in true Shusterman fashion, it never let up. Pedal the metal at every turn and all I could do was hang on and enjoy the ride. Shusterman is a true artist when it comes to bringing everything together, tying up all the loose ends and bringing things to a satisfying conclusion. The end was perfect, in so many more way than one. Scythes, Death, everything now has a new meaning and what is an ending for some is a beginning for others. This was truly an amazingly unique, thought provoking, eye opening, frightening, touching, heartfelt series that will stay with me for a very long time. And I'm glad for it.  

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