The Giver

The Giver
Lois Lowry
Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2006; ISBN 0385732554
Recommended reading age: Young Adult

Summary:
At first, Jonas’ world appears to be a Utopia: no one fights, no one goes hungry, no children go unfed, and no marriages end in divorce. However, Jonas’ perspective becomes clouded when, on his twelfth birthday, he is assigned to assist the Receiver of Memory. Jonas’ main job function is to take on memories and emotions from the community, thus sparing them from pain, anger and fear. He also realizes, though, