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Summary: Gathering blue...
Review: I didnt really like this book because it seemed so corny to me. Although the scenery and time period were cool, the main charactar really annoyed me because the whole book was basically about one incident or about gathering blue cloth. The ending wasnt that great either. overall, i think this book may be good for younger children...but definatley not for teens.
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Summary: Another rapturin Lowry
Review: The tale of a lonely, crippled girl who must decide between different hardships each day, is definately worth a try. Torn from her mother at an early age, in a world where she is unwanted, Kira has only a few friends that must help her through the week. Finding the secret of the town's tradition brings her fame, but not in a way she wanted.
If you're looking for suspense, try this.
Rating: 
Summary: Gathering Blue
Review: After the death of her mother, Kira is left orphaned. She is left alone in a hostile civilization after the time of the world destruction. A society where Darwin's law prevails, only the strong will survive. Her angry neighbors take her before the Council of Guardians to try to get rid of her because they think she is cripple and useless. But young Kira possesses an extraordinary talent that pleases the council. Unbeknownst to her, the council has a future planned for Kira's specialty and decides to let her live. Kira embraces her new responsibilities with wonder and excitement. She works hard towards the goals of the council. She begins to uncover secrets of the only world she has ever know. She begins to understand many of the norms she has taken for granted, and learns what is really important to her. Lois Lowry gives us a glimpse of what a future society that used to be our world could be like. She provides an easy flowing dialogue without much of today's bad language. Her style is intriguing in a childish sort of way in this artistic science fiction story. Lowry provokes thought of what our world could turn to, leaves us with an ever thankfulness for how fortunate our lives are, long after we put the book down. Adults as well as children will enjoy this book. I recommend the children should be at least 10 years or older.
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Summary: Eerie coincidence
Review: This book was published at least a year before September 11, 2001. It is set in an un-named future time. Yet the main character, assigned to study the history of her very primitive world, finds graphic evidence of tall buildings toppled by explosions, and whole cities of her past civilization destroyed. Against the background of current news it is chilling to read. At the same time the message of the book's conclusion is heartening, as a young person commits herself to creating a better and more peaceful future. Teachers will find a lot for students to ponder in this gripping, prophetic book.
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Summary: Memory and Deception
Review: In this compelling narrative of a dark and frightening alternative future, Lois Lowry has woven an extraordinary tale of memory, deception, and creativity. Kira is a newly orphaned girl with a twisted leg fighting to survive in a primitive society that shuns weakness or disability in any form. Only her remarkable ability to embroider saves her from being cast to the "beasties"-a superstitious aphorism for death. An apparently benevolent member of the authoritative Council of Guardians saves Kira from her fate. In exchange, she must repair the historical images embroidered on a ceremonial robe, which is worn during the annual presentation of the Ruin Song-a chronicle of the world's past. She is provided with all of the materials she needs-except blue. This elusive and symbolic color doesn't exist in her world. However, she finds out that "there be blue yonder." As she repairs the robe, she begins to understand the responsibility of preserving the memory of her people. But her creativity is stymied by the shadow of authority hovering over her. Darker secrets are revealed as she realizes that the Council has its own malevolent agenda. In many ways, Gathering Blue is reminiscent of Lois Lowry's award-winning The Giver. The reader is forced to contemplate provocative issues of authority, community, memory and human nature. In Kira's dismal world, we can only hope that when she finds blue "down yonder" she will find the courage to weave a more hopeful future.
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Summary: Review for Gathering Blue
Review: Have you ever read a book that is a complete bore? Well, Gathering Blue, by Lois Lowry, is one of those. Gathering Blue is a book told by a girl, Kira, who is rejected from society because of a twisted leg. After fighting for her life in front of the council of guardians, Kira receives a very important job in weaving. She sews the robe worn at the Ruin Song Gathering, which is a very long, sad song about the past. Kira has to find and make her own thread, so she seeks an old woman who lives deep in the forest. The old woman teaches Kira how to make all different colors with plants and parts of trees. Gathering Blue has a few strengths and some weaknesses. Towards the end of the book, Kira meets up with someone she has not seen in a very long time. It is exciting to find out whom she meets. A weakness is how Lowry does not make this story interesting until about the last seventy-five pages of the book. Gathering Blue does not have lots of effect on me, until Kira meets that one special person. This story is very slow; therefore, I do not recommend it for children under fifteen. Personally, I did not enjoy the book, but who knows, maybe you will.
