The Giver (The Giver Quartet #1)

Reader reviewed by Brittany Leigh

I can't even begin to explain how much I loved this book. This is the first book I actually paid attention to in class! Yes, it's that good.

It's a story of a utopia. Jonas' world is supposed to be perfect but as he gets older he finds imperfections. In his world everyone is given their job and place in life. Jonas gets to train under The Giver and it's there that he learns what a real world is. He learns what pain is, what love is and what he has missed out on.

Reader reviewed by athena

A very interesting book on living in a perfect world free of crime. A place where death is celebrated itsted of cried for. No color to fight about and no worries about money. Kids are born of only a couple people whos job it is to give birth. Then at 1 year old they are named by the council and they pick which family to give they to. Each family has two kids and only two kids. They go to the same school and do work in town to see what job they get and who they marry  (the council picks all of this). But one day when Jonas is turning twevle his is skipped gitting a job but the job he gets is like nothing he pricticed for. He is the getter for all the emoions and feeling and color in the town since they can't have them themselfs. He gos pain and saddness getting the emoions, but one day when gabile the baby they have been taking care of is going to be killed because he is not growing right Jonas will do any thing to save him. Even if it breaks the rules.

Reader reviewed by Sarah

This book was wonderful- until the end.
It was beautifully written, completely original, absolutely gripping. However, I was so disappointed by the ending that I haven't been able to read another of Lowry's books since I read this one. Actually, the problem for me wasn't in the ending, it was the lack of an ending. There was no ending. When I finished the book, I thought there was supposed to be another book to go along with it- there isn't.
The book is great besides that. If there had been an ending, any ending, it would have been one of the best books I've read. I would recommend the book to someone who doesn't mind imagining your own ending, other than that I would not recommend it to anyone who wants a sense of closure after reading the book.

Reader reviewed by Julie

I had to read this book in school, and I thought it would be stupid. When we started reading it, it was really kind of boring. Eventually when we were about 30 pages into it, it got very interesting. It wasn't really exciting, just interesting. I had to know what would happen next to all of the character. I think the ending was really stupid because it kinda ended in the middle of the story.

Reader reviewed by Claire

I first read this in 5th grade, and it was hard to understand. I recently reread it in 7th grade, and realized how interesting it is. What if people didn't have a say in their work, or didn't have any memories of the past? Those are all things that you think about more when you read this book. Lois Lowry also wrote two follow up books, The Messenger and Gathering Blue, which i have also heard are very good. Check them out!

Reader reviewed by Kyra

The Giver is one of my favorite books. If by chance you are reading my review, I hope you go straight to your local library our your bookshelf, and read it. Either again, or for the first time. Its just such a  great book.

Reader reviewed by snickers

this book is really good.  i love how gabe is sentenced to die right before jonas leaves. i read this book in class and really loved it. i have now read it about 10 times and still love it. lois lowery is truely an amazing author. she weaved a story very well and made it so that i will always remember that book                                         

Reader reviewed by thea

Another
amazing Science Fiction book. It was a very intricate world that was
more aimed at young adults and up. Some of the concepts went over my
head when I read it in 8th grade.
Written
by Lois Lowry, Jonas lives in a utopia. There is no pain, fear,
anything negative...or knowledge. That is the role of the giver (He
holds all the memories of the world).
Yet there is also no love. People do not know what it is.
Each
child is given a job. Some are birth mothers(there is no reproduction
within families), nurturers, etc. Families are chosen by how compatible
they are.
Innocence is
bliss, and when Jonas is chosen as the new giver, he is given the
memories-bad and good. Jonas wishes that he wasn't chosen because many
of the memories are painful (war). Now that he has all this knowledge,
he doesn't know how to talk to his friends or family.
The story was wonderful and I really loved it. It was reminiscent of Anthem, the
way both main characters feel something is missing, though life is
supposedly perfect. Also it had some of the same morals as the movie
Pleasantville. Is it better to have a society without emotions
essentially, or to have one with emotions that cause turmoil. It'd be
great if there was only good emotions in the world-no embarrassment,
fear, etc. Except you'd never learn anything. It's like pain. If you
don't have it, you're more in danger, because you don't know if you've
been (perhaps fataly) injured. Life would be boring. We can't pick and
choose, instead just have to take it all or nothing. It could mean the
end of our species, but it's better than an oblivious, dependent
world....or is it?
There
is so many things that are balanced on a fine line. They are easily
unbalanced, but it's impossible to be perfect. If you think you are,
you're lying to yourself. It's just a farce.
This is a deep book that I reccomend highly. Filled with many surprises.

Reader reviewed by Reciever

The Giver, by Lois Lowry, is one of the best books I have ever read in my life! It is a cross between Science Fiction. First we begin when Jonas, the antagonist of the Book, is only one month away from having his work assignment given to him. A Plane, not like a cargo plane in the story, or a biplane, but more like a Blackbird, comes overhead, and then back. Jonas was very scared, but, it came out right. Eventually, the Ceremony Comes.
However, in the Ceremony of Twelves, as he is an eleven becoming a Twelve, he is able to have his job. BUT, he is not chosen for a job; instead he is selected to become the Receiver of Memories of the Community and "back and back and back."

When Jonas starts receiving memories, he enjoys it, but then he has to experience pain. He did not like this because of the multiple new experiences. Jonas was not very pleased when he had to experience war. Then, he has to overcome multiple things that come in the way of his being able to help the community in any way. Then, the book takes a turn for the worse. You will have to read the book to find out what it is. However, I can tell you this. The Giver is one of the VERY few books that I can enjoy again and again, even after reading, and even after knowing what will come next in the book.


Jonas was very brave, and it is amazing that he was able to do so many things, for his family, friends, and Gabriel!!!
READ IT NOW!!!!

Reader reviewed by Josh Yeung

When I looked at the pile of books that lay ahead of me, I selected The Giver by Lois Lowry published by Bantam Books for Young Readers. Lois Lowry was born in 1937 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her elderly father lost his memory and that inspired her to write The Giver. The Giver is a book for young teens which is portrayed in a realistic future world.
Jonas turns twelve and gets selected to become the new receiver. After many discoveries and understandings with an old man (the Giver as we come to know) gives him, Jonas makes a decision that will affect not only his life, but the life of his whole community. This book showed how the Jonas changed from a carefree obedient kid into a strong courageous young man. The theme of this book was revelation and understanding. The authors message was when one learns the truth about the Earth and his/her lifestyle; he/she will dare to do things that they thought impossible. I learned this from the actions that Jonas portrayed in the story when he found that his living style and life had been all planned out. That then resulted in him doing something that he never thought before. I thought that Lois Lowry did a great job describing the themes and the setting of the book. Each of the characters had interesting traits and personalities that the she progressed and enhanced. The details in this work of fiction were very detailed which brought me, as a reader into the exciting events of the protagonist.
I really enjoyed this piece of writing from the author. Everything fell into place and I thought that the plot and outcome were amazing! This work of fiction is one of the best books Ive read in a long time. Most books Ive read recently have been fairly boring and have not drawn me into the story as The Giver has.
Lois Lowry made an excellent novel with a theme that presented itself throughout the book. Using Jonas, she reveled the meaning of understanding and revelation to readers such as myself. I recommend this book to all readers looking for an adventure. This novel was extraordinary!