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mandareads222's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Confinement, and Body shaming
Moderate: Grief, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Death, Murder, Animal death, Child death, and Physical abuse
cassie7e's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A beatifully crafted YA book, with so much worldbuilding without being told, culture and politics and relationships we learn by seeing them, and seeing them begin to be challenged in the mind of our main character. And the visual imagery of gathering blue, along with the threads and dyeing process, still captivate my artist brain.
It's been ages since I read this as a kid; either I do not remember or I did not register when I was young just how dark a world the characters live in. Actions that on the surface are single unpleasant moments paint a deeper, oppressive undercurrent that my adult self could pick up on and interpret long before the book and character explain.
It's been ages since I read this as a kid; either I do not remember or I did not register when I was young just how dark a world the characters live in. Actions that on the surface are single unpleasant moments paint a deeper, oppressive undercurrent that my adult self could pick up on and interpret long before the book and character explain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, Child death, Confinement, Murder, Violence, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
Minor: Blood and Fire/Fire injury
breedawnwriter's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Overall, this book has a lot of problems for me. I enjoyed the story concept, as well as the end when things started to pick up. However, as a whole, it wasn’t a great read for me.
What I Liked:
-The worldbuilding. I tend to forget that worldbuilding is so much more than just descriptions of the setting. So, I loved how Lowry incorporated elements of the world in the early chapters. She brought the world to life by exploring religion, the societal structure, the setting of the village, and the government. It was all of these elements together that really made me feel like I’d been dropped into a new place.
-The council. I’m biased because my current WIP has a council, but I really loved this bit of the world. It fascinated me, and my only problem was that I wanted more.
-The theme about artists and creating. This made me smile and warmed my heart.
Unfortunately, none of these elements were enough to make me overlook the story’s other issues…
What I Didn’t Like:
-The pacing. This was Gathering Blue’s greatest flaw. The middle is so tediously slow that I almost DNFed it multiple times. The ending was the best part of the story, but it was so rushed and didn’t bring the depth I expected from Lowry’s writing.
-The plot twists. None of them surprised me. I will give Lowry the benefit of the doubt with one of them since I think I accidentally spoiled it for myself vaguely. But, even so, they were too obvious for me to really feel shocked or surprised when they happened.
-The lack of depth with the characters. After the compelling internal conflict with Jonas in The Giver, I expected Kira, Thomas, and Matt to…I don’t know…move me, I guess. I wanted Kira to be bold, to make a stand. I wanted more from her, and the ending only gave a glimpse at what would happen (which I honestly think might have made a better book, but I digress).
In the end, Gathering Blue had potential, but didn’t really work for me.
Content warnings: Abandonment, ableism, blood, bullying, death, death of a parent, grief, and violence.
What I Liked:
-The worldbuilding. I tend to forget that worldbuilding is so much more than just descriptions of the setting. So, I loved how Lowry incorporated elements of the world in the early chapters. She brought the world to life by exploring religion, the societal structure, the setting of the village, and the government. It was all of these elements together that really made me feel like I’d been dropped into a new place.
-The council. I’m biased because my current WIP has a council, but I really loved this bit of the world. It fascinated me, and my only problem was that I wanted more.
-The theme about artists and creating. This made me smile and warmed my heart.
Unfortunately, none of these elements were enough to make me overlook the story’s other issues…
What I Didn’t Like:
-The pacing. This was Gathering Blue’s greatest flaw. The middle is so tediously slow that I almost DNFed it multiple times. The ending was the best part of the story, but it was so rushed and didn’t bring the depth I expected from Lowry’s writing.
-The plot twists. None of them surprised me. I will give Lowry the benefit of the doubt with one of them since I think I accidentally spoiled it for myself vaguely. But, even so, they were too obvious for me to really feel shocked or surprised when they happened.
-The lack of depth with the characters. After the compelling internal conflict with Jonas in The Giver, I expected Kira, Thomas, and Matt to…I don’t know…move me, I guess. I wanted Kira to be bold, to make a stand. I wanted more from her, and the ending only gave a glimpse at what would happen (which I honestly think might have made a better book, but I digress).
In the end, Gathering Blue had potential, but didn’t really work for me.
Content warnings: Abandonment, ableism, blood, bullying, death, death of a parent, grief, and violence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Bullying, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Abandonment
lilifane's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
4.0
I think the plot is not as exciting as in The Giver, but I really liked this one as well.
I knew that it's only a companion novel and there wouldn't be any characters from The Giver here, so I wasn't expecting anything. The writing style is still the same and I really enjoy it. I loved the atmosphere, not necessary of the society but the main characters' talents and tasks, everything that had to do with colors and plants. Anabella's hut. It had cozy witchy vibes. I also liked the characters, especially Kira.
And the more I think about the plot and the themes, the more I appreciate everything. In such a short book with hardly any plot, Lowry managed to implement topics around community and contribution, disabled community members, the value of art and artists in a community, exploitation of community members, oppressing people in a community and so many more.
One thing I love to discover is when artists use different stories to explore similar themes/ideas in different ways. History and community, for example, play a big role in both The Giver and Gathering Blue.
I knew that it's only a companion novel and there wouldn't be any characters from The Giver here, so I wasn't expecting anything. The writing style is still the same and I really enjoy it. I loved the atmosphere, not necessary of the society but the main characters' talents and tasks, everything that had to do with colors and plants. Anabella's hut. It had cozy witchy vibes. I also liked the characters, especially Kira.
And the more I think about the plot and the themes, the more I appreciate everything. In such a short book with hardly any plot, Lowry managed to implement topics around community and contribution, disabled community members, the value of art and artists in a community, exploitation of community members, oppressing people in a community and so many more.
One thing I love to discover is when artists use different stories to explore similar themes/ideas in different ways. History and community, for example, play a big role in both The Giver and Gathering Blue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Confinement, and Grief
dark_marble_eyes's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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? No
4.0
This book was darker than I remembered, right from the jump. This was my third time reading it, as it was on my mind recently, and I wanted to see how I interpreted it and felt about it as an adult. The first two times I was a child, and the second time, a teen. It was as vivid as I remembered, and the information on the dyeing process itself was as magical. I think I would need to finally finish the series [The Giver, Gathering Blue, The Messenger, and Son] to decide how I feel about it completely, but it is a book I would recommend for a dark, fast read. Just mind the tags~
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Death of parent and Child abuse
Minor: Sexism and Grief
cakeboxing's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Sexism, Death, and Child abuse
marinapaso11's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Murder, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Child death, and Child abuse
Minor: Confinement
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