Really enjoyed this series. I listened to the audiobooks and they were well done except that females often sounded bratty. I’d like to read the physical books to see if they still come off like this. I don’t think they would, I think the narrator’s version of a ‘strong female’ just sounded petulant/whiny/bratty/snotty/demanding/rude/stuck up. He was otherwise excellent. This series would have benefited by a female narrator reading all the female parts.

The bratty-sounding narration of Citra/Anastasia combined with the Mary Sue nature of her character made it harder to like her. I can’t decide if her Mary Sue-ness was intentional. It might have been? I was rooting for her and Rowan even though their intense love and devotion grew out of almost nothing and somehow endured through literal space and time. Others esteeming and worshipping Citra on an almost universal and instant basis was harder to take.

Rowan’s character arc was much more fun and satisfying. I also enjoyed Grayson’s character more than Citra’s for the same reasons. Rowan and Grayson were more flawed and suffered more, therefore they grew more. Even through her Scythe journey and losing Marie, Citra seemed static. She was pretty much the same character at the end, yet people were constantly either willing to die for her, devote their lives to her, or waste away pining for her. Even the Toll and the interesting gender fluid Jeri are in love with her (or the idea of her). It got really out of hand. Even the “perfect” AI has more of a growth arc than Citra!

Still, I loved this interesting view of a nearly perfect world and its sentient AI. I enjoyed how the AI found work arounds to the laws it could not break. Especially the creation (and the process of creating) Cirrus. The mystery of the founding scythes was really well done (the fail safe reveal is amazing). The overall theme of the corrupt-ability of humans was fascinating. The ending was very satisfying.

The author juggles a ton of plots and subplots, and we experience the story from an endless stream of POVs... all really difficult feats that he manages well.

I think at least three others in my family will devour this series. The premise has already made for some great discussions. Recommend, but maybe read rather than listen.