The Giver

BOOK NAME: The Giver
AUTHOR: Lois Lowry

Jonas lives in a restricted world. Everyone and everything is controlled by very strict rules, and no one dares break them. But when job assignments come at the Ceremony of 12, something strange happens: the announcer skips Jonas. No one really knows what to do, but everyone stays in their seats. They know that it was intentional, as everything always was. Jonas tries to figure out what he has done wrong.

What will happen to Jonas as he awaits his fate What will his destiny be? What’s really going on in his society? All of these questions and more will be answered as you read on in Lois Lowry’s The Giver.

I absolutely loved this book, and it’s one of my all-time favorites. Jonas’ community seems a little bit odd to start with, but as he matures, he begins to see many things that it doesn’t allow and its many flaws. This book kept me thinking for days after I had finished it. For me, the main question that is pondered in the book is “How much control should a governmental body have over its people and how far should it go to keep them safe?” Safety is a big issue in this story, and in Jonas’ community, no personal choices are ever made, because the government worries people will endanger themselves if they have opinions. One word to think about while you read: color. I won’t say anything more except that this is an amazing book!

Comments

writergirl23
April 12, 2010, 11:36 am

Cool, Mairen! I’ll see if I can read it!
escape2books
April 12, 2010, 11:46 am

I can not believe that you wrote a book reveiw about The Giver. I have looked at this book before, but never read it I will be sure to look at it again. I have also heard that Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is supposes to be good too.
Keep Reading and Writing bye
2whitie
April 12, 2010, 5:52 pm

My teacher had that book on her bookshelf, i know because i spend a lot of time hiding in all those books before class starts from all the crazy boys. Then one day it did not show up.it is still missing. I did not do it, to clear off all that suspition. Unless of coarse, i “did not know what i was doing”…
Emma
April 14, 2010, 1:05 pm

Cool. Might read that.
CherylByrel:D
April 15, 2010, 2:32 am

@escape2books,numbver the stars is good too,but the fiction is an bit easier to read than the giver.of a different age group i mean.i noe cuz i bought it at a really cheap bookfaire a few weeks ago.Oh yeah,its notn rules,its if un break one of them three timjes,u die.oh yeah,they also kill baby that does not weigh enough.To better they;re community?YEAH RITE!
But this book makes u think,and a book like that is DEFIN?ITELY worth reading.I LOVED IT!!!!!!Be sure to read gathering blue,its sequal and messengar,its i dont think there’s such a word but triquel.
Ms.helpful
April 15, 2010, 9:53 am

I really like this website it was very creative and learnable it spoke to me!
Anonymous
April 15, 2010, 10:30 am

@CherylByrel:D, I liked reading this book but I don’t think it’s the type of book I would want to read over. I think it’s a little weird. =) But my sister liked it… although she didn’t think it was super great.
-Macyn
jindo2108
April 17, 2010, 12:27 am

In class, we read Number the Stars. I’d try it;it’s actually pretty good. Not a ton of suspense, but a good historical fiction book.
This looks sorta weird,but I’ll look at it when I go to the library. I like the concept of the book, but I hope it doesn’t have a ton of hidden meanings like The Little Prince. Ever read that? You don’t want to.
-jindo
voleta
April 18, 2010, 5:22 pm

this sounds super!!!!!!!!!!!
i<32ski
April 18, 2010, 8:55 pm

the giver is a bad book!! idc Ms.Helpful!! LOL
fibonaccimathgenius
April 18, 2010, 10:19 pm

Ever read *blank*? You don’t want to.
Insert the following names into *blank*:
Hamlet (Shakespeare)
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson)
White Tigers (Margaret something or other)
Antigone (Sophocles)
The Odyssey (Homer)

… all from English. Don’t read these books unless you have to.

On another note, thanks for commenting! I have a word limit so I can’t put as much stuff in as I want to. If I could make it as long as I want, it would be a novelette, trust me.

