Rating: 
Summary: What about the Giver?
Review: I thouroughly enjoyed reading this book. It caused me to think about issues that I do not normally think about. It also provided an entirely different viewpoint than any that are available in the world today.
The book showed benefits and flaws to a controlled system, one that many people think could work, given a chance. Some of the issues presented in the book, had not even crossed my mind as being a problem or a solution, such as the formation of the family unit and the generalization of age by having one day on which people advance in age.
The Giver also showed what it would be like to experience certain concepts and emotions for the first time, something I enjoyed tremendously. Love, anger, hate, suffering; all of these things were discussed in this book with a kind of clarity that no one who had grown up with them could possess.
This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys being provoked into thought. It is easy to read, with moderate vocabulary, but is incredibly well-written.
Rating: 
Summary: The Giver is Good
Review: The Giver I thought was a very good book. It provides us with a glimpse of the good and bad of a utopian society. I would suggest to everyone that you read this book. At first you may not be interested, but it only gets better along the way. The Giver opens up your eyes, and you begin to feel for the main character Jonas, as well as the Giver. You will also begin to have your own feelings about the society Jonas lives in and being released. Therefore, the Giver is an exciting book that everyone will enjoy!
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Summary: Touches of Communism
Review: I definitely enjoyed the storyline of this book very much. You are presented in the beginning of the book with Jonas, a boy about to turn twelve. You meet his family and see that there is much emphasis on job titles in the community, as well as much emphasis on what is called Sameness. Jonas' story of being selected as the next Receiver of Memory is definitely riveting. You encounter his trials and tribulations as he learns about the world and begins to feel and see things for what they really are.
This book most definitely had touches of Communism, in that everything is the same and everyone has an important role in the community. Everyone has the same things, and everyone (mainly the Committee of Elders) is the government. Jonas begins to see through this as he learns more about his job, and begins to feel things such as love for the very first time.
This story is powerful. It has so much inner meaning behind it, such as in the end. The symbolism in the book is amazing, as is the storyline. I would definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone of all ages.
Rating:
Summary: An Interesting Future
Review: In a futuristic society where individuality is suppressed to be virtually non-existent, a young boy tests the limits of conformity. "Selected" to be the new Receiver of the community, Jonas begins to understand the hypocrisy and deceit his entire life has been based on, and the realization that maybe the "perfect" community was lacking some things that were essential to life. Jonas' story is a defiant struggle of the self versus the masses, in which one young boy will strive to maintain that which he holds dear. The Giver is an excellent story of a Utopian society that is perhaps not all its cracked up to be. Although based on a middle school reading level, the story contains ideas that can be re-examined over and over again. The Giver is a truly brilliant and insightful work about the evils of conformity.
Rating:
Summary: A powerful and intriguing book
Review: The Giver was, in my opinion, a very good book. It was easy to read and easy to understand. The story is about a boy named Jonas, and he lives in a community that is perfect- that is, there is no pain and no memory of any negative experiences. It is essentially a "Sameness" area where nothing changes. However, when Jonas turns twelve he is given a job in the community. That job involves the memory of all past events- good and bad. Jonas's life changes because he learns the truth about everything, whether he wants to or not.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I found that I had a hard time putting it down...I had to know how it ended!
Rating:
Summary: It had high potential
Review: This was a very interesting read, despite the extremely simple language Lowry used, as it is on a relatively low reading level. The Giver appeared to be used as a tool to point out things in our society that we take for granted and also to show what life would be like if we were to try to create the world in this book. Many people dislike pain, however Lowry shows through The Giver that pain is a necessary evil of life and something that cannot just be done away with. She indirectly shows the importance of differences in our lives. Another very important aspect is the reader's shock when he/she comes across things and ideas that are expected in this fictional world, but happen to be the characters had never heard of. The Giver is, in my opinion, a very good book with many different levels and should not only be read a younger age but also by older readers so that the full value and concept of the book can be understood. Lowry presents a very important message about our society and culture and the dangers of assimilation in a very unique way. Although I feel that the ending could have been far better, for there were so many things the author could have done, I believe it was an overall well-written book.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: I absolutely love this book. It not only provokes thoughts and ideas, it touches the people reading it. Utopias are interesting subjects to read about. Imagine a world without any pain, hardship, or public death. However, there is also no love. The main character, Jonas, realizes this as he receives memories. I can't describe what some parts of this book make you feel. I would recommend The Giver to anyone over the age of 12.
Rating:
Summary: The Giver
Review: The Giver is a great book. It's not too hard material but it's a little complicated. I would suggest that kids 9-14 should read it. It's a good book for any project since it's very unique.
Rating:
Summary: Startling and truly memorable!
Review: Twelve-year-old Jonas has lived his life in a controlled community. At first glance this community is a virtual utopia where pain, suffering, and disorder do not exist. Demanding rules run this society, leaving no room for personal growth beyond communal expectations. At his 12 ceremony, a public celebration of age, Jonas and his peers are assigned jobs. Jonas is -chosen- to be the Receiver of Memory, a job that places him under the guidance of the Giver. In receiving the memories of the Giver and of the past world Jonas comes to question his community. Though the memories come with great pain they drive an ardent longing for a life of freedom, choice, love, beauty, and wisdom. The longing leads to a plan, a plan that allows for "no looking back". The Giver is a beautiful book! It's truly complex in its simplicity. Louis Lowry manages to bring to life the community, taking a fantastic world and making it believable. His characters and their community live vividly in the mind of the reader. Lowry's simple writing style leaves the reader to struggle with the flaws of the misguided "utopia" and the difficult choice between security and freedom. The ending is vague and somewhat unsatisfying to a mind used to being given a straightforward outcome. In writing it so, Lowry offers a chance for the reader to apply his or her own thoughts and morals to the resolution, in essence giving them the freedom that his protagonist searches for. All in all, The Giver is a thought-provoking book that will stay with the reader for a long time.
Rating:
Summary: Dull world, interesting book.
Review: The Giver is a very interesting book. Lois Lowry does an excellent job in creating an utopian world that takes place in the distant future. However, as Jonas the protagonist learns, this world isn't perfect. The communities are hiding a secret, even from themselves! With an intriguing plot, setting, and characters, I was able to read the book in two sittings, unable to notice the passing of time. When a book is able to do that, we all know it's good.
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