The Toll (2020) Parents Guide: Is the book OK for kids?

Romance is secondary and handled with restraint; there are brief mentions of physical attraction and one scene involves a shared bed for comfort without explicit acts. The focus remains on emotional connections and gender identity, particularly through the character Jerico, whose identity is fluid based on the position of the sun. Citra and Rowan's long-term relationship is depicted through deep emotional loyalty rather than physical scenes. The text mentions attraction in passing, such as Jerico's perception of…

The violence is frequent and systemic, including mass executions ('gleanings'), bombings, and public executions. While less visceral than a horror novel, the clinical descriptions of mass murder and the ruthless behavior of Scythe Goddard are intense and pervasive. Chapters detail the sinking of Endura and the subsequent hunting of those who survived, often involving high-tech weaponry and blade work. Thousands are killed in various set-pieces, including a large-scale naval battle and the final destruction of…

Language is relatively mild for the YA genre, though words like 'damn' and 'hell' are used regularly throughout the 600-plus pages. There are occasional uses of stronger terms like 'sh*t,' but the dialogue remains largely formal and plot-focused. Most profanity arises during moments of extreme stress, such as during the escape missions or when characters witness Goddard's atrocities. The narrative voice itself is elevated and philosophical, avoiding slang or gratuitous vulgarity. For a book of this length, the…

Substance use is minimal, though there are depictions of characters using 'nanites' to regulate moods or block pain, which functions as a futuristic form of pharmaceutical control. These nanites are ubiquitous in the series, allowing characters to avoid depression or physical agony at the cost of genuine feeling. Some social drinking occurs, such as Scythes sharing wine during formal meetings, but it is never a focal point or shown to cause impairment. There are no depictions of illegal drug use or addiction…

Heavy themes include the corruption of power, the ethics of artificial intelligence, religious extremism, and the morality of assisted death. The concept of permanent 'dead-ish' vs. 'true death' is explored deeply as the Tonists and Scythes clash over the nature of existence. Readers witness the psychological toll of immortality and the existential dread caused by the Thunderhead's silence. Greed and manipulation are personified in Scythe Goddard's fascist regime, while Grayson Tolliver struggles with the weight…