Rating:
Summary: Gathering conclusions (2 and a half stars)
Review: I have always been a fan of Lois Lowry ever since I listened to Anastasia Krupnik on tape every night for about two years, because i couldn't read very well. I remember being about eight and trying to read The Giver but ending up throwing it across the room, because i couldn't understand it. I ended up reading it when i was 11 and (of course) i adored it. It is such a wonderful book. So i was willing to take a stab at Gathering Blue. It had a fascinating begining and was working its way up towards a nice climax when things fell apart. FIrst, i think trying to emulate the giver was a mistake. Most people who read Gathering Blue had probably already read the giver, and was hoping for a book like, but not exactly like, The giver. Sure, there are differences: 1. kira's a girl 2. She is handicapped 3. She can sew! 4. Her culture is more in the past then The Giver's futuristic culture. But the key problem here is character delopment. I went through a faze where all i read was Tamora Pierce's Circle Of Magic series. If anyone has read them they know of Sandry's thread magic thang and her guardian/mentor...uhhh i can't remember his name but he really reminded me of Jamison (who'se character needed developing as well as THomas's and Annabell) and basically what i'm trying to say is most of this book seemed like already used material from previous books of ms.Lowry's and other books as well. None of this would've bothered me as much if the book had auctually had a satisfactory ending. But it just seems to leave you hanging with thousands of annoying little questions unanswered, like the ending of The Subtle Knife (another book it reminded me vaugley of) except without the promise of a sequel. Which i urge ms. lowry to write, because this book would be thousands times better with one. This book isn't all bad..it has a promising beggining, an interesting concept, and fascinating deatails (like the adding on to one's name as they get older), but if there's a sequel i promise not to throw it across the room!
Rating:
Summary: Haunting, Excellent, A Masterpiece
Review: Gathering Blue is the perfect fusion of fantasy and reality. In the post-apocalyptic theme of the novel, the reader is immediately thrown into a place where there is no pity or love. Only the strongest survive while the orphaned children are given away and the weak are dragged to the Field of Leaving. Like it's predesscor, the society has powerful dominant figures who take control of their people by telling lies and hiding secrets. Many reviewers have said they are unsatisfied with the ending, but I think the ending was perfect. What really floored me after I read the story was the theme of art and it's inevitable powers. Everywhere we go; to the grocery store, on the Internet, on TV, we are seeing, hearing, smelling, or even FEELING art. It is in the movies we watch, the music we listen to, even the presidents we elect. Artists, like Kira, can shape the future through their creativity, designs, and power, as long as we don't try to control or confine their work in any way. This is what the commitee of elders were doing to Kira and her friends; by making them use their talents for their own needs. The fact that Lois Lowry presented this unique idea in such an unpreaching, yet straight-forward way sets this book apart from The Giver, Brave New World, and 1984; which all have roughly the same theme. I would recommend this novel to anyone, especially painters, weavers, and singers.
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Summary: Gathering Blue
Review: I read the book Gathering Blue by Lowis Lowery and absolutely fell in love with it. Lowis Lowery gave so much detail and put so much emotion into her latest book. The book is about an adolesant girl who's mother recently died of a fatle desease unexpectedly. Most of the women in the village want Kira (the girl) to go to the Field Of Death because the want her living space. Which was burned after the death of her mother to stop the desease from spreading. Then Kira and the spokesperson from the group of women go to the Council of Gurdians (a group of 10-12 men who are like judges). In the long run Kira gets to keep her life and starts a job of weaving. Chelsea~
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Summary: Seperate from The Giver
Review: I read The Giver in my freshman year of college and I will tell you it is indeed a powerful book; however when people say Gathering Blue is just not as good or is the companion I think they are lying. Gathering Blue has a much more haunting quality to it. The acts of the villagers is clearly the most important aspect of this book. This book seeks a different response from the authors previous book The Giver. I read this book twice and I have noticed more of the nuances that made the story so much more than The Giver. For those that say The Giver is better I recommend reading Blue a second time and catching the underlying themes passed over the first time.
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