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Summary: The Giver just keeps on giving
Review: Some books seem to focus on just delivering the point the author is trying to make and getting it over with as quickly as possible, but the author of The Giver spends the entire book illustrating her point, and really making a wonderful little novel out of it. I enjoyed the way that Jonas interacted with his parents, and the way that Lois Lowry depicted a socitey without any shared memories. I really think that The Giver is a wonderful balance of great storytelling wrapped around a thought-provoking premise, that will captivate all readers for many years to come.
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Summary: Thinking out of the box
Review: I found this book a very enlightening one. It was thinking in a different way than normal and I liked that. The Giver helped me see things in a different perspective. The way he was selected to be the next "receiver" was odd to me. The whole concept of not being an individual not being able to choose anything not being able to see color even made me feel sad for them. It was wrote in such an interesting manner that I didn't want to put the book down. I finished it in just a few hours and after I was done I wanted it to be longer so I could find out more about this weird way of living.
E.C.
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Summary: Giver a great book
Review: I had to read this book for a class that i am taking and now i wished i had reda it earlier. I am not so big on reading but this has got to be one of the best things i have ever read. The fact that they book is not only about sharing memories and the importance of that but it lso deals with conformity and all the problems that can occur through onformity. The book describes very well and very creatively what would happen if we descnsitized every body in the world and basically turneds them into drones. The fact that people in this story had their fates chosen by others kind of scared me and made me think, what would we do if this happened to us? I really found this book to be interesting and at times some what confusing but it all became clear again within the next few lines. So in conclusion i will stop babbling and say that this is a great book and i haighly recomend it to anyone who is into strange or unusual things....
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Summary: The Giver and Harrison Bergeron
Review: This was a great book for those who are analyzing people and their society. It gives a good example of our society's flaws, even when the world seems perfect. It makes you realize that perfection is not always desirable. Another book that you might enjoy reading is Kurt Vonnegut JR's "Welcome to the Monkey House." This is a collection of short stories highlighting Vonnegut's satirical outlook on mankind. The short story "Harrison Bergeron" reflects the same theme, but in a more dramatic, pessimistic way.
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Summary: ... Book Review of the novel The Giver:
Review: Lowry's Novel, The Giver describes a world of sameness and the inability to make choices. Nobody except for one person is capable of feeling pain. Everything in their world is in black and white. Jonas, the protagonist of the novel, starts realizing that sameness is boring and that people should have feelings and be able to make choices. Read the novel and find out what happens. I enjoyed the book, yet finding it very emotional in some aspects. I am glad that we don't live in a world of sameness.
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Summary: It's ok I guess...
Review: I read this books for the first time when I was ten years old, and I loved it. It was one of my very favorite books. In the seven years since then, I've read Brave New World, 1984, and especially Ayn Rand's Anthem and discovered that The Giver is extremely, extremely unoriginal. Virtually plagiarized. The Giver has some pretty heavy ideas in it that I didnt really understand at ten years old, so I think it's be better for kids to skip it altogether and then read BNW, 1984, and Anthem when they're a few years older. If you're even into that sort of thing. As a liberal, I tend to get annoyed at the idea that any minor attempts at some level of equality will lead to a society of faceless drones - that's a really black-and-white way to see the world (no pun intended, to those who have read the book). I'm kind of bummed that Lowry, one of my favorite authors as a child, is apparently being so extreme, and I can only hope that she isn't really another Rand, as I'm not really a fan of hers. Politics aside, I commend this book for its storytelling and for the fact that it at leats has some intelligent ideas in it, unlike lots of the stupid, trashy books out there that kids read. However, like I said earlier, some scenes are too depressing and intense for your average kid, and plus it's completely lacking in originality. My vote for a favorite dystopian novel goes to Orwell's 1984.
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Summary: Book Lover's Review
Review: This book was a portrait made of words depicting a society controlled totally by humans. This community had everything one could want or need and gave purpose to all the lives existing there. There were no human needs unmet. Or were there? How can we exist in a world without love? This book is a wonderful tool to show children why it is so important that humans are individuals. It is important to have our own opinions and to create a balance among our ideas. The ideal world champions diversity, not sameness.
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Summary: Beautiful Story Ends In Disapointment
Review: As I began this story I really enjoyed it. I love stories involving utopias and this book embodies such a society perfectly. But as you round towards the end of the book in utter excitement the story takes a turn that I found disapointing. If I had stopped reading this book half way through, even three forths of the way through, I would say it was one of the best books I have ever read; but after the ending I have to say that though this book was enjoyable and highly recomendable I wish it could have ended differently.
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Summary: Wow...
Review: Next term for school we have this rotation book system. Two weeks per book for 5 books. And we are in groups doing it. Anyway today was the last day of classes and we got the first book for te holidays. We had an hour 'reading time' in the library (as we do every friday p.7) and I began reading my first book. The Giver. I thought it would be boring like all school books, and it was. Until around p.50 it was really boring. And after that everything began to make sense. It isn't to p.50 that you understand that it is based in the future. Its basically bases in a 'perfect world' where everything is set out for you. The 'elders' decided everything for what is best. Everything is climate control medicine is perfect. Not much history. Its based around Joan (a guy) who is turning 12, so he become sin the group of '12'. At 12 your job is decided. Such as Doctor, Fisherman etc. The elders decide what is best (and close to never mess up) he gets given a mysterious job which he can break the rules and do amazing things. The book does not seem good but is a really good book so far. I am at p.100. Great for any animorph or remnant fan who is sick of KAA and wants a sci-fi furture perspective of a different more perfect non-alien pespective.
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Summary: Unique plot, bad ending
Review: It's evident some of the reviewers are not old enough, or did not bother thinking about the plot before writing their reviews. The glaring obvious are those which, in their infinite wisdom, state that the perfect world depicted in this book is far from perfect. If you had thought about the plot, you'd realize this is the central problem of this story. The story revolves around the conflict between the main character, Jonas, and his knowledge about the truth. In his community, there is no pain, war, or hate - all which we experience in our daily life. On the other hand, the population is incapable of understanding joy, love, or even colors. They are in a state of Sameness, as it is known in their society. Jonas is chosen by the elders (without his opinion) to become the next Receiver. The Receiver holds all knowledge hidden from the rest of the community. They are all the memories and feelings from the past. Only the Receiver holds all the joys and sufferings, in order to maintain Sameness. When Jonas is selected, the current Receiver is called The Giver. He starts to give Jonas many memories - snow, war, sunshine, pain, color. Soon enough, Jonas realizes how society lacks uniqueness. Thus, he attempts to change things. The quality Lois Lowry puts in her books is excellent, but I have two problems with this particular story. (No, it's not about how the perfect world sucked.) First, it seems to be short. A year passes in just a short chapter - it would have been nice to read more about Jonas's training from The Giver. Second, the ending was not as good as the rest of the story. It is cryptic, and gives very little information as to what happened to Jonas. The Giver is much, much better than the way some people make it out to be. I would recommend it to those entering high-school and above.
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