Lois Lowry - "The Giver" - 8

Trebor1503 · Post by **Trebor1503** » Tue Jul 15, 2003 9:32 pm

IBDOF-book-detailedview.php?book_id=22652

I would have rated this higher if I had read it when I was 16... but I have read enough other books that this one is a little "easy" and not so fleshed out. I wanted to know more about certain things and other things weren't really discussed at all.

With that said, this was a fantastic story. We have a 11 year old child living in a "perfect" community in the future when he is picked to be trained for the most important job in the community... but when he begins to learn those things he must for his job he begins to question his life, his family, and his society.

This is a cationary tail for anyone who thinks laws can fix social problems or that science can fix the world. I read this book (180 pgs) in one sitting, because I needed to know how it ended. I simply could not go to sleep until I knew. That to me is the mark of a good story.

Mary Russell · Post by **Mary Russell** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:08 am

I really enjoyed this book (I've read it at least three times and could still pick it up today and enjoy it). It is my favourite in the Juvenile category (I gave it a 10). I definitely agree with Trebor; this book gets you thinking about how laws cannot solve every problem. The writing was very vivid and descriptive. The end frustrated me because it was left hanging, but maybe that's good (I keep rereading it, hoping to get more insight into the ending).
Gathering Blue, the second book in the Giver Series, was not as well written, but it was satisfactory. I think The Giver could easily stand on its own and you shouldn't bother continuing in the series.

Post by **Darb** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:48 pm

Unlinked review ... open item tag added to subject line, to ensure eventual fix.

tollbaby · Post by **tollbaby** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:49 pm

holy crow. I just realized the date on the original review!!!

Post by **Darb** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:00 pm

Unlinked review uplink repaired.
Link to detailed book review added.

Post by **PolarisDiB** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:05 pm

Still, it's good to have this book rise to the top of the reviews for discussion, though. I loved this book, and admittedly I haven't read it in ages and ages but it's one of the few books I read as I kid that I really remember well. I mean, most books slipped my mind and I don't even really care that I ever read them, but this one has some very amazing imagery that is still in my mind as if I saw the movie or lived it myself.

I think, then, that I could reread this without getting into the whole, "I'm an adult and this is too simplistic!" thing mostly because I remember just how well it affected me that I would pay more attention to how its simplicity helped that effect rather than hindered it.

--PolarisDiB

Mary Russell · Post by **Mary Russell** » Wed May 23, 2007 3:23 am

I think this was my first foray into fantasyish books. Very good experience.

pokey_92 · Post by **pokey_92** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:51 pm

The first time I read this book, I was around 8. I really enjoyed it. The second time I had to read it for school, and I was 12. I loved it. It made me think. And just like Mary Russell, I think this was one of the first fantasy-ish books I ever read.