–Mairen <3
twilightfan#1
April 19, 2010, 8:07 pm

sound good i will see were i can get good book
Ju29ne
April 20, 2010, 8:21 pm

This book sounds interesting.I have a question, though: What`s that old man doing on the cover?
jindo2108
April 20, 2010, 10:01 pm

Hey Mairen, isn’t Robert Louis Stevenson the guy who wrote Treasure Island? I liked that book.I’ve always sort of respected Shakespeare, but his plays can be pretty boring. I’ll watch out for those….since I will go into Middle School sometime.
You’re right ,ju29ne, what’s that man doing on the front cover.
escape2books
April 21, 2010, 3:39 pm

I do not know why, but I have readers block with this book. It looks ok, but yet my mind does not want to read even though it looks good. Maybe one day I wil force myself to this book,or maybe not
fibonaccimathgenius
April 21, 2010, 7:50 pm

I thought this book was amazing – I finished it in like 2 hours!

That old man just happens to be the Giver, another major character. I didn’t mention him because I wanted it to be a surprise (he is introduced a couple of chapters in). hmph.
fibonaccimathgenius
April 21, 2010, 7:52 pm

When you read this book, you also have to read for inner meaning and the philosophy behind it. For instance, look at the question I posed in the 3rd paragraph. I love analyzing things, and The Giver really provided me with a good challenge. Every time I read it, I find something new that the author was trying to express. I know that it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m glad that you commented — now others can use your opinions as well as mine to gauge whether they want to read it or not.

Thanks!
luv2read
April 24, 2010, 5:04 pm

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! I’m home schooled and read this book for a Lit thing and it helped me get the deeper meaning of the book. To any one who read The Giver: where do you think Jonas and Gabe went in the end?
luv2read
April 24, 2010, 5:09 pm

Has any one ever read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi? It’s another great book!
CherylByrel:D
April 25, 2010, 9:29 am

@fibonaccimathgenius:My feelings are mutual.I thought the Giver really made people think about what was fair,life death,free will and what it really meant to be ‘perfect’It also shows that differences in people are for better,they make us who we are.also,i wld love to read *blank*.Fill in that blank with The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson and The Odyssey (Homer)I’d love to read them!i think u can find their free ebooks on line.Type in ‘Project Gutenberg’ on google,but make sure ur author is dead or copyrigt’s expired.then click the first link
13_wolfgirl_13
April 25, 2010, 11:42 am

I read that book, and I quite enjoyed it. When I heard it was banned when first published by schools, I was unhappy. It is a good book, and I could not believe that was true. People need to get off their high horses to realize good literature.
escape2books
April 25, 2010, 9:23 pm

luv2read, I LOVE the True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi!!!! I hve read it to times and I think it is GREAT!!! I think that most of Avi’s other books look boring, but The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was really cool. I can not belive that you have read it, and I recomend to everybody to read this.
escape2books
April 25, 2010, 10:57 pm

Hey guys, my dad would be offended about how boring Shakespeare’s play are…….Just joking even though my dad had read several of Shakespeare’s plays he would understand. :] I only know of one book that you can not find Anywhere not EVEN the school or at the library. Just because the bad guy is a jewish rabbi not a priest, even though the author is Jewish. I think that is rediculals [ horrible spelling I know] The book is called the Primrose Path by carol matas.[ I know there is another book called the Primrose Path, BUT that is NOT it] If you do get this book into your hands you might want to talk to your parents about what it is about. Even though I STILL have not read it, my parents would alow me to read it if I had it.
luv2read
April 26, 2010, 1:24 pm

@escape2books: I read this other book by Avi called The Secret School. It’s about a girl who teaches her one room school house after it’s shut down so she can pass 8th grade and go to high school to become a teacher. It’s pretty good. I’d recommend it if you liked Charlotte Doyle.
escape2books
April 26, 2010, 6:35 pm

Thank you luv2read, I will look for this book. I hope it is good.
epebbles09
May 19, 2010, 11:52 am

This is a book not for the faint of heart. It covers some in depth subjects. I have read this book probably 6 times and the following two book once or twice each. I love it! I wasn’t until I had read the book a few times did I realize that it was set post world destruction. It’s the rebuilt world. Basically how this world would be run if everyone had to start over. I agree with some of the ideas and processes in this book but not with others. It’s a book that you have to read a few times to fully understand what is happening. When I finished this book I was totally lost. I wanted to know what happened next! I was really disappointed that the next book wasn’t out yet. When it finally did come out I was totally confused. The second book doesn’t connect to the first. It wasn’t until the third book came out that I saw the connection. Out of the three books by far The Giver is the best! It’s a book for older readers. I say 8th grade and up. I’m 18 almost 19 and I work at a library. I’ve suggested this book to may people and the ones who truly understand and enjoy the book are it’s older readers. I’m not saying that if your younger than that that you will not like it. I just don’t think that you will fully understand the underlying story line. But I do have to say that this book is a must read.
jindo2108
June 4, 2010, 12:03 am

