Gleanings (Sequel to Arc of Scythe Trilogy)
Neal Shusterman, 4/10
‘We accept the love we think we deserve’
‘The Arc of a Scythe goes on!’ – In Neal Shusterman’s latest addition to the ‘Arc of a Scythe’ series, ‘Gleanings’ is an anthology that is intended to provide background into main characters of the trilogy, and explore pivotal events that happened before and after the main timeline. However, I feel that Gleanings did not live up to the potential and expectation, as most of the stories were disconnected and irrelevant to the main story leading to a generally incohesive anthology. I feel that too many new characters were introduced, especially causing a lack of character development and therefore a shallowness to the book overall. Although the book in general felt unfulfilling, certain short stories did leave a lasting satisfaction, which leads me to an individual short review of each story:
Formidable – 4/5: This excerpt is an excellent example of a short story that connects to the main storyline, holds relevance toward events that occurred as a result of it, and thus engages us as we crane our necks to find out more about Scythe Curie, arguably one of the most influential characters in the series. It gets a 4/5 because it is well paced and develops the character into the person that we know and love. The only downside is that the action of gleaning the political leaders was a defining feature of ‘the Grand Dame of Death’ and yet, for that level of notoriety I felt that the action was rather bland and too straightforward, with not much plot.
Never Work with Animals – 2/5: This short story is poorly executed. I understand that Shusterman is trying to include humour in the story, but the whole plot felt juvenile, and took away from the sense of responsibility and air of anonymity that scythes are supposed to have. Additionally, Scythe Lucifer’s fleeting appearance in this story only emphasizes how irrelevant it is to the series, and it felt like Shusterman was just including main characters to keep us interested, particularly because of how lackluster Lucifer’s presence is compared to when he is described in the series.
A Death of Many Colours – 2.5/5: Although it was interesting to read about Scythe Truth’s unique gleaning method, and the folk etymology of ‘trigger-treat’ is quite cunning, the story in general feels disconnected from the scythe world that we know, and the plot is very predictable. Also, the story takes too long to get into the confrontation, only for it to end so quickly, so the story feels shallow and not very emotionally provoking, leading me to the rating of 2.5/5.
Unsavory Row – 3.5/5: Unsavory Row is a well-crafted story, but it feels misplaced in this anthology and doesn’t provide any necessary background information that adds depth to the original trilogy. The plot was unexpected, and Maw’s character development compensates for the overall irrelevance of the story, but due to how it doesn’t conform to the whole anthology, I cannot rate it any higher than 3.5.
Martian Minute – 4.75/5: This was by far the best short story in the entire anthology. It had amazing pacing, and it offers the much desired background on Scythe Goddard and the Mars inhabitance – an event vital to the original trilogy and therefore connecting very well. Additionally, we see the moment Carson Lusk evolves into the despisable Scythe Robert Goddard, and the story also shows how influential and active Xenocrates was as an Underscythe. Overall, it definitely evoked emotion in me as a reader, and I felt satisfied with the story.
The Mortal Canvas – 4/5: This story and the themes of art and death really resonated with me, because of the unusual circumstance and the uniqueness of the plot. Each of the artists’ characteristics were personified through their art, and the story in general suggests that the value in art lies in the artist. I love the pacing of the story and how ominous Ms. Cappellino is, which ties to how well the characters are developed, overall giving the story a rating of 4 out of 5.
Cirri – 3.5/5: Although this story does provide the much desired aftermath of ‘The Toll’, the general format and style of writing does not resonate with me, and the individual excerpts of what happened to other ships felt underdeveloped and short. I feel that, overall, Cirri has so much potential, yet falls just short in content and style, which brings me to a rating of 3.5.
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Anastasia’s Shadow – 4.5/5: Anastasia’s Shadow is one of the few stories in this anthology that fits, and creates an engaging understanding of how Citra’s family were affected by the sinking of Endura, and furthermore gives background to Scythe Constantine, confirming his ‘good’ intentions and showing the hidden impact that he had in the fight against Goddard. The story itself was well structured and Ben’s character was developed well – We see how he gradually grows out of Citra’s shadow and becomes a respectable scythe apprentice in his own right. The ending with Milan/Raj evoked a bittersweet feeling and created depth to Ben’s character that we could sympathize with and understand, thus earning a well-deserved rating of 4.5/5.
The Persistence of Memory – 4/5: Scythe Dali and Scythe Gaudi have very contrasting personalities that created a conflict in their relationship. With good character development and plot, I feel that Penelope’s influence on Scythe Dali was very well paced, and by contrasting Scythe Gaudi with Scythe Dali, Shusterman directed a special dislike toward Scythe Dali, which built up to the plot and created suspense very well. In general, Scythe Dali is given a very amateurish image, whereas Scythe Gaudi appears much more mature and understanding. By also recounting Scythe Dali’s background, Shusterman works well to support and help us to understand the history behind his flaunty gleaning style. I feel that the story is very well written and deserving of 4/5 stars.
Meet Cute and Die – 3/5: The character development of Scythe Boudica is well executed, but the plot is too predictable, and it takes too long to reach the obvious conclusion. Also, the seemingly ethereal way that Scythes are treated and the angelic presence that they have in the trilogy is lost here, where I feel that Scythe Boudica does not accurately represent the animosity that scythe are supposed to have, and it feels disconnected from the post-mortal world that we know and love. 3/5.
Perchance to Glean – 3.5/5: Although the plot of the story was well-crafted and the humorous twist around Dayne’s father was incorporated into the story well, I feel that the ending was unsatisfactory, and that Scythe Borgia is depicted too much like a child, losing into the temptation of fun over work. However, because of the insight into communal dreaming and information about one of the charter regions, it does provide background about an idea that was discussed in the trilogy, which therefore makes the story fit well into this anthology, bringing its overall rating to a 3.5/5.
A Dark Curtain Rises – 4/5: This story is written in an interesting format, a dialogue between Cirrus and Scythe Curie (Susan), where Cirrus’s speech feels detached – a description that fits the artificial intelligence very well. By contrasting this with Susan’s growing consciousness of the events that occurred after her death, Shusterman makes us feel connected to Susan, which allows us to understand her thoughts and her reactions. The story provides information about the events that occurred after ‘The Toll’, and fills the gaps that were left after the last book. The way that Shusterman starts and ends the anthology with Scythe Curie’s past and future, completes the full circle of the timeline and allows us to leave feeling satisfied.