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Summary: Enter a Strange New World
Review: Imagine a community of perfection. Everyone is completely equal. Everyone has the same opportunity. There are no colors, no differences, no changes, no choices. Life is "ideal". But, as Jonas, the main character of the novel, soon discovers, life in his protected and controlled little community is far from ideal. Good for young readers.
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Summary: The Giver-
Review: Imagine a life void of color, of music, of emotion- a life without all elements that give beauty to the world. In The Giver, Lois Lowry creates such a life in a fictional utopian community. The plot follows the main character Jonas's coming-of-age as he realizes the possibilities of a life beyond his controlled world of black-and-white, of good and bad. Though the characters' lifestyle is so different from our own, the reader is able to sympathize with the confusion felt by this adolescent boy, who truly 'knows no better'. Lowry's style of writing draws the reader's attention, and as each chapter ends the reader is left yearning for more. Though initially seeming far-fetched, ultimately the plot has an eery possibilty. Could we really be lead to a life of Sameness? Lowry's novel is a must-read for all ages.
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Summary: The truth about life
Review: Imagine a life with no pain, no war, no sadness, no problems. Jonas, the protagonist of this story, lives in such a place. However, along with that comes no love, no cozy Christmases, no grandparents, no hugs and kisses, no hot summer days. Jonas is chosen to be the Receiever of Memories by his community. In this job, he will take on the burden of knowing the truth about life, its highs and its lows. He is trained by the previous Receiver who is called The Giver. Together, they share friendship and truth and must find a way to save people in the community from being Released and to save Jonas from his fate.
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Summary: Imagine a world where who you will be is decided for you.
Review: Imagine a world where there is no color and all your choices are made for you. Jonas lives in such a world. At the significant age of 12, Jonas' life is decided for him. He is to be the Giver. He will live apart from his family, with only the guidance of the Old Giver to help him. Nothing in his childhood has prepared him for the things he is about to experience. You will cry in pain with him; you will leap in ecstasy with him.
This book is a can't-put-it-down thrill ride!
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Summary: The Giver
Review: Imagine a world with no pain and no suffering. Imagine a world where marriage partners are selected and children are assigned to a family. Imagine a world with no color, no war, no pain, no suffering. Imagine a world with no sunshine, no snow, no hills, and no memory. Imagine a world where everyone is equal and all choices are predestined. Welcome to Jonas' world. Jonas lives in the world of Sameness. Memory has been removed from the citizens to eliminate pain and suffering. Everyone in the community has a job that is assigned to them when they turn 12. Jonas, upon turning 12, was honored by being selected as the next Receiver of Memory. He begins to train with The Giver, the previous Receiver of Memory, who holds all memories of former life and soon realizes that he fails to experience not only the bad in life, but also the good. After several weeks of training, Jonas discovers a shattering secret and despite the dictated laws for his job, he plans action against the ironically corrupt system. Having read "The Giver" when I was in 3rd grade, I didn't note on all the symbolism and the deeper meaning behind the book. Once I reread it, however, I was amazed. I was amazed that one author could create such a scene and predicament within one story that raises so many questions. When I finished the book the second time, I sat back for a couple minutes and simply thought, "Wow!" Even though "The Giver" reads on the level of a 3rd grader, I would recommend not picking up this book until mature themes become evident in everyday reading. Overall, "The Giver" was a phenomenal book. Lois Lowry's style and diction depicts what the perfect world could be like, while throwing the ultimate question into play: would it be worth living without pain if you also had to live without joy?
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Summary: A World without Memories
Review: Imagine living in a Utopean Society that is rotten at the core. For Jonas, a 12-year-old boy, just that happens. His exists in a community with the strongest sense of conformity. There philosophy is in the idea of sameness. They believe in this so strongly that they have removed memory, emotion, pain, and even color from their society. Jonas is chosen to become the Receiver of Memories. Everyone is so proud and confident in him, but Jonas will soon realize the corrupted community that is being controlled by. Jonas learns about emotion and freedom through an old man known as The Giver. He transfers his memories to Jonas, allowing him to experience love, pain, and joy first hand.
This book is a great and easy read for the science fiction fan inside of us all. If you like the myth or folklore, it will be especially exciting. Every turn of the page hold a new twist that will leave you guessing for more. Although, if your a big fan of solid endings, don't be upset if this book leaves you with unanswered questions. I give this book a very solid 4 out of 5.
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Summary: The Imperfection of Perfection
Review: Imagine you live in a bubble. Things can't get in, like pain, loneliness and misery. But neither can pride, love and joy. Lois Lowry has created a world where this is everyone's lifestyle. In The Giver, people don't choose to live this way, they just do. A boy called Jonas peacefully lives like this until he meets the Giver, who makes little holes in his bubble letting in the once forbidden emotions and feelings.
