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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Will need to go back now and reread The Giver and the other books in the quartet!
A great conclusion to the series. I enjoyed how it truly brought all of the stories together. It seemed a little rushed at the very end, but still a worthwhile read.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I enjoyed Claire's character. This series started as one of the most interesting pieces of dystopian fiction and then immediately diverted into Christian allegory. The four books are incoherent when read together. There is no cohesion and several plot critical things are never resolved or confronted. Incredibly disappointing conclusion
While more predictable and less ambiguous (in a good thinking way) the final book of the series started in _The Giver_ was a satisfying read bringing all the players from the previous books together.
Alas, the final installment of The Giver series fails to impress. Things were looking hopeful: we had a strong enough start given my disenchantment with the prior two books that I thought, perhaps, this would semi-redeem the series - or, at least, be a strong neutral end. Unfortunately, around 80% of the way through the book, it started to walk a similar path as the prior two books: magic was inconsistent and came out of nowhere to serve the plot, characters made choices that did not make sense, grand themes were reduced to dust under the weight of foolish and juvenile story writing.
Some specific examples, if you don't mind the spoilers:
- Gabe, who has no reason not to trust Jonas, can't find it in him to believe that Claire was turned old through magic, despite having magic powers himself. Because of course, in a world where he can enter others' minds, artificially aging someone is just too strange!
- Gabe can now calm rushing waters and move clouds from blocking the moon, just as he needs those two things. Super convenient.
- Trademaster has the potential to be an epic character (I was so pumped at his return), but we never get into the juicey stuff. He's there, he's evil, he's vanquished by a 14-year-old boy. He reads as very similar to The Walking Man in Stephen King's The Stand, and to say he pales in comparison is a vast understatement.
- how did any of the trades get reversed? Who knows. And who cares anyway?
- the unanswered questions aren't even satisfying in a The Last of Us way - they just feel lazy. Lowry throws out interesting themes and questions and then just looks at them. No engagement.
The Giver felt so tight and so fulfilling, it's hard to believe it's part of this same series. Such a bummer.
Some specific examples, if you don't mind the spoilers:
- Gabe, who has no reason not to trust Jonas, can't find it in him to believe that Claire was turned old through magic, despite having magic powers himself. Because of course, in a world where he can enter others' minds, artificially aging someone is just too strange!
- Gabe can now calm rushing waters and move clouds from blocking the moon, just as he needs those two things. Super convenient.
- Trademaster has the potential to be an epic character (I was so pumped at his return), but we never get into the juicey stuff. He's there, he's evil, he's vanquished by a 14-year-old boy. He reads as very similar to The Walking Man in Stephen King's The Stand, and to say he pales in comparison is a vast understatement.
- how did any of the trades get reversed? Who knows. And who cares anyway?
- the unanswered questions aren't even satisfying in a The Last of Us way - they just feel lazy. Lowry throws out interesting themes and questions and then just looks at them. No engagement.
The Giver felt so tight and so fulfilling, it's hard to believe it's part of this same series. Such a bummer.
I wish I'd had the time to re-read the other titles in the series -- which I didn't know contained a fourth book until by chance this summer. I really enjoyed this but I know that there are elements of the other books that would have been far more relevant to me as I read this one had I had them in more recent memory. That said, it was another lovely title by Lowry, with lots of striving for self, dreams and commentary on differing societal norms in it.
A beautiful tie to all three preceding stories.
The only thing holding me back from a 5-star review was the pace. This book was divided into three separate parts (or books, as they’re called in the novel), and they truly could have been separated as such. Each story had new character development, scenery, etc. and it tended to be slightly dull, at the beginning of every new part, as the newest part of the story unravelled.
All in all, I enjoyed this novel and the series, and will likely read it all again.
The only thing holding me back from a 5-star review was the pace. This book was divided into three separate parts (or books, as they’re called in the novel), and they truly could have been separated as such. Each story had new character development, scenery, etc. and it tended to be slightly dull, at the beginning of every new part, as the newest part of the story unravelled.
All in all, I enjoyed this novel and the series, and will likely read it all again.
4-4.5 stars
This story is divided into three sections called "Books". I was tempted to round up, but Book 2 was definitely less interesting to me than Books 1 and 3. But it was important because it tied together Books 1 and 3 and overall, this story tied all the loose threads together. This series was really great and I'm only sorry I didn't discover it sooner. Many of the students in my area read the first one for class, so I had no idea it was part of a series until this year. And although I read The Giver about 3 years ago when my daughter was in Elementary school and read it in her class, and I thought it to be good, the rest of the books really enhances the story and makes it all the more interesting. While one can definitely read (and study) the first book as a standalone, it's not quite as interesting without the rest of the books (imho). If you have ever read the first book alone and thought it to be decent, I would recommend that you go back and read the entire series. This was well worth the time invested.
This story is divided into three sections called "Books". I was tempted to round up, but Book 2 was definitely less interesting to me than Books 1 and 3. But it was important because it tied together Books 1 and 3 and overall, this story tied all the loose threads together. This series was really great and I'm only sorry I didn't discover it sooner. Many of the students in my area read the first one for class, so I had no idea it was part of a series until this year. And although I read The Giver about 3 years ago when my daughter was in Elementary school and read it in her class, and I thought it to be good, the rest of the books really enhances the story and makes it all the more interesting. While one can definitely read (and study) the first book as a standalone, it's not quite as interesting without the rest of the books (imho). If you have ever read the first book alone and thought it to be decent, I would recommend that you go back and read the entire series. This was well worth the time invested.
Part of an incredible 4 book series! Highly recommend the whole thing!
This fourth book in the series answered questions I don’t know I had. It was so good and so full of self reflection of what would I have done?
This fourth book in the series answered questions I don’t know I had. It was so good and so full of self reflection of what would I have done?