The Giver
The Giver Quartet #1
by Lois Lowry
Dystopian
Science Fiction
Review #1
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
A boy named Jonas is chosen as a Receiver at the Ceremony of 12, and begins his training. He is a little frightful because he will have to feel pain, and in his community there is no pain, no feelings, and no color! When The Giver starts to teach him feelings, he realizes that the world that they live in – of sameness – is not as great as it may seem, so him and Gabe, a baby that his family is taking care of, leave the community with help from The Giver. They leave the community and journey to “elsewhere.” Read book 2 of The Giver Quartet!
Review #2
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
The book is about a boy who lives in an organized society in the future. When the kids in the society turn 12 they get a job. He gets a very unexpected job – the Receiver. The Receiver receives memories from the Giver. What he finds out is crazy! His society has been keeping many secrets. I liked it because it was very action-packed and well-written. I couldn’t stop reading; I just had to find out what was going to happen. Overall, it is a really enjoyable book.
Review #3
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
The Giver is about a boy named Jonas who lives in a community where everything is supposed to be perfect and everyone is the same. When you turn twelve you get your job. Jonas gets to be a Receiver, which is a really special job. I liked this book because it’s so different from any other book I’ve ever read! It’s very unique from any other book and it stands out because of the author’s way of writing. I’ve read this book twice and I still would read it again!
Review #4
* * Stars (Just ok)
“The Giver” follows the protagonist, Jonas, who lives in a dystopian society that is free of crime and sadness. In this society, everything is chosen – from your future spouse, to your job in the community – in order to avoid conflict. At the age of twelve, children are considered adults and are assigned to their jobs for the future. At the Ceremony of 12 (where children receive their jobs), Jonas stands apart from the rest, due to his receiving a special job: The Receiver of Memory (aka Memory Keeper). This community has been free of all the pain of the past due to one certain person chosen to bear all the pain of society.
“The Giver” is a truly remarkable book that captivated me from the very first page. What I loved most about this book is that it challenges the reader to think deeply about the world we live in and the choices we make in this society. The ending of this book led me to be a bit confused, as the author allows the reader to consider the ending to be open to their interpretation. I personally didn’t enjoy the plotline of this book, since this type of book isn’t for me. For middle school teens.