Jonas is pretty content with his life. He lives with his mother, father and sister Lily. He's got two good friends Asher and Fiona. Even his father got permission to have a baby called Gabe live with them until he must live with different parents. Sure, he has to follow strict rules, must take pills to get rid of "stirrings" can't lie, must have the "right" life a child should have, and can't ask questions regarding any differences between two people (it would be rude, after all). But to him, people have been following these strict rules forever.
But time is suddenly spiraling very close to the Ceremony of Twelve where his lifelong job will be assigned to him. For everyone else it seems so obvious what they'll be. But for Jonas? Nothing's really fitting for him. When the time finally arrives, Jonas is assigned, or more, selected to be the new Receiver of Memory, a job he didn't even know existed. His responsibility as the new receiver is to take memories of living, really living from the old Receiver, who will pass that name to Jonas and become the Giver.
Jonas is suddenly revealed to a whole new world. Snow, sleds, sunsets, tranquility, sunshine, flowers, colors, families and most importantly, love. But the Giver must now show him why all that was left behind and a concept that they have lived with so long called Sameness replaced it. He must show Jonas the fear, the loneliness, the pain. But even with a terrifying memory of war, Jonas is not defeated, or even down. He now knows what he must do, especially after a horrible realization and truth about a childhood question. He knows he must free these memories, giving everyone the chance to live a real life, destroy Sameness and save an innocent baby's life.
When we first step into Jonas's life, nothing really makes sense. You're always asking yourself, "what did they mean by that?" It has sort of a strange feel. For example, the word animal is no longer a noun, they were taken away. It's an adjective only. This is a little passage of the book where Jonas is talking to Lily. '"They acted like...." "Animals?" suggested Jonas. Neither child knew what the word meant, exactly, but it was often used to describe someone uneducated or clumsy, someone who didn't fit in.'
A proverb that comes to mind with this is "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." Because in the book it shows those of us that wish for a perfect life should see what that could do to us. Lois Lowry gives you the power to believe what happens next. In an intentional clever way, the book is a bit vague at points, letting you ask yourself what should be there and what it means. For example, throughout the book, there is a mysterious concept of "release" a great punishment for some, and a huge reward for others. But for awhile it's just a gray area that you can use a dark pencil to put in what you want there.
Nearing the end, the rapidness slows down a little, but only enough to really understand what's going on fully, unlike the other parts where its always 2 feet ahead of you. The very end gets a little blurry, but so does Jonas's mind which makes us feel like we've been brought alone with him. And the conclusion is up to you on how things should end.
The Giver can be sci-fi or fantasy, depending on how you read it. It's for a person who likes thoughtful books that make you think and don't end when you've read the last word of the last chapter and continues in your head for days. But it's also for people where that's the last kind of book they want, and what they do want is an exciting, want-to-jump-into-the-text feeling while reading the book. And people in between? Of course! This book is ideal for any 12 and up. Looking at you perspective on life a little differently can never be outgrown, so this is a fascinating book for adults as well as kids.
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Summary: "Heaven" on Earth is always a Hell
Review: Impressive book. It not only reminds me of "Brave New World," but also of Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" and Kurt Vonnegut's short story, "Welcome to the Monkeyhouse." It's not just for adults and teenagers, but also children, although parents will need to explain some of the things--infanticide, suicide, euthanasia. Adults might wonder if the author is making a political point somewhere. I wonder it myself. Maybe she's not though, although these novels about dystopias are almost always political. This type of society could only exist under complete leftist totalitarian control (with the enforced equality), although the repression of sexuality is a type of conservative belief. Like many others, I found the ending unsatisfying. Is he dreaming, or is it real? It's up to us to choose. Personally, I choose the happy ending.
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Summary: "The Giver" Forwards a Chilling Message
Review: In "The Giver", a 12-year-old boy, Jonas, is selected to be the new Reciever of Memory in his Community. He soon finds out that the world he lives in is not "perfect" as it is intended but full of murder, infanticide, and suicide. The people in the Community can also not see color or have feelings. Jonas decides to do something about it. If you look in the dedication section of "The Giver" It says, "To all the children to whom we enrust the future." This made me realize that if we are not careful, the children of today could let our world become like this. They are making the history of tomorrow.
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Summary: A good book
Review: In "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, the 12-year- old Jonas is selected to be the Reciever of Memory in a community without colours, feelings and freedom. During the training for his assignment, he realizes that it can not go on like this with the community and he tries to change it. Normally, I would not read such a book, because I don't like science-fiction stories. I read it at school and in my oppinion, the book ist quite good. It makes you realize how life would be without natural things like colours or love. The only thing I did not like much was the end. I think the story ended too fast and I consider the end too vague. But all in all I think the book is absolutely worth reading.
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