Book Review: The Giver

"After reading The Giver, I was left confused and disappointed. It seemed as if it would be interesting, but you can't judge a book by its cover. The contents were dull and predictable. Quite honestly, I wouldn't recommend it to any reader seeking a fine piece of literature. It just doesn't suffice.

The Giver is about a young boy named Jonas. He resides in a futuristic society in which each citizen is assigned a job, a spouse, and children. The children are born to mothers who will never get to see them. Trying not to give anymore away, I will only say that Jonas is assigned an important job and is challenged with the release of an innocent child. Jonas is left with the option of leaving his home, job, and family to save the child, or facing the harsh reality of his community and job, and enduring the release of the child.

This book was dreadful. I became more and more dissatisfied with each page. It was a waste of time and hardly made sense. I'll admit, there were a few interesting lines, but far too few to continue reading after the first chapter. Although I finished it, I regret doing so. It was, by far, the worst book I've ever picked up. It proved to be mediocre, no better than what the average person could conceive. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone." ~Teen Ink

General Book Info:
Author:  Lois Lowry
Plot:  An eleven year old boy is selected to become "The Receiver of Memory" in his utopian community and learns the secrets of his town.
Book Type:  Fiction
Genre:  Dystopian

My Thoughts:
Initially I hesitated at purchasing this book because it was advertised as a novel for young adults.  However, since it was a Newbery Medal award winner, considered controversial, and most importantly was on sale, I thought I'd give it a try.  I'm glad that I did.

However, if I would have read this when I was younger, I like the person quoted above, I probably would not have liked this story either.  At this point in my life, now that I'm a little more aware of the complexities of everyday life, I really enjoyed this story because it reminded me of the importance of personal freedom.  In this story life has been simplified to the point where no one suffers and everything is perfect.  Or is it?

Pick up a copy today:  The Giver

"How could someone not fit in? The community was so meticulously ordered, the choices so carefully made." ~The Giver