Hmmmm………I don’t know…. hey, escape2books, have you read The Good Dog by Avi? That’s good!
mossflower
June 7, 2010, 8:03 pm

I think that this one of the greatest books ever. Oh, and by the way, epebbles09, I’m in sixth grade and I do understand the underlying story line. Anyway, I agree, I think it’s amazing.
bookgirl539
June 13, 2010, 8:32 pm

This a good book. I like the ideas of the memories being passed down from our time. It’s weird that everyone is color-blind, tho. And the people are selfish, but scared.
epebbles09
June 15, 2010, 11:17 am

I didn’t mean to say that 6th graders can’t catch the underlying story, I just haven’t personally met one who did. But I’m glad you really like it!
booklover221
June 21, 2010, 5:51 pm

We read this book in class last year, and if I may, I didn’t like it. Lois Lowry has an excellent way of writing, but she doesn’t carry out her plot. Her descriptive words are fantastic, but she takes forever to get to the point.
fibonaccimathgenius
June 25, 2010, 4:04 pm

yeah I’m gonna be in 10th grade in the fall but I think maybe 5th or 6th grade up?

That’s where I found it to be. Anyway, you can always read it again when you get older if you’re on the younger side of the spectrum.

-Mairen :]
arianamus
July 15, 2010, 11:22 am

it sounds odd 2 me. but ill think about reading it.
Tori4134
July 30, 2010, 6:17 am

escape2books, Number the Stars ROCKED!! You should read it!
Mairen, I agree about the color. I looked at everything around me differently after I read that bit!
warriorkitkat6
August 12, 2010, 11:07 am

this book was so interesting but the ending was wierd but clever.
zoenightshade12
September 25, 2010, 1:22 pm

i like the odyssey, becuase i luv epics, confusing books, and long books. i’m also and advanced reader, so if any1 else is,u should read it. if u don’t like 2 read long books, read Mary Pope Osborne’s shortened series about it. i read that 1st, and it helped me interperit Homer’s old language.

~zoe
babywinx334
October 7, 2010, 10:32 am

I like long books,like The Golden Compass,but i really don’t think that i would like The Odyssey.The Giver isn’t really my cup of tea,but i’ll give it a try.

-Morgan
luv2read
October 18, 2010, 4:59 pm

Amazing book. My lit class is going to read it and the two sequals. I’ve already read all of them. totally awesome!
GylfieTheOwl
October 19, 2010, 8:51 pm

should i read this? i have it here at home….someone tell me!!!
Man of the world
March 19, 2011, 5:05 am

This is one of my favourite books EVER!!!!!!!! It was really AMAZING! The strange story of how I came to buy it is as follows: Once, I went to the bookstore where I usually go to buy books. There, I was picking up some random books and I found this one and Number the Stars. I picked up Number the Stars and went away. (I still don’t know why I did that.) Strangely, when I reached home, I began thinking that I had bought The Giver as well. When I checked, it wasn’t there! I had completely forgotten that I hadn’t bought that book! I rushed back to the shop. It wasn’t there anymore. Next time I went, I couldn’t find it either. Nor the next time, nor the time after that,……… It was a whole year before I found it again, and bought it and read it. By the way, I liked Number the Stars as well, but thought that it wasn’t as good as The Giver.

(I would like to fill the blanks mentioned earlier with Hamlet, Odyssey and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Those are some of my favourite books and I don’t think they are boring.)
snowbear4
July 31, 2011, 5:11 pm

this book is so awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
carmel09
February 2, 10:33 am

This description is a little bland. I love reading any book, but when you describe this book, it makes me NOT want to read it.
imreadingtill3am
February 23, 2:27 pm

I’ve read this book before. Not to say that the review wasn’t good, i think the review was really good. But the book just doesn’t appeal to me….