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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
sofias_reading_obsession's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Child death, Blood, Vomit, War, and Injury/Injury detail
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 starvationclairebau's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Reread (the first time was required in elementary school)
Near-perfect book. I wish only that it was longer. This was the first book that affected me... Well, I wasn't sure how to end that sentence, but that's what I mean. It's the first book I remember thinking about deeply, even after I'd finished it. I was so enamored with the way Lowry had managed to describe color from the perspective of someone seeing it for the first time. The description of therelease of the twin baby boy was deeply emotional and surprising. Finishing this book felt like a milestone in my life, separating it into periods of before and after. I remember thinking to myself "this is what a book can be???" Yes. And this is everything a book should be.
Near-perfect book. I wish only that it was longer. This was the first book that affected me... Well, I wasn't sure how to end that sentence, but that's what I mean. It's the first book I remember thinking about deeply, even after I'd finished it. I was so enamored with the way Lowry had managed to describe color from the perspective of someone seeing it for the first time. The description of the
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Suicide, and War
Minor: Vomit
gandalf_a's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Grief, Murder, and Gaslighting
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
taelorfiller's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Vomit
building_a_bookdom's review against another edition
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
Moderate: Child death, Death, Suicide, and War
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
the_book_nook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
liwolf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and War
Minor: Vomit
reemoony's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i truly believe this book will forever have an important message that everyone should know and understand. neither people nor life will never be perfect, and will always have hard choices, but people deserve to have them
Content Warnings
Minor: Child death, Death, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, and War