The Giver

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Summary: A sci-fi book that is wonderful
Review: Jonas, a boy close to being twelve yearsold, is nervous.It's not that he doesn't want to learn what job he recives, it's just that he's nervous that he gets some stupid job that he doesn't want some stupid job that he doesn't want, like physical education assistant. Little does he know that he will get the most important job that can be given to any twelve. Once he is told that he will be the Reciever of Memories he will begin a long, painful journey that shows how scientists take away his peoples color and fun.

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Summary: Once you've started this,you can't put it down until the end
Review: 'The Giver' by Lois Lowry concerns a teenage boy growing up in a society where all emotions are repressed, births are strictly controlled and those who don't fit in are "released". I won't say too much about it, because there are a couple of plot features which I could spoil. What I will say is that it is brilliantly written - the reader can instantly emphasise with the central character - incredibly moving and altogether beleivable. (N.B. This is a young adults title, but don't let that put any adult readers off)

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Summary: One of the best books I've ever read
Review: I would recommend this book for people that like strange or out of the ordinary types of books. A twelve year old boy has the mission of becoming the new receiver. In the strange place that he lives in, he and the old receiver are the only ones that can see colors, hear music, have feelings and most important, have memories

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Summary: a look into the "perfect society"
Review: The unabridged tape version of the Lois Lowry book, The Giver, is beautifuly narrated and the meaning of the book is clear to even the most unsophisticated listener.The book is about a young boy who begins to detect flaws in a supposed perfect society-an updated and kinder,gentler but as completely brainwashed as in the classic 1984. Thought-provoking for adults and teenagers alike

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Summary: The Giver is a very satisfying book
Review: I found The Giver to be an extremely satisfying book for several reasons. Firstly, it wasn't a long and boring story. It was easy to read and "flowed" rather well. Plus, there was enough actions or situations to keep you interested through the books entirety. Also, the words used were very easy to comprehend. It is quiet clear that Lowry wrote the book not for "prestige," but for the purpose of conveying a message. Secondly, the story's plot was very interesting. It addressed several points about society, or concepts that I find myself contemplating at times. After reading this book I came to the realization that there probably is no perfect society, there will be some flaws in every situation. The story also made me appreciate certain things such as emotions, individuality, and the freedom to make my own decisions. It also makes me realize that rules are made to protect, but can easily take away peoples rights when over-used. Over-all, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thinking, and has just a few hours to spare. Lowry obviously followed the famous old saying, "keep it short and sweet!"

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Summary: Great book so rerad it if you haven't!
Review: I love this book it was really odd in the beggining but then I understood the book the second time i read it. It was full of adventures to read and it makes you think a lot! I could relate the differences from the real world and inthe book. Live in that book was not fun. You could not make your own choices but the community did. I am glad I'm not living my life as the people in The Giver.

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Summary: A brilliant dystopian novel
Review: This is a complex, beautiful book that offers a look into a futuristic dystopia in which there is no color, no aberation, no hot or cold, and no personal choices. Drugs are taken to repress sexual urges and even out temprament, and careers are chosen for children based on their aptitude. Children are raised in prearranged family units. There is no privacy and no personal choice, but is this really a bad thing if people have no concept of those things? There is no hunger, emotional pain, violence, crime, war, or sadness.

Growing up in this world is Jonas, a bright 12 year old who is about to receive his career assignment. He is given the important but extremely rare job of "Reciever": the keeper of "memories" of what life was like before the creation of his utopian world. Slowly, he begins to see color, to learn what love, hate, death, and heartbreak are like. He begins to understand that some of the "happy" things around him maybe aren't so happy.

The brilliance of this book is that the world unfolds gradually. Lowry does not hit us over the head with an up-front description: in fact, the place starts out sounding fairly normal if a bit Montesori. Slowly, though, the reader realizes quite how foreign this world is. Lowry is a deft writer with an excellent sense of subtlety.

Ultimately, this book is about the importance of cultural memory. The idea of cultural memory is probably a new one for kids, and some of the concepts of death and destruction might be a little disturbing, so I recomend that parents read this book too so that they can discuss it with their children. This in no way means that I think that it is innapropriate for kids: I just think that it is an amazing starting point for discussion about what makes us human. Please read my review of "A Wrinkle in Time" (also made today) for my thoughts on how these two books are related.

This is a moving, thought-provoking book that is a great read for adults as well as kids. Adults might find it interesting that the idea of a drugged-to-make-them-"normal" population where everyone is encouraged to analyze and discuss every aspect of their lives sounds eerily familiar...

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Summary: The Giver; a literary masterpiece
Review: THE GIVER
*****
This literary masterpiece received many awards, including the "1994 Newberry Medal" and "A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year." Author Lois Lowry did a marvelous job interpreting a life without color, happiness, pain and love. The Giver proved to the world that Lois Lowry is an exemplary, inspiring, and prodigious writer. Jonas is a child that resides in a world not affected by pain, but yet lacks the feelings of warmth and happiness. When Jonas turns 12, he and the other children of his "Grade" receive the jobs they will work in the rest of their lives. While most children get chosen to work in jobs such as taking care of the elderly, Jonas gets chosen to fill in the shoes of the Giver. The Giver is the only man in the town that holds memories of intangible objects we see and express. Now the former "Giver" shall pass on his knowledge to Jonas. Will he not be able to take on the intensity and the transition of the life he will be entering, or will he learn the truth, and realize that even expressing pain, is better than expressing nothing. I encourage the reader of this review to fill your mind with the great lessons and passages this book has to offer, or read her other books, such as A Summer to Die or Find a stranger, say goodbye.

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Summary: A vision of negative utopia worth looking into
Review: Lois Lowry's The Giver is perhaps one of the most provocative children's books ever written. Ms. Lowry's book is undoubtedly destined to become a "masterpiece" of the speculative fiction and negative utopian genres. Her skill as a writer is evident in the novel's superb structure. She slowly reveals details of the society in a natural and subtle manner; yet she has concealed some of the details so successfully that they come as a complete surprise to the reader. Through this slow method of revelation, Ms. Lowry transforms an at-first-glance utopian society into a horrible and repressive negative utopia.

Ms. Lowry's vision is extremely prophetic. The society she depicts is staggeringly realistic and hits close to home. Indeed, such a society could easily evolve from current trends for political correctness and oversensitivity. Thus, her society is almost frightening in its accuracy.

Overall, The Giver is masterfully crafted, as evidenced by its Newberry Award. It is most certainly worth a read, even if you are not a young adult. In fact, an older person should be able to appreciate it just as much, although an older and more experienced eye should be able to pick out minor flaws in character and idea development. The only thing that detracts from the book is its sloppily constructed ending. Abrupt and unfulfilling, it leaves too many questions unanswered and certainly disappointed me. But give the book a try if you haven't already. It's worth it.

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Summary: Interesting point of view...
Review: I am a 30's something female just starting to read Lois Lowry again. This book gripped me and I could not put it down. It is so far fetched from society that I wanted to know what happened next. It is a neat story and I really enjoyed it. I did not like the way it ended, but you need to read her other book The Messenger when you are done.