The Giver
by Lois Lowry
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Book Summary Information
Author: Lois LowryBrand: Ingram Book & Distributor
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2002-09-10
ISBN: 0440237688
Number of pages: 192
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Laurel Leaf
Product features:
- Made with the Best Quality Material with your child in mind.
- Top Quality Children's Item.
Book Reviews of The Giver
Book Review: brilliant and enjoyable for children and adults
Summary: 5 Stars
I've waited a few weeks before reviewing Lois Lowry's Newbery Award-winning book, The Giver, because my first inclination is to say: read it. It's awesome. The end. I am not a big reader of science fiction, although on the off chances I do read the genre, I usually find myself enjoying it. One reason I fear I don't venture into science fiction too often is that it's hard to read reviews about the books without learning too much about them, and I like to know as little as possible going into books. With that in mind, I'll try to review this brilliant book giving away as few details as possible.
The Giver is told from the point-of-view of Jonas, an almost-twelve-year-old boy. As the story unfolds, it becomes more and clear Jonas lives in a very different world than we do. Details of when and where are scarce, as it is all Jonas knows. The reader is along for the ride as Jonas learns more and more about the community he lives in.
One of the things I've loved most about my immersion into children's literature this semester has been the coming of age story. I don't think it's a coincidence so many narrators of children's books; it's the magical age of intellectual awakening it seems. Jonas is a great narrator. He's thoughtful, kind, and increasingly skeptical. Lowry does a marvelous job of telling the story through Jonas's eyes but leaving clues for the reader to pick up on before even Jonas himself does. This layering of knowledge provides suspense on two levels: the reader wonders what really is going on in this strange world and when and if Jonas will fully realize it as well.
I cannot recommend The Giver highly enough. It's a fascinating novel, and although it's intended for upper-elementary students, it's appropriate for teenagers and adults too.
(Yes, I also realize most everyone with even a passing interest in children's literature read this novel fifteen years ago, and I am ridiculously late to praise it, but I am anyway).
Summary of The Giver
Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy. With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newbery Medal winner, Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price.
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