Thursday, September 30, 2010

Kimberly reviews: The Giver by Lois Lowry


Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
How I got it: I bought it from B&N
Why I read it: Because it’s on the banned book list!

Jonas' life is perfect. Everything is controlled and the way that things are supposed to be. No war, no pain, everyone has a role selected for them. Even the weather is perfect. It only rains when it needs to and the temperature is always perfect. When he turns twelve he is given his “role”, the job he will start training to do for the rest of his life. He has been assigned to learn from “The Giver”. The Giver is the one person who holds all of the memories of true pain and happiness.

I’m having a difficult time understanding why this is on the banned books list. I didn’t find anything in it that would put it on that list. But then, most of the books on that list don’t deserve to be there.

It’s really an enjoyable read. It’s quite unlike anything I’d read before. It kept me constantly guessing at what was happening. What secrets does The Giver hold? Why were Jonah’s parent’s so concerned when he told them about his dream? And what really happens to the babies that “don’t develop right”?

I’d recommend this to just about anyone. Even if it’s simply because you want to read it because it’s been banned. It’s an intriguing novel, with interesting characters and a plotline that will hook you.

My rating: 4.5 Stars

For those of you that have read this already, there is a sequel! I didn’t know that for the longest time.

17 comments:

  1. I read this book over and over again as a child. It was my all time favorite!

    I don't get why it was banned either. It doesn't make sense!

    I didn't even know this had a sequel until two years ago!! I have to do a re-read and then read the sequel!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wonder if the concept of the book makes people feel squeamish - especially since dystopias are in part a social commentary?

    Otherwise seems a weird choice to me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. HH-- I was wondering that as well! That was honestly the ONLY thing I could think of that would make people want to ban it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm going to be re-reading this book. Did you know it was a series??

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've never read this book, although I heard a lot about it, but it seems similar to her other book "Gathering Blue." An excellent writer, maybe just a bit too controversial for some people?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes, it's the first in a trilogy. I didn't know that, either! Granted, I read this when it came out, and then I was "too old" for children's books when the other 2 came out...glad I no longer am!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The reason it's been banned is because it puts communism in a positive light, something like that. It has to do with the perfect society that they live in, even though that completely misses the point of the book.

    ReplyDelete
  8. LOL--Agreed Tahleen! They clearly didn't read or understand the point of the book if that is what they take away from it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Here is an article from USA Today about why was The Giver banned: http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/2001-07-20-the-giver.htm

    I haven't read the book (yet) but as someone who has, do you agree?

    http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. **Possible spoilers!**

    Hmm, now that I'm looking for concrete evidence of why it was banned, I can't find any mentions of communism. I swear I read it somewhere. But I'm mostly seeing its use of euthanasia and suicide as the reason.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I sometimes find that with banned books too. Madame Bovary was no where near as bad as I was led to believe it would be!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love The Giver! Has to be one of the first dystopian YA books, and still one of the best. Love the creative idea of passing along the memories, and the whole community is fleshed out really well for being a fairly quick read.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I knew there was a sequel but have never read it. I'm in the middle of rereading The Giver, so maybe I'll pick up its sequel soon while it's fresh in my mind.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I haven't read this book since 6th grade, but I loved it. I actually just read the sequel over the summer, and it was also good. My sister has the third book, so hopefully I'll get to read that when I get back home!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love this book, and I've actually read the whole trilogy; The Giver, Messenger, and Gathering Blue (in that order if I remember correctly). The Giver is the best one, but the others are pretty good as well :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love this book! The other two in the trilogy (loosely connected) are good, but not as outstanding as The Giver

    ReplyDelete
  17. Omg! This is banned?! I loved this book in school! I was so sad at the end. O and I didn't know there is a sequel! Seriously? l0l

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts with Thumbnails