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dogmomirene 's review for:
Son
by Lois Lowry
"The thrilling conclusion to The Giver."
Whoever wrote this book jacket copy may want to look up the definition of thrilling. Yes, this fourth book does tie together the story strands from The Giver, Gathering Blue, and Messenger, but the connecting themes are more sweet than thrilling.
Part One: Before
Having another glimpse into The Community was pretty fascinating. After reading and teaching The Giver for years, this opening section felt like a behind-the-scenes tour. The first sentence is so promising as Claire, the birthmother, is blindfolded as she is prepared to give birth to her "Product." I got all excited thinking about the symbolism of sight and the connection to color. Unfortunately, the blindness extended to some holes in the plot.
When Claire's birth does not follow the prescribed Plan Of Action, she's hurriedly rushed into a job at the fish hatchery, where no one bothers to explain her new status in The Community. No one even notices that her Pill dosage has not been reinstated. While I understand that the circumstances of Claire's failed natural birth are rare, the Elders seem pretty OCD. They watch everything and have a polite procedure for everything. I just don't buy that the same Community that made a public announcement after Jonas took one apple from a playground about community members not hoarding food overlooked a detail like making sure Claire took her Pill every day. The Pill is potentially the most important controlling mechanism in The Community.
In any case, Claire continues to experience emotions and yearns for her baby, who we find out is little Gabriel. When Jonas leaves The Community with Gabe, Claire is right behind him.
Part Two: Between
Here Claire discovers colors and music as well as stereotyping. Ah, the beautiful elements of humanity that The Community deleted along with the uglier shades of human nature. She also trains for years to climb out of a valley by way of a hellaciously dangerous cliff.
I like the metaphor of life as a journey, but this section was too long. The training was ridiculously long. Considering how tightly written the previous three books were, I was surprised by the meandering in this section.
Part Three: Beyond
This section begins to feel more like a fantasy novel than science-fiction. Maybe magical realism? We're reintroduced to the embodiment of evil, Trademaster, and we hear about the gifts that several characters have. While the messages about good and evil are touching, this section felt disjointed and rushed to me. Jonas makes some solid arguments about how the quality of community lies within what people contribute. The book ends similarly to The Giver with an illustration of love.
However, the way Lowry reaches these messages is very hippie-dippie. I have no issue with a science-fiction novel that implies climate-control is being used, but never explains the mechanism. Emotions are being controlled? Of course, here's the Pill everyone takes every day. The population is regulated? Yes, we release as many people as we have being born every year. I've never checked the math on that one, but since Lowry didn't mention too many specific numbers in The Giver I was fine with her world. In this conclusion, though, there are too many timey-wimey plot contrivances that are set up to deliver a message.
I think The Giver stands best on its own. When my nieces and nephews are old enough to read these books, my recommendation will be to read The Giver and just enjoy the ambiguous ending. Don't try to find Elsewhere in any other books because Lowry's version of Elsewhere pales in comparison to an individual's imagination.
Whoever wrote this book jacket copy may want to look up the definition of thrilling. Yes, this fourth book does tie together the story strands from The Giver, Gathering Blue, and Messenger, but the connecting themes are more sweet than thrilling.
Part One: Before
Having another glimpse into The Community was pretty fascinating. After reading and teaching The Giver for years, this opening section felt like a behind-the-scenes tour. The first sentence is so promising as Claire, the birthmother, is blindfolded as she is prepared to give birth to her "Product." I got all excited thinking about the symbolism of sight and the connection to color. Unfortunately, the blindness extended to some holes in the plot.
When Claire's birth does not follow the prescribed Plan Of Action, she's hurriedly rushed into a job at the fish hatchery, where no one bothers to explain her new status in The Community. No one even notices that her Pill dosage has not been reinstated. While I understand that the circumstances of Claire's failed natural birth are rare, the Elders seem pretty OCD. They watch everything and have a polite procedure for everything. I just don't buy that the same Community that made a public announcement after Jonas took one apple from a playground about community members not hoarding food overlooked a detail like making sure Claire took her Pill every day. The Pill is potentially the most important controlling mechanism in The Community.
In any case, Claire continues to experience emotions and yearns for her baby, who we find out is little Gabriel. When Jonas leaves The Community with Gabe, Claire is right behind him.
Part Two: Between
Here Claire discovers colors and music as well as stereotyping. Ah, the beautiful elements of humanity that The Community deleted along with the uglier shades of human nature. She also trains for years to climb out of a valley by way of a hellaciously dangerous cliff.
I like the metaphor of life as a journey, but this section was too long. The training was ridiculously long. Considering how tightly written the previous three books were, I was surprised by the meandering in this section.
Part Three: Beyond
This section begins to feel more like a fantasy novel than science-fiction. Maybe magical realism? We're reintroduced to the embodiment of evil, Trademaster, and we hear about the gifts that several characters have. While the messages about good and evil are touching, this section felt disjointed and rushed to me. Jonas makes some solid arguments about how the quality of community lies within what people contribute. The book ends similarly to The Giver with an illustration of love.
However, the way Lowry reaches these messages is very hippie-dippie. I have no issue with a science-fiction novel that implies climate-control is being used, but never explains the mechanism. Emotions are being controlled? Of course, here's the Pill everyone takes every day. The population is regulated? Yes, we release as many people as we have being born every year. I've never checked the math on that one, but since Lowry didn't mention too many specific numbers in The Giver I was fine with her world. In this conclusion, though, there are too many timey-wimey plot contrivances that are set up to deliver a message.
I think The Giver stands best on its own. When my nieces and nephews are old enough to read these books, my recommendation will be to read The Giver and just enjoy the ambiguous ending. Don't try to find Elsewhere in any other books because Lowry's version of Elsewhere pales in comparison to an individual's imagination.