It is the future. There is no war, no hunger, no pain. No one in The Community wants for anything. Everyone is provided for. Each Family Unit is entitled to one female and male child. Each member of The Community has their profession carefully chosen for them by the Committee of Elders, and they never make a mistake.
Jonas, a sensitive twelve–year–old boy, had never thought there was anything wrong with his Community, until one day. From the moment Jonas is selected as the Receiver of Memory at The Ceremony, his life is never the same. Jonas discovers that The Community is not as perfect as it seems. Although they appear to have everything, they are missing something of great importance. It is up to Jonas, with the help of the Giver, to find what long ago had been lost. And so Jonas embarks on an adventure to save the world as he knows it.
Simply and beautifully written, The Giver is sure to touch the heart of every reader. Lois Lowry deals with issues of everyday life that are so often taken for granted. Through the noble character of Jonas, she presents a glimpse of what could be the future. As the tension in the novel mounts, so does the number of questions that Lowry confronts the reader with. The Giver is a book of courage and adventure, and most importantly, one of deep thought. Once readers make contact with Lowry's treasure, they may never see things exactly quite the same. Lowry presents a forceful novel that demands to be heard and philosophically dealt with.
Ages: 12+
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A hauntingly enchanting read that makes you think about the deeper issues in life. "The Giver" – “the book that made dystopia” – is a classic read for all ages.
This novel is beautifully written. The language is eloquent and intelligent, delivering an intriguing story based in a fascinating world so unlike our own, yet believable all the same.
I found this utopian society fascinating. At first, I actually felt like I wanted to be part of The Community – it sounded pretty cool. Everyone seemed intelligent, you pretty much got your idea job, and marriages seemed to work out pretty well. But then we started to see the flaws. There was no books to read for fun, there was no love, I’m not even going to go near the releasing process (how can anyone be okay with that? And if they truly feel that it is the right thing to do, why do they lie about it?) – oh, and there’s no colour. Literally. Everything’s in black and white – the “Sameness” is what "the Giver" called it.
The concepts and importance of identity, memory, emotions and choice were addressed. Lois writes, “It was a community without danger or pain. But it was also a community without music, colour or art. And it was a community without books.”
The ending, however, let me down. While there are three other books in the quartet, they are seemingly unrelated to "The Giver" – so we don’t find out what happens to the characters we have grown to love. I understand the idea of “open-ended” book, but I felt that the ending was rushed and that the novel didn’t really have a conclusion.
Despite this, I did love the story. "The Giver" is a book that can be read on a philosophical level or just for fun. Either way, I believe that this well-rounded book can be read by all ages (starting with children around eleven). - Melissa (QBD)
Guest, 28/10/2017
The Giver
Have just finished reading The Giver. It is set in a place where there is no colour, war, no hunger & no one feels pain. They are all given jobs that are chosen for them. The main character is Jonas & he is chosen to be the receiver of memory.
He realises that as he learns this chosen job, that everything isn't so perfect as he thought. He decides to escape & ***** the way experiences things that never knew existed. The ending, to me, was very sad but it could have a different meaning to others who read it. It was a really good read - it could have been longer though - I give it a 4 out of 5.
Reviewed by 40nb
QBD, 23/10/2014
The Giver
Jonas lives in a community where there is no war, no hunger or pain. It is through his eyes that we discover he lives in a very different world to our own. A controlled world, where everyone has their path in life chosen for them. Mates are chosen, children are applied for. There is no music, and there are no colours. Even the climate is controlled. By why is it this way, and why isn't anyone asking questions Everything is the way it is and always has been. It is only when Jonas is selected to become the next Receiver Of Memory, we start to discover this world wasn't always the way it is now. A short tale with big possibilities. As reviewed by 43MS
QBD, 28/07/2014
