Friday, October 30, 2009

Review of *The Giver* by Lois Lowry

Okay I have to pull myself away from internet research to find out why Lois Lowry wanted a photo of this man on the cover. Not why there's an old man on the cover--he looks like he could portray The Giver from the story--but why this man? Lois Lowry is credited with the photograph and I found out that Cliff Nielsen is the cover artist! To re-cap, Cliff has created the cover art for Ice by Sarah Beth Durst and The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. But I wonder if Lois knew the man she photographed and why it's important for the cover of her book. It would be awesome if it was simply, "I thought he looked cool".

Although I don't love the cover, myself. It's actually put me off reading the book. I only took it up because I found the title on a list of dystopian themed books and I thought I'd give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised.

I really like The Giver. I'm still disturbed by the ending. It's a book that I can see myself reading again sometime just so I don't miss anything. Although I've seen alot of online reviews from people who have hated this book; I don't think it's for everyone. I love how strange it is--I took a lot out of this book, and simultaneously, nothing. I found it ultimately jarring.

An airplane accidentally flies over the town/compound(?) where Jonas lives and a voice from the public speaker system instructs everyone to stay inside their dwellings. The only other time a plane has been illegally seen by people is when a cargo plane lands to bring them their supplies. After a few minutes of confusion, the speaker announces that "Needless to say, he will be released", meaning the pilot. However you soon find out what it means exactly to "be released".

Up to half of the story in The Giver is setting the stage for a possible utopian future where pain and confusion have been eradicated, where families live together joined by empathy and consideration, and where all choices are made for you, eliminating the anxiety of possible regret or guilt. While I was reading I was thinking, "Hey some of these ideas aren't so bad". I even loved Jonas' father who is a caregiver for the government; he takes care of the babies produced by the birthmothers and makes sure they have a proper start before they are given to a family.

And then Jonas turns twelve and, like everyone else who turns twelve or has ever turned twelve in this community, he is assigned his career for life. And he is called upon to be the Receiver. Receiver of what? Jonas soon meets The Giver, the most important member of his society, and finds out the price of living in a utopia.

I really don't want to give too much away. I went in with no background info and loved finding out as I went along. Even the back cover synopsis of my edition keeps it wonderfully vague. I guess I wasn't surprised by how sophisticated the story is because of its awards and recognition, but I really enjoyed its depth. The Giver actually makes you see the necessity of pain in life and its absolute meaninglessness. And that ending...
The world in The Giver depicts more of a social dystopia or anti-utopia. There is no technology, no religion, and no Outside. I was also excited about its magic-realism elements (just the smallest dash) and the mythic manifestation of the human psyche. The Giver is a little hard to classify.
Mandy

32 comments:

Donna Gambale said...

The Giver is one of my all-time favorite books, and every time I read it I get something new from it. So glad you liked it!

Tales of Whimsy said...

I adore this book. Great review. I love the different covers.

Andrea said...

I loved The Giver. It was excellent and horrifying yet though provoking. And I agree that the cover is not the best.

La Coccinelle said...

I don't really remember much about this book, since it's been years since I read it. But I do remember thinking it was really good.

Rhiannon Hart said...

I love dystopian books so I'm very excited about teen dystopia week! I have never read The Giver and I've read so many positive reviews about it so I must go try and find a copy now. Looking forward to the rest of the week :)

Cecelia said...

I was another of those lucky people who went into this story completely blind. I think I read it my freshman year of college, just because it was sitting on a friend's shelf. And... WOW. I was not expecting this. It would be another 5 years before I even heard the word dystopian. But what an amazing book! I loved it, and cried (like I always do when reading about dystopias), and then I preached it to everyone in my immediate vicinity.
Great review!

Katie said...

This is one of my all-time favorites. My sixth grade teacher read it aloud back in 1996...(yikes, I'm dating myself), and it was the highlight of my day. I'm so glad that you weren't spoiled for it -- it's such a better book to discover as you go along.

Sarah said...

this book was amazing! it took me a while to get into it, but once i did i loved it!

Mandy said...

Awesome! People seem to really like The Giver. I can't believe I waited this long to read it.

I wish I could have done a more indepth review of the book as i thought it was near perfect. But I went in blindfolded and wanted to maintain that for the next reader. Sometimes reviews, well writing them, are frustrating!!

Thanks for your comments, all!

Heather Zundel said...

I'm so glad you did a review of The Giver. And I love that you showed the different covers as well.

Helen's Book Blog said...

I really enjoyed the Giver as well as the sequel. By the time I got to the third book it was too many right in a row. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first two.

人妻 said...

Hな人妻たちの社交場、割り切った付き合いも当然OK!欲求不満のエロ人妻たちを好みに合わせてご紹介します。即会い、幼な妻、セレブ、熟女、SM妻、秘密、以上6つのジャンルから遊んでみたい女性を選んでください

サイドビジネス said...

1日5万円~が手に入るサイドビジネスのご案内です。男狂いのセレブ女性はネットで知り合った男を次々に金の力で食い散らかしています。そんな女性を手玉にとって大金を稼いでみませんか

Hチェッカー said...

