Review: All Better Now by Neal Shusterman

All Better Now by Neal Shusterman

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: February 4th, 2024

Hardcover. 528 pages.

About All Better Now:

"An unprecedented condition is on the rise. It behaves like a virus, with the first symptom being a fever, but those who contract it experience long-term effects no one has ever seen utter contentment. Soon after infection, people find the stress, depression, greed, and other negative feelings that used to weigh them down are gone.

Almost everyone revels in this mass unburdening. But people in power—who depend on malcontents tuning into their broadcasts, prey on the insecure to sell their products, and convince people they need more, new, faster, better everything—know this new state of being is bad for business. Soon, campaigns start up convincing people that being happy all the time is dangerous. There’s even a vaccine developed to rid people of their inner peace and get them back to normal because, surely, without anger or jealousy as motivators, productivity will grind to a halt and the world will be thrown into chaos.

It’s nearly impossible to determine the truth when everyone with a platform is pushing their own agendas, and two teens from very different backgrounds who’ve had their lives upended in different ways by the virus find themselves enmeshed in the center of a dangerous power play. Can they reveal the truth?"

I’ve been a fan of Neal Shusterman for years—I read his Unwind series ages ago (I'm feeling a bit old thinking about the fact that the first Unwind book came out in 2007!?) and more recently the Arc of a Scythe series (which was great, though I still haven't read the final books!) and have always enjoyed his work. I always trust Shusterman to explore some fascinating concepts, and All Better Now is no exception. In All Better Now  a new virus is sweeping the post-COVID world. This one starts with a fever and has a higher death rate than COVID, but survivors are left… changed. They become content and optimistic, while stress, negativity, sadness-any negative emotion-seems to just... disappear from their minds. Doesn't sound too terrible, right? Unfortunately, that's not quite the case.

I love the way Shusterman plays with big ideas because whether an idea fully works with me or not, the way he explores them is always fascinating and captivating. You'd think being turned into a more positive person could be a good thing, or at least have some benefits, but through the events of the book you can really start to discover some of its downsides, and I liked the way Shusterman incorporated so many different scenarios that really investigated how this might be in the real world. I also don't tend to read a lot of YA these days, but this is a YA that I think will appeal to many readers and it tackles some really intense themes and high-stakes situations.

I also liked seeing how different groups responded to the virus, from government agencies to corporations to individuals all grappling with what it means for their society. Some groups create campaigns warning of the virus' dangers—how it could destabilize global economics and entire political systems, not to mention the death rate—while groups of “recoverees” believe the virus should spread to make more people as content as they are, believing it'll make the world a better place. It's really just a fascinating premise to explore.

I didn’t find myself particularly enamored by any of the characters, though I found some of their individual situations interesting. If I’d read this years ago, I might’ve appreciated it more than I do today, but as it stands, nothing really grabbed me from an emotional standpoint and I was left feeling like something was missing from this one. That being said, I still appreciate how Shusterman really takes his ideas and plays them out--the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between. He doesn't shy away from tough topics. While I enjoyed the book, I don’t think it’ll become one of my favorite Shusterman works.

Overall, this is a really thought-provoking read that offers so much incredible fodder for discussion and a fascinating look at social dynamics, human nature, and another world plagued by a, well,  new plague. 

*I received a copy of All Better Now in exchange for an honest review. This has no affect on my opinions.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Bookshop.org

Waiting on Wednesday: Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, #2) by Neal Shusterman

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights exciting upcoming releases that we can't wait to be released!

This week's upcoming book spotlight is:
Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, #2) by Neal Shusterman
Publication Date: January 9th, 2018

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Book Depository

From Goodreads:

"Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, in the second novel of the chilling New York Times bestselling series from Neal Shusterman, author of the Unwind dystology.

Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid, and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—“Scythe Lucifer”—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames.

Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish” so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?"

I absolutely loved Scythe and I have been anxiously awaiting the next book in this insane world Shusterman has created. I can't get enough of how fascinating the entire concept of this series is, and I really just can't wait to read this one. I'm also really loving the cover concepts for this series so far!

What do you think about this upcoming release? What are your anticipated upcoming releases?

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Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Scythe by Neal Shusterman. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016. Hardcover. 433 pages.

Oh man, this book. I don't even know where to start talking about the crazy, incredible content of this book. If, like me, you have been hearing amazing things about Scythe, then I just want you to know that every word of praise is absolutely deserved. Neal Shusterman is truly a genius and I am always immensely impressed with his books. The ideas that he plays with and the moral quandaries that are debated in this book are insane and wonderful. I can easily say that this is one of the most thought-provoking books that I have read this year.

The most prominent theme and subject that Scythe deals with is, of course, death. But this isn't done in an overly morbid way. Don't get me wrong, the subject itself is inherently morbid and dark, but this book doesn't treat is as such - necessarily. It's more along the lines of questioning what death means, and also what immortality means, endless aging. Would you want to live forever, or is there a point in which you wouldn't want to keep living, even if you could continuously reset your body to younger ages? Would you want to live in a world knowing that you or anyone around you could be randomly chosen and gleaned (aka: killed) at any time? But then, how is that any different from random deaths from accidents and disease that occur around us everyday, anyway? Or would you want to become a scythe in order to ensure you and your family's immunity from death, when you would then have to be the bringers of death to millions. There are honestly just too many questions to ponder, and the way in which Shusterman brings these topics into the story are incredibly fluid and momentous.

One aspect of the world created in Scythe was the  notion that society had reached an area where every urge and necessity is met. If we are guaranteed food, shelter, the basic necessities of life, will we have any motivation to continue doing things and making advancements. Are there any advancements to work towards? Or is it more likely that life will become routine and monotonous with such a lack of motivation? I mean, death itself is even eradicated. People can be revived after be rendered 'deadish' (essentially, one dies, but not permanently because they can just be taken to a 'revival center' and be brought back to life, good as new in a few days), so where is the motivation in this world? I think all of these observations and topics are timely considering the many advancement we have made, and it is interesting to take a look through Shusterman's world that displays both the numerous benefits and consequences that arise.

There is also no "good" and "bad" in this book. Even the 'villainous' characters have legitimate arguments and thought processes. This book makes you question everything. It makes you realize that even institutions and advancements created with the most good-willed, positive intentions are susceptible to horrible corruption.

Moving away from the bigger themes of this book, I want to briefly discuss the two main characters, Citra and Rowan. I really enjoyed getting to know both of these characters and experiencing the many changes and feelings that they both experienced. As much as I would like to go into more detail regarding their character development, I am going  to refrain from doing so, solely because it will give away some important plot elements that I really do not want to spoil. All I can say is that Shusterman really took some time in crafting his characters and determining how they would react to various environments, which made this an even more fascinating read in regards to the psychology of being taught to kill.

Shusterman has an incredibly accessible writing style that is both mature and simple at the same time. It is easy to follow along with his writing, and I can imagine a wide variety of people enjoying his style. The premise of Scythe may be heavy, but Shusterman incorporates humor in a meaningful way that adds so much enjoyment to the story. Most of his characters are full of wit and sass, so if you are drawn to that, then you will definitely like these characters.

I want so much more from this world, but I'm also fearful of what could happen in this world. Where does the corruption end, or will it? It's not really fathomable to imagine that corruption can be permanently ended. It will always sneak its way back in, and I think that that is the beauty of this book. Where do things end, if not even death can bring an end to things?

Overall, I am giving Scythe five stars - and I'll be adding it to my favorites!

Buy the book!

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