Book Review: The Giver

The Giver
by Lois Lowry

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of memories does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community.

A very thought-provoking novel that's aimed at younger teenage readers, but I enjoyed it as well. The boy lives in a utopian society and his new position in the community that he's been assigned is that of a receiver of memory. As the memories begin to get passed on to him, via the touch of the current elderly receiver, he starts to become disillusioned with his society and the only world he's known. Their world is one where people aren't allowed any form of diversity or feelings.

The book itself is very well-written with a quick pace and it's a book that you could probably read in one sitting as it's not very big. Descriptions are vivid and she answers a lot of questions but leaves enough so that you have to think a bit. The end is a bit open and might mean a lot of things to different readers. A great book for a parent to read with their child and discuss and I can see why it's used in a lot of classrooms. I do find it a bit ironic though that it's being assigned in private schools where the children are all forced to dress alike and conform.

Highly recommended for a quick read.

9/10