🎧 The Toll by Neal Shustermann @NealShusterman @GTremblayVoice ‏@audible_com @simonschuster ‏#LoveAudiobooks

Posted November 13, 2019 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Book Review / 16 Comments

Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


🎧 The Toll by Neal Shustermann @NealShusterman @GTremblayVoice ‏@audible_com @simonschuster ‏#LoveAudiobooksThe Toll by Neal Shusterman
Narrator: Greg Tremblay
Series: Arc of the Scythe #3
Published by Audible on November 5, 2019
Genres: Science Fiction Fantasy, Young Adult
Length: 15 hours, 23 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
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One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.

In the highly anticipated finale to the New York Times best-selling trilogy, dictators, prophets, and tensions rise. In a world that's conquered death, will humanity finally be torn asunder by the immortal beings it created?

Citra and Rowan have disappeared. Endura is gone. It seems like nothing stands between Scythe Goddard and absolute dominion over the world scythedom. With the silence of the Thunderhead and the reverberations of the Great Resonance still shaking the earth to its core, the question remains: Is there anyone left who can stop him?

The answer lies in the Tone, the Toll, and the Thunder.

For some reason, I thought  Thunderhead was the sequel to Scythe and it was the end of the Arc of a Scythe series. After I finished reading, I went to look because, man, it could NOT end there.  I wouldn’t call it a cliffhanger but there is so much more I want to know. The Toll is the completion of so many story lines with a few new ones developed.  It is really necessary to read these books in order.

We have my long time beloved characters in Rowan, Citra, Farraday, Grayson and the Thunderhead. We have the “villains” with Goddard and Rand.  There are new players like Jerry, Mendoza, Minerva, and some Nimbus agents. These are complex characters with flaws and strengths. Even the side characters are quite well developed.

Again, Rowan and Citra are separated for most of the story. Citra is so strong and compassionate.  She makes a difference in the world.  Rowan is mostly a prisoner until he is not.  I want them to have a future together.

Grayson is the main connection with the Thunderhead.  Through him, we see the Thunderhead staying just barely within the rules to make the changes needed.

Another key player is Rand who serves Goddard.  She is having second thoughts about his harsh love of killing and her part in taking Tiger’s body for him.  She sees no way to make a change and goes along doing her work as always.

I was lost in the world, my feelings for the characters and the world events. The intricate details were stunning.  There are many moral issues involved from immortality to artificial intelligence.  I recommend this series highly.

Narration:

I have really enjoyed the voices by Greg Tremblay. He made it easy to bring the characters back to my mind as well as my feelings.   The different voices for different characters were great, particularly the non-emotional tone for The Thunderhead.  I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.

Listen to a clip:  HERE

 

About Neal Shusterman

Award-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.

In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell.

Neal Shusterman is the author of many novels for young adults, including Unwind, which was an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and a Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers, Everlost, and Downsiders, which was nominated for twelve state reading awards. He also writes screenplays for motion pictures and television shows such as Animorphs and Goosebumps.

Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!

Rating Breakdown
Plot
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Writing
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Characters
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Narration (Audio)
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Overall: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • 2019 Audiobooks
  • 2019 Releases

Posted November 13, 2019 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Book Review / 16 Comments


16 responses to “🎧 The Toll by Neal Shustermann

    • Thanks Jonetta! I really enjoyed the series. It is fantasy with battles and politics but there is a background of considerations of what is moral, what is right. IRL, nothing is completely black or white and the issues have shades of gray here also.

  1. Yay! I’m SO GLAD the conclusion was satisfying. I gobbled the first two books up about a year ago and was thrilled when I saw this book come out. I have it on my audible, but I’m reading it as a COYER buddy read… December 1st though! So excited!

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