This unsettling debut novel in the acclaimed Arc of a Scythe series features two teenagers who must master the "art of killing." The only way to pass away in a society where sickness, conflict, and crime have been eradicated is to be randomly slain ("gleaned") by trained scythes. Despite not wanting anything to do with the profession, Citra and Rowan have been chosen to be the scythes' apprentices, and even though they must perfect the art of killing, they are aware that failure might result in losing their own lives. Neal Shusterman's first book in a suspenseful series, Scythe, teaches Citra and Rowan that a beautiful world has a steep price.