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shakedown1994's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
niakayjones's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the book although it had a confusing ending..
chelsayf's review against another edition
4.0
Better than I expected and MUCH better than the movie.
I like how short it was, making it longer would've made it very boring.
I loved the story and the way they described the characters... not too much in detail but enough to make sure you can imagine something. The open end really left me a bit hungry for a sequel...
I like how short it was, making it longer would've made it very boring.
I loved the story and the way they described the characters... not too much in detail but enough to make sure you can imagine something. The open end really left me a bit hungry for a sequel...
1ola_d's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
vmazv's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
graciefink's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
mdyang97's review against another edition
5.0
I have to say that "The Giver" was the novel, the one story that got me started on a utopias/dystopias ride. It's one of my favorite genres, and there's just so many books about the future out there and that continues to be written.
The story is magical, realistic, and impactful. The last scene just gets you wondering about whether Jonas really. The characters are raw and emotional, and you feel yourselves in their shoes.
I wasn't too satisfied with the movie remake, but that's what you get for turning a literary work into a motion picture.
The story is magical, realistic, and impactful. The last scene just gets you wondering about whether Jonas really
Spoiler
escaped his restrictive world for a better place or notI wasn't too satisfied with the movie remake, but that's what you get for turning a literary work into a motion picture.
cjfich's review against another edition
5.0
Love this book. Used to use it with my students. I happened to see the movie, and I decided I wanted to go back and read the book. That's when I discovered there are three more books that eventually tie together. I read them all.
isbn13_00006222022's review against another edition
5.0
***All ratings are out of 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest
Genre Ratings (not in any particular order):
1. Dystopian - 5
2. Slice of Life - 5
Main Character Enjoyment Level: 5
Plot Rating: 4
Likes: the world-building, characters
Dislikes: n/a
Memorable Scene:
Memorable Quote:
Overall Rating: 5
Before coming across this book in middle school for a class reading, I had read so, so many books before, and this book was THE book of everything. I want to proudly say that this book is the first book to ever make me feel something, have a reaction, and imagine the setting and plot as I read word for word, which makes me wonder to this day how I had read all the books before reading The Giver. This was the book that made me read books for the plot and not for the covers (and by covers, I mean colorful covers. When I saw the old man on the cover, my interest was piqued, but before this, most of the books I had read had colorful covers).
I'm sure you know that since I had mentioned that this book was for a class reading, we had to really "dig deep" into things, and though I don't remember how that class reading went, I do remember that everything in the book was so profound that I finished the book as soon as I got home. I loved how simple the dystopian setting was because most dystopian books make it known that it's a dystopia. Honestly, this didn't hit me until the second time I read this book and realized that utopia is actually dystopia, and that's the beauty of the book, that all the wonderful things in the book aren't so wonderful. My friends and I, when we discuss this book, always agree that we wish society would decide our careers. That way, college may not be necessary, loans wouldn't be a problem, and life would have plenty of time for fun. Other than that, this kind of world would've been somewhat nice. There's peace. There's no problem. There's ignorance.
Ignorance. Not innocence. I had to write that again (for emphasis) because, in my first read of The Giver, I was so overwhelmed with the plot and the ending (sob) that I missed out on something in my second read--a perfect world can't exist and shouldn't exist. A perfect, unified world like in The Giver would take away morals, values, individuality, choices, and more. It's the differences--no matter what they may be--that make us tragically perfect, and it's the differences that are there to show us "right" from "wrong." There can't always be happy things--there have to be sad, tragic things for us to appreciate, love, and not take for granted.
Other than our main characters, Jonas and The Giver, I'd say that the characters were bland--and that's understandable due to the uniformed society they're in. When someone's "innocently ignorant," what could you really do? But because the people in that world have been so socially constructed to believe otherwise--or not see otherwise--it's hard to make someone see different as in reality too. It's already their value, their belief, their social construct. It's almost the same as me trying to persuade you that the sky's green and not blue because you've already believed so, been taught so, "known so."
But I think that's a way of setting the plot. It's what makes Jonas questions the social construct he's bubbled into--a safe, static society where pain is seen as something destructive and unbearable, and it's only until he starts questioning the ways of things that he gains independence and character and realizes that though pain is devastating, it's essential. Pain helps gives value, creates bonds, cements memories, and empowers change.
Before I checked The Giver on GR, I had thought this book would be extremely well-liked. I was somewhat wrong. Though it has good ratings, a lot of the reviews I've come across say otherwise, and though I am neutral with any reviews because it's to each their own, I see these kinds of reviews show how good this book is in terms of making its readers react or believe in a certain way. I think it's very easy to see this book in a certain political form because of its society, and it's the easiest to spot--everyone has the same things, the world doesn't have color, and anything remotely tragic, disheartening, or painful is removed.
