Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman Review

Title: Thunderhead

Author: Neal Shusterman

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Arc of a Scythe, book two

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

Scythe was one of my favorite books of 2017; it was thought-provoking, fast-paced, and original, a whole new take on the futuristic science fiction genre. I was so excited when the sequel was finally announced, and I put it on hold at my library as soon as I had an opening in my number. (One of my primary goals for the year was to stop trying to bring the entire library home with me, lol.)

Thunderhead sat in my library stack for a while, and I couldn’t renew it, as there were holds on it. As soon as I finished Given to the Earth, I began it, and was immediately drawn into Shusterman’s dangerous, deceptively perfect world, where death and disease have been all but eradicated. As it was a sequel, it took me a bit to remember what was going on, but the book grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go until the last pages; I was breathless throughout the book, but the ending was a total killer—I’m absolutely dying for the next book, and I only finished it yesterday! This series is one of my favorites from Shusterman, and I can’t wait to see what comes next! Because this is a sequel, I don’t want to say much about the plot; I don’t want to spoil it for those who haven’t read it yet.

Thunderhead picks up where Scythe left off, continuing the events from the previous book and going at high speed. Even though it took me a while for my memory of the last book to come back, the pace was so breakneck that I was immediately sucked in, following both Rowan and Citra on their journeys until the fateful moment when their paths diverge. The writing was gorgeous, captivating, even in its brutality. This being a sequel, I was really hoping that my anxiety would be relieved, and my questions answered, and they were—but I have so many more, especially after the killer ending! Characters from the last book return and are introduced, and new characters are brought in. I especially liked the way the worldbuilding was elaborated on, especially the people that don’t fit into the social norms of this beatific, mostly peaceful society; well, as peaceful a society can be where death is sanctioned by its people and government. The Thunderhead, too, was one of the reasons I loved this book; I loved the way Shusterman gave us a glimpse into the mind of the powerful technology that cares for the human race in this future. And that ending—I’m still reeling from the gravity of it, a day later. I’m in complete shock, and all I can say is that I can’t wait for the last book in the trilogy! Absolutely amazing! The bottom line: A satisfying, thought-provoking sequel that moves at light speed, I loved Thunderhead, and I can’t wait for what comes next—one of the best books of 2018 for me, hands down! Next on deck: Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu!