The main character Jonas lives in the future, in a small Community. It is a place without pain, where people are formal and have carefully outlined procedures for things, ranging from Rituals of Loss to Acceptances of Apologies. They follow rules or are formally chastised, or are even punished with the despised "Release", such a mark on the reputation of the family that is never talked about, when it is used as a punishment. On the day of the Ceremony of Twelve, where everyone is given their Assignment, which they have no say in, and which they will keep on doing for the rest of their life, Jonas is chosen to see beyond, acting as the Reciever. The Reciever is the one who holds the memories of countless generations. He is respected, as he holds the most important job of all, but the community rarely uses him. Instead, they usually persist in their traditions. As the Receiver in training, Jonas is given memories by the wise old Giver, the former Reciever. There is pain, but there is also love. As the memories keep coming, Jonas realizes things. He questions the world that he was brought up in. He grows more and more aware of how no one else in the society is like him or the Giver, and realizes that they are all like robots: brought up to not feel, to be precise in their language, and to have no emotions. He begins to wonder if everyone, not just him, should have feelings and emotions. But what can just two people do to change a society? I loved this book. The writing style, overall, was very direct, like the society itself, but the message was the more important part: it was really thought provoking, especially the end. Another perk is that the book was short, just 168 pages in my edition, so you can finish it in just a few days. I highly recommend this to dystopian lovers, but I could see how those who like fast-paced books such as The Hunger Games would prefer other books.
The Giver (The Giver Quartet)
By Lois Lowry
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 3 - 8 | Y | 5.7 | 43617 |
It's a perfect world, where everything looks right. But ugly truths lie beneath…
Imagine a world without poverty, war or pain. A world where everything is comfortable and familiar - a world where everything is the same. No colour, no music. In such a world, Jonas is selected to be the next Receiver of Memory and is apprenticed to the Giver, an old man who stores memories from the Community’s past. As Jonas learns about violence and sadness, as well as beauty and joy, he discover the sinister truth behind his safe existence.
Simply and beautifully written, The Giver is a thought-provoking look at utopian society. It was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1994.
Book Reviews (285)
Imagine a perfect world. No pain, no war, and no choices. Each person is asigned a role in there community once they reach the age of twelve. When Jonas is skipped, it means he will be killed. But no, he will be the next giver 5 out of 5
OH my gosh. This book really made me feel how important it is to be unique and how easily our society could be controlled by the government to the extreme. but on a happier note this book is a great read if you like Lois Lowery.
depressing story reaaly sad
AMAZING! AMAZING! AMAZING! Read this, you will love it! This book makes you think so deeply about decisions and their impacts. Read this, because you're life will be better for it. Quote from back of " Wonder".
its really cool i like it it had suspense and i got to hear something the really interested me maybe it will interest you too
Can't put this book down! Very enjoyable. I rate 4 out of 5.
So Jonas is a boy who lives in a town with no colors and no music. It is the same thing everyday. Then the day that all of the eleven year olds get their jobs. During that ceremony they skip over him which means that he will be killed. At the end they come forward and say that he will become the new Giver. They are in charge of keeping all of the memories including the ones of pain and suffering. His father then decides that he has to kill a baby because it cries at night. So he runs away. Does he make it to his destination? I recommend this book for kids 10+ because that age group will probably understand better.
Jonas, the receiver -of-memory, has 4 things that a Receiver needs. The Giver has a terrible memory about the last receiver. Jonas goes on a journey to a place where everyone could get memories. However, It s hard to go…
The Giver is unlike any book I have ever read before. A boy named Jonas starts discovering the dark side of his world as he becomes assigned with an important task. I would recommend this to adolescents only because it might be a little inappropriate for younger readers.