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flyerkelly14's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This story takes place in a much darker world than The Giver. This world is cruel and unkind: anyone seen as weak is discarded. People live in fear, and they fight among one another. Again, we hear Lois Lowry’s underlying message about the importance of community.
But this book moves slow, and it feels like a very long prologue to another book. I was expecting the book to be longer, and it felt like it stopped at an odd and abrupt point. Kira comes to all these realizations towards the conclusion, but the book ends before anything can really be done about it. This seemed a little unfinished.
This book is similar to 1984 in the sense that you learn that the victors (or the ones in power) write history. Kira starts to question the truths she’s been told her entire life.
Although Kira was an interesting character and I enjoyed her perspective, but I feel like Matt’s perspective venturing into the woods would have been more apt…especially considering the book is titled Gathering Blue, and Kira didn’t do much of any gathering…
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Sexism, Misogyny, and Death of parent
mheffner3031's review
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Confinement
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
kawaii_rose's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-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? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Ableism, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Torture
saraellenme's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Ableism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Kidnapping
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
catalyst226's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Rereading this to talk with my nephew about books I read at his age and I still really enjoy the story. I like that not everything is laid out in the dystopian setting so you have to puzzle out what's going on. I also like that the ending is fairly open-ended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Confinement
nortsapa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
kira my beloved
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, Child abuse, Child death, and Cannibalism
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
chrysanthxmum's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Death, Confinement, Child abuse, Murder, Child death, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Slavery and Sexism