 2008-11-06 - Amazing.
I read this in 7th grade and loved the book. I recently ran out of books and I read it over again (I'm a college freshman) and loved it even more. The plot is amazing, the characters make it even better. This is truly a piece of art, and the meaning behind the book is astounding. I would definitely suggest this book for a good page-turner to all ages.
2008-11-04 - better than expected
Honestly, I did not expect this book to be this good. Its target audience is young adults, but it certainly is a great read for adults also. I finished the book in one day. The author created a main character you care so much about you just want to read it all the way to the end to find out what happened to him. The idea is creative and the pace is fast and engaging. I highly recommend it.
 2008-10-16 - Awful, Disturbing, A Waste!
It was awful! I DO NOT recommend anyone read it. Maybe some people would like it, but not me. I kept reading it, hoping it would get good, but it just got worse. And the worst part about it was that at the end, I seriously felt like the book had somehow taken something from me. And I don't mean just my time. Now I'm just trying to get it out of my head. It had the potential to be really interesting, but I just don't think it quite got there. Someone said it was rushed at the end. I agree. It felt like the author just kind of gave up. I was hoping that the novel would redeem itself somehow, but no such luck. I would be horrified if my child were required to read this in school. I don't believe in censorship, but it shouldn't be required reading. The reading level may be for younger readers, but certainly not the topics discussed in the book. What were the Newbery people thinking?!
 2008-10-05 - Must read for all ages.
This book was great for a few reasons...
Theme - a utopian society will always be relevant and always be thought provoking. Especially when its well written like The Giver is. I find the theme to be incredibly interesting, especially since I have only ever read one other similar novel which was 1984.
Size and syle - It was short, very easy to read and follow. The thing I liked about it is that even though its technically a young adult novel, it can be read by all ages.
The characters were interesting. The plot was fast paced and engaging.
Overall, its a must read for all ages.
2008-09-27 - A Thought-provoking, Original Story
Lois Lowry's The Giver has just made my top-ten list of favorite books. Although I am a senior in college, this is the first time I have ever delved into the intriguing world of The Giver, and I found it fascinating.
The story revolves around a young boy named Jonas. Jonas has grown up in a supposedly perfect society where no one experiences pain or suffering and no one has to make their own choices. Everything about their lives is carefully controlled, from how they wear their hair, to their jobs within the community and their assigned spouses. At the beginning of the book, Jonas is about to become a twelve and receive his assignment within the community. Jonas learns that he has been selected to be the new receiver of memories. The giver is the man who currently holds those memories, and he begins to give some of those memories to Jonas. As Jonas receives these memories, he learns of a long forgotten world, a world full of pain, full of sorrow, full of color, full of joy and full of love. It is as he begins to learn about things such as sunshine, war, holidays, and family that he begins to realize what is missing from the society he lives in--depth of feeling and the ability to make choices for oneself. Jonas struggles as he tries to adjust his new knowledge in to the perfectly ordered society that he lives in. And the more he thinks about how things were, and how they could be, the more he begins to wonder if things can change.
I gave this book five stars for two reasons. Number one, as a life-long lover of books, I particularly enjoy reading a story that is very unique, even for its genre. Although one could argue that The Giver is similar to other dystopian novels such as 1984 or Anthem, I thought that Lowry's approach was quite original. The second reason that I loved this book is because it was thought provoking. It truly made me ponder the importance of choice, the necessity of experiencing pain and sorrow to understand true joy, and the significance of feeling and being loved. Unlike other dystopian novels, this book didn't seem to be a political statement or a warning of what society could become, but rather just a story that raises questions about what is most important, and what a perfect society truly is.
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