The Giver

Written by Lois Lowry

A book for readers in grades 6 and up reviewed by Donavan

        

The Giver is a novel about a child named Jonas, who lives in a society where everything is the same. People who live in this society only see in black and white. They are also unaware of their history. After he is chosen to be the Receiver of Memory and the current Giver’s successor, Jonas slowly acquires many memories, which leads him to begin seeing things in color and become knowledgeable of his society’s history.

I did not find The Giver to be very engaging. The storyline failed to excite me, and I found it to be frustrating at times. A moment that disturbed me was when the release (or murder) of a baby took place because of their condition. This didn’t make me sad as much as it made me angry.

It is later revealed that the previous Giver couldn’t handle memories and released herself. I found this to be one of the only upsides of the book, since it adds more to the responsibility that the Giver has.

Overall, this book is all over the place and didn’t personally click with me.

The Giver

Written by Lois Lowry

A book for readers in grades 6 and up reviewed by Jose

    

The Giver is about Jonas, an eleven-year-old boy living in a dystopian world where everyone is assigned a role for the rest of their lives. Everyone seemingly lives a life devoid of pain and suffering, as well as individuality.

When he becomes twelve years old, Jonas is assigned to be the Receiver of Memory. He receives training from The Giver, who gives him new emotions and memories. Jonas has to deal with these emotions and memories, which are both positive and negative.

This book was compelling to read. I liked how it illustrated the society Jonas lived in and how life typically goes for its inhabitants. Overall, I enjoyed immersing myself in Jonas' world.