Review by Amanda Snow, regular contributor
I didn't read this book for the first time until a couple of years ago, being that I was often put off when it was described as a "science fiction" novel. I hadn't yet broadened my genre taste to include something of everything and passed by this wonderful book for too long. This was my second read of it and it was just as amazing this time around.
The Giver is written by the amazing, wonderful, incredible Lois Lowry and tells the unique story of Jonas, a young boy living in a Utopian society. Everyone is the same in this society, they all have the same color skin, though none of them can see color anyways, so that doesn't matter. There is no such thing as love in this society, as it is an emotion that complicates things. In fact, emotions in general are non-existent in this society. When Jonas is selected to be the next Receiver of Memory, the most prestigious assignment in the entire society, he is shocked and somewhat angry to have been singled out in a world of sameness, though intrigued to learn that through The Giver, he can experience feelings, emotions, and the concept of colors in a manner never before experienced by a resident of the society. What Jonas must decide is whether or not he wants to participate in what the society is making its citizens go through or if he wants to remain within his new found perspective of life's opportunities.
I must admit that I have not read Gathering Blue or Messenger, both books that follow The Giver, but you can bet I'll get them read before the year is done!
3 Comments:
I have to second this book. It is excellent. All of Lois Lowry's books are excellent. The plotlines are interesting and unique, the characters are intriguing, and the books make you think and discuss. These books are classics.
Gathering Blue is about a parallel (but very different) society. The Messenger ties the first two books together beautifully with yet another society.
I can't wait to read them again!
I enjoyed both Gathering Blue and The Giver very much, and a part of me liked gathering blue even better than The Giver.
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