Reviews

The Giver by Lois Lowry

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tomasthanes's review against another edition

3.0

What is it about human nature that you can't just leave it alone. In [b:1984|5470|1984|George Orwell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348990566s/5470.jpg|153313], the citizens ("Proles") were under ubiquitous surveillance, speech was manipulated to affect thought, and all individualism and independent thinking was criminalized as "thoughtcrimes". In [b:Brave New World|5129|Brave New World|Aldous Huxley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327865608s/5129.jpg|3204877], natural reproduction has been done away with, people are genetically designed to fit into one of five castes (assigned roles within society), all citizens are conditioned from birth to consume goods, soma is a hallucinogenic drug that takes users on enjoyable, hangover-free "holidays", and recreational sex is a social activity designed to eradicate any vestiges of the Family.

[Spoilers ahead...]

Spoiler

In [b:The Giver|3636|The Giver (The Giver #1)|Lois Lowry|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342493368s/3636.jpg|2543234], the reader finds a utopian society that values Sameness (blandness) by eliminating color, music, or emotion (like the movie "Pleasantville"). Like other dystopian novels, measures are taken to make the citizens less than human. Feelings and dreams are shared (more for monitoring than for the sharing). Pills taken daily eliminate "the Stirrings". The young (if they can't fit in), the old (when they're too old), and those who request "Release" are killed; this society probably doesn't go as far as recycling the protein (like they did in "Soylent Green"). The book ends with the first memory shared by the Giver; while this may be a literary device, it felt like it didn't fit very well.

I probably won't read further in the series.

faithtrustpixiedust's review against another edition

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5.0

I first read The Giver in the summer before 8th grade as a school required reading. Most books I had to read for school were met with distain or disinterest from me, with few exceptions (I didn't like to be forced to read; I enjoyed the choice). The Giver was the exception to define all exceptions.

I knew there had been times in the past—terrible times—when people had destroyed each other in haste, in fear, and had brought about their own destruction.

The Writing and the Worldbuilding

Lois Lowry is spectacular at giving deeper meanings to shorter books. She doesn't require all the pomp and circumstance to tell a meaningful, profound story. The Giver was told in such a way that made a strange and apathetic world seem almost good, almost necessary, while also championing a world more similar to our own. The ambiguity in that, the possibility to lean in either direction, in addition to the interpretive ending (though, not anymore, given the Quartet, I suppose), made for a thought-provoking novel with themes of choice, equality, peace, and apathy.

The concept of transferring collective memories to another person, but only those perceptive enough (or with blue eyes, for that matter), yet still, seemingly, with our world's reality as a historical past, was somewhat far-fetched and not explained, but in this case, an explanation was not necessary, as the method of reaching sameness was not entirely explained either and the story was not lacking for it whatsoever, as it was consistent throughout.

Of course they needed to care. It was the meaning of everything.

The Characters

Jonas: He is an excellent protagonist—relatable, perceptive, kind, passionate, and active. He did always what he believed was best, and he was a pleasure to read.

Jonas' family: Jonas' parents and sister were particular interesting characters: his father and mother go along with the society as they always have, as Jonas himself had been content to do before being selected as the Receiver; while his sister still holds some passionate humanity in her, as she is still a child, but because she is still a child, she still is somewhat apathetic to the plight of others, her whole world revolving around herself, as children are. Jonas, being 12 for most of the book, straddled the boundary between the two, simultaneously adult and child.

The Giver: He is kind and wise, but also fallible, human. He worries over his past mistakes, as well as humanity's.

Conclusion

This book was just as intriguing and deep as when I first read it, all those years ago, when I was around Jonas' age myself. Now that I am an adult (though I might not want to act like it), I find it especially important to understand the choices you must make as an individual, with an understanding of the past and past mistakes to guide you, knowing the weight of your decision. To celebrate differences and not reject change, because choices matter more than you can imagine. And wrong choices are there to teach you.