みんなで楽しめるHチェッカー!簡単な設問に答えるだけであなたの隠されたH度数がわかっちゃいます!あの人のムッツリ度もバレちゃう診断を今すぐ試してみよう

家出 said...

最近流行の家出掲示板では、各地のネットカフェ等を泊り歩いている家出少女のメッセージが多数書き込みされています。彼女たちはお金がないので掲示板で知り合った男性の家にでもすぐに泊まりに行くようです。あなたも書き込みに返事を返してみませんか

高収入アルバイト said...

性欲を持て余し、欲求不満になっている女性を金銭の対価を得て、癒して差し上げるお仕事です。参加にあたり用紙、学歴等は一切問いません。高収入アルバイトに興味のある方はぜひどうぞ

Beth said...

This was my favourite book as a child. I still remember the way it made me feel, and I think it forever changed the way I looked at the world.

高級チェリー said...

童貞を奪ってみたい女性たちは、男性にとって「初体験」という一生に一度だけの、特別なイベントを共に心に刻み込むことを至上の喜びにしているのです。そんな童貞好きな女性たちと高級チェリーで最高のSEXをしてみませんか

困っています。 said...

最近寂しくて困っています。夜一人で寝るのが凄く寂しいです…隣で添い寝してくれる男性いませんか?見た目とか特に気にしません。優しくて一緒にいてくれる方大歓迎☆一緒に布団で温まりましょう♪shart.enamorado.de-me@docomo.ne.jp

副収入 said...

一晩の割り切ったお付き合いで副収入が得られるサイトのご案内です。アルバイト感覚での挑戦もできる、安心の無料登録システムを採用しておりますので、興味のある方は当サイトをぜひご覧ください

スタービーチ said...

復活、スタービーチ!日本最大の友達探しサイトがついに復活、進化を遂げた新生スタビをやってみませんか?理想のパートナー探しの手助け、合コンパーティー等も随時開催しています。楽しかった頃のスタビを体験しよう

モテる度チェッカー said...

なかなか彼氏、彼女が出来ない君達の深層心理を徹底解明♪みんなでモテる度チェックをやって結果交換も自由、合コンや休み時間はモテる度チェックで暇つぶし!次にモテ期が訪れる瞬間をズバリ診断しちゃいます

¥倶楽部 said...

出会ぃも今は¥倶楽部!オンナがオトコを買う時代になりました。当サイトでは逆援希望の女性が男性を自由に選べるシステムを採用しています。経済的に成功を収めた女性ほど金銭面は豊かですが愛に飢えているのです。いますぐTOPページからどうぞ

野外露出 said...

今迄は野外露出がマイナスイメージと囚われがちですが、実際は開放的な気分になり有名人のヌーディストが、オープンになる事を推奨してるぐらいです。このサイトをキッカケに知り合った娘達と野外で楽しみませんか

高級 said...

どうしても相手がセレブだと高級感が有り、近付きにくいと思われがちですが、実際はただ欲望のままに快楽を追い求める、セレブとは掛け離れた女性が居るだけです。今こそ自分の欲望を満たすときです

人妻 said...

最近旦那とマンネリで全然Hしてません。正直もうかなり欲求不満です…誰か相手してくれる方いませんか?空いている時間は多いと思うので都合は合わせやすいと思います。お互い楽しめる関係になりたいな。人妻でも平気な人いたら是非相手してください☆一応18歳以上の人限定でお願いします。上はどこまででも大丈夫なんで excellent.lady@docomo.ne.jp

ライブチャット said...

当サイトでは無料でオナ動画を見ることができます。また、ライブチャット機能でリアルタイムオ○ニーを見るチャンスも高く、興奮間違いなしです。また、一人Hのお手伝いを希望される女性もあり、お手伝いいただけた方には謝礼をお支払いしております

スタービーチ said...

日本最大、だれもが知っている出会い系スタービーチがついに復活、進化を遂げた新生スタビをやってみませんか?趣味の合う理想のパートナー探しの手助け、合コンパーティー等も随時開催しています。楽しかった頃のスタビで遊んでみよう

モテる度 said...

あなたの異性からのモテ度数を診断できる、モテる度チェッカー!日頃モテモテで充実しているあなたもそうでないニートの方も隠されたモテスキルを測定して結果を活用し、今以上にモッテモテになること間違いなし

救援部 said...

女性のオナニーを助ける場が救援部です。ここに所属してる娘のオナニーを見て気に入ったら、実際に会ってオナニーを手伝っても良いし、エッチしても良し、これで報酬Get出来るんですから美味しいバイトですよ

スタービーチ said...

一時代を築いたスタービーチは閉鎖になりましたが、もう一度楽しい思いをしたい、もう一度出会いたいと思う有志により再度復活しました。本家以上に簡単に出会えて楽しい思いを約束します

女に生れて来たからには!! said...

誰にも言えない秘密があります。実はとってもHなんです、せっかく女として生まれたからにはアブノーマルな世界に飛び込んでみたいです☆普段では考えられないプレイを思う存分楽しみ、経験したいんです♪快楽に溺れさせてくれませんか?一緒に感じ合いましょう!!都合はつくのですぐに時間を合わせられます。18歳よりも上の方がいいです!! quietness@docomo.ne.jp

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