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schexlife's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Thought provoking
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Death, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
raynbow3000's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I loved this book as a child. It made me fall in love with reading. I loved this book in college, when I reread it.
I continue to love this book, but, after reading the other books in the series, written many years later, I am now slightly annoyed by the author because those stories ruin a piece of this book.
I continue to love this book, but, after reading the other books in the series, written many years later, I am now slightly annoyed by the author because those stories ruin a piece of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, and Abortion
Moderate: Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting
arkady_renata's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Murder
ellisha's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
kayaking12's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy
izzygreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content and War
orizenda's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
I liked this a lot more now than I did reading it in school as a kid. It’s kind of hard to believe that it’s a kids book. Like it doesn’t fully make sense to me, but if I don’t think too hard, this book is genuinely horrific. I don’t care for the end tho but maybe I just don’t get it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
Moderate: Child abuse and Murder
acourtofsaraflames's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
3.75
Even though I’ve read this in middle school almost 20 years ago, it was like reading it for the first time now. I remembered so little. The only two things that I remembered were Jonas throwing an apple and noticing it “changing” and that he was meeting with an older man to receive memories/visions. Maybe I didn’t pay attention or comprehend what I’d read or maybe time just erased what I’d once read. There’s one quote towards the end of the book that I really liked: "If he had stayed, he would have starved in other ways. He would have lived a life hungry for feelings, for color, for love."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Murder
Minor: Death, Suicide, and Grief
mikathereviewer's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Giver is about a society that has strict rules and prefers 'sameness' over 'difference' and 'change'. Everything needs to be the same and everything gets assigned to you. Your professon, love interested even your children gets assigned to you. There is no freedom of choice as there is also no freedom of expression. Jonas receives memories from the Giver that no one else's holds.
At first I was excited to read this book, the premise sounded interesting and I saw that quite a lot have read this book. I liked many things, for instance how The Giver and Jonas formed a relationship that was characterised by kidness and understanding. They bonded through these memories they shared. Another thing that was interesting to see was how Jonas reacted to the memories he received. The way his mind and behaviour changed.
I also liked how the new things (like seeing beyond) was described to us readers, giving the feeling like we experienced it for the first time as well. While I read about the things that Jonas and also the rest of the people didn't know of as they didn't have this memory and therefore knowledge I was shocked. I couldn't imagine how one could lose that much. While reading I learnt how selfish the society was to burden the Giver with all memories and not wanting to have these memories as well. That made the Giver feel very lonely, as he had no one to share his feelings about. I felt sad for him, especially as to how his behaviour when he was sad was described.
At first I was excited to read this book, the premise sounded interesting and I saw that quite a lot have read this book. I liked many things, for instance how The Giver and Jonas formed a relationship that was characterised by kidness and understanding. They bonded through these memories they shared. Another thing that was interesting to see was how Jonas reacted to the memories he received. The way his mind and behaviour changed.
I also liked how the new things (like seeing beyond) was described to us readers, giving the feeling like we experienced it for the first time as well. While I read about the things that Jonas and also the rest of the people didn't know of as they didn't have this memory and therefore knowledge I was shocked. I couldn't imagine how one could lose that much. While reading I learnt how selfish the society was to burden the Giver with all memories and not wanting to have these memories as well. That made the Giver feel very lonely, as he had no one to share his feelings about. I felt sad for him, especially as to how his behaviour when he was sad was described.
Some afternoons The Giver sent him away without training. Jonas knew, on days when he arrived to find The Giver hunched over, rocking his body slightly back and forth, his face pale, that he would be sent away.
“Go,” The Giver would tell him tensely. “I’m in pain today. Come back tomorrow.”
At some moments the writing style delivered the feeling one should feel while reading it good enough, but I was bothered how the book lacked any depth. The premise of this book made me think that there will be a lot of feelings, especially for the reader while reading. This didn't happen and in general I felt after I finished now this book, as if something was missing. I wished there would have been more to it, especially as the ending felt rushed too. The ending left me dissatisfied, I expected something else and I think that it was the wrong choice to end this book like this.
+ the plot twists weren't shocking to me, as they were hinted on multiple times before they were revealed.
Even though the concept/idea behind this book had so much potential it wasn't executed. The writing style was beautiful and in some moments I did feel sad (mainly for the Giver), but I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
Chapters 9, 22 & 23 include a brief mention and description of starvationmockingjayx16's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Murder
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: War