I first read this novel in 2018 before the 3rd book had been released, “I really like this concept of a utopian future. The characters are easy to love and hate and to connect with. The conflict and political intrigue are realistic in this fantasy world. I can't wait for the 3rd book.”

I’ve thought about this story several times since then, and the concepts are still compelling. The idea that humanity overcomes natural death and has to create artificial administrators who work outside standard governing influences is the crux of the story and its political intrigue, but with this read I picked up more on those just living… endlessly.

It’s not the focus of the story, but Shusterman does touch on how life might be without the consideration of death. I think it would create a new paradigm for the living, new stages of life. The youthful stage being filled with risk and partying, a life without consequence. Then a stage of education, where the living try “to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life,” and then a stage of resignation, those that Scythe Curie looks for. I guess these stages aren’t much different than our current situation, but without aging the last stage would look a lot different.