But I'd say let's not be like our teachers--thinking that a book is written for politics or of the sort (though, I know some books have been written with those motives). If we don't see this book as propaganda of some sort but see it as a well-written book that had simplistic but unique features of a sci-fi genre, it's very enjoyable.
As a reader does with all books, simply immerse yourself in The Giver's world. No need for "deeper" assumptions as to why the author wrote this book (if this was the case, all dystopian books should be reviewed from this perspective) or whether this book has a hidden agenda. Reviewing books like for a class assignment where we try to find something that's not really there or isn't relevant to the plot takes away the fun and true intention of reading a book as it should be--a journey.
Let's be "a reader." (see what I did there?)
Genre Ratings (not in any particular order):
1. Dystopian - 5
Spoiler
not your most hardcore dystopian-like novels, but the simplicity of this world is what makes it beautiful and unique)2. Slice of Life - 5
Main Character Enjoyment Level: 5
Plot Rating: 4
Likes: the world-building, characters
Dislikes: n/a
Memorable Scene:
Spoiler
An infant's "release"Memorable Quote:
Spoiler
“You may lie.” --> I don't know why, but this one always stuck with me, and when I came across it the first time, I couldn't shut my mouth.
“There was never any comfortable way to mention or discuss one's successes without breaking the rule against bragging, even if one didn't mean to.”
“They can't help it. They know nothing.” Ignorance is their saving grace...
Overall Rating: 5
Before coming across this book in middle school for a class reading, I had read so, so many books before, and this book was THE book of everything. I want to proudly say that this book is the first book to ever make me feel something, have a reaction, and imagine the setting and plot as I read word for word, which makes me wonder to this day how I had read all the books before reading The Giver. This was the book that made me read books for the plot and not for the covers (and by covers, I mean colorful covers. When I saw the old man on the cover, my interest was piqued, but before this, most of the books I had read had colorful covers).
I'm sure you know that since I had mentioned that this book was for a class reading, we had to really "dig deep" into things, and though I don't remember how that class reading went, I do remember that everything in the book was so profound that I finished the book as soon as I got home. I loved how simple the dystopian setting was because most dystopian books make it known that it's a dystopia. Honestly, this didn't hit me until the second time I read this book and realized that utopia is actually dystopia, and that's the beauty of the book, that all the wonderful things in the book aren't so wonderful. My friends and I, when we discuss this book, always agree that we wish society would decide our careers. That way, college may not be necessary, loans wouldn't be a problem, and life would have plenty of time for fun. Other than that, this kind of world would've been somewhat nice. There's peace. There's no problem. There's ignorance.
Ignorance. Not innocence. I had to write that again (for emphasis) because, in my first read of The Giver, I was so overwhelmed with the plot and the ending (sob) that I missed out on something in my second read--a perfect world can't exist and shouldn't exist. A perfect, unified world like in The Giver would take away morals, values, individuality, choices, and more. It's the differences--no matter what they may be--that make us tragically perfect, and it's the differences that are there to show us "right" from "wrong." There can't always be happy things--there have to be sad, tragic things for us to appreciate, love, and not take for granted.
Other than our main characters, Jonas and The Giver, I'd say that the characters were bland--and that's understandable due to the uniformed society they're in.
Spoiler
It's why I couldn't hate Jonas's Dad when it came to the twins' "release."Spoiler
And what I mean by that is that had the society given up on becoming a utopia and instead braced cruel reality, Jonas's Dad would've realized what he's been doing all along.But I think that's a way of setting the plot. It's what makes Jonas questions the social construct he's bubbled into--a safe, static society where pain is seen as something destructive and unbearable, and it's only until he starts questioning the ways of things that he gains independence and character and realizes that though pain is devastating, it's essential. Pain helps gives value, creates bonds, cements memories, and empowers change.
Before I checked The Giver on GR, I had thought this book would be extremely well-liked. I was somewhat wrong. Though it has good ratings, a lot of the reviews I've come across say otherwise, and though I am neutral with any reviews because it's to each their own, I see these kinds of reviews show how good this book is in terms of making its readers react or believe in a certain way. I think it's very easy to see this book in a certain political form because of its society, and it's the easiest to spot--everyone has the same things, the world doesn't have color, and anything remotely tragic, disheartening, or painful is removed.
But I'd say let's not be like our teachers--thinking that a book is written for politics or of the sort (though, I know some books have been written with those motives). If we don't see this book as propaganda of some sort but see it as a well-written book that had simplistic but unique features of a sci-fi genre, it's very enjoyable.
As a reader does with all books, simply immerse yourself in The Giver's world. No need for "deeper" assumptions as to why the author wrote this book (if this was the case, all dystopian books should be reviewed from this perspective) or whether this book has a hidden agenda. Reviewing books like for a class assignment where we try to find something that's not really there or isn't relevant to the plot takes away the fun and true intention of reading a book as it should be--a journey.
Let's be "a reader." (see what I did there?)