This is a novel about a utopian world, but as the story develops, you will find that the world is developing in a dystopian direction.

This book was great. I recommend it to everyone who likes dystopian books or wants to get into dystopian books.

Thought-provoking. Reflective . Insighful. Addictive

I have come back to this book many times over the twenty-ish years since I first read it. It is a marvel. Even as an adult it still has the power to bring me to tears. This small book blows the many, certainly entertaining, but generally bloated, YA dystopian novels out of the water. Its genius is in its simplicity. This is clearly written for young readers: the language is clear and accessible, and the story is not too complex. But the concepts are challenging. It treats young readers with respect by giving them a story they can read but challenges them to confront difficult and confusing issues they may not have been exposed to before. 

I enjoyed this novel a lot. I read this back in middle school and didn't remember much from it. But now in my second year of college, I can see that there's a lot that went over my head. The whole concept of the novel presents as the loss of innocence and coming of age, which I did not understand when I was little. I love watching Jonas be curious and interested in figuring out life. Life not only how he knows it, but how it existed before. I think the concept of coming of age is done quite literally, in the sense that it shows Jonas be aware of all the small changes and all of the information that people wouldn't normally pick up on. I never really realized how much I'd like to give her I think originally I thought he was just an old guy. And but for the way he goes about teaching Jonas, I found it quite lovely.

I thought the use of "precise language"  as a form of control was intriguing. Control to make sure no one lies and to tell the truth as it is. (It almost reminds me of the rules placed against AAEV.)  I  also thought Louis Lowry using Release for the name of euthanasia and death was quite meaningful. (Release from responsibility, from pain, from life essentially.)

 

Fun Fact: For most of my life I thought Lois Lowry was a male author. But finding out that a woman wrote such an important novel brought me so much joy.
 

Major Spoilers!

I cannot remember if I knew that Rosemary, the first receiver chosen ten years ago, was the Givers' daughter. But this pleasantly shocked me, and I think it added a lot more depth to who the Giver is. He no longer was just an old man whos had to go through a lot. He was also a husband and a father. I also really love the way that they described Rosemary because it made her seem more human. She was not just a drone going through life as she's told to do. 
Not to mention when Jonas got the rules for being a receiver and in the rules, he wasn't allowed to ask for Release. And then you realize the only reason that they put the rule there is because Rosemary asked for Release. Again reinstating the concept that rules aren’t made randomly that there is a reason behind them.

 


I'm not sure if I will continue this series, because a part of me wants to keep this book separate from the rest. In case I don't end up liking the following novels as much. I shall have to see. But The Giver is a great book that I look forward to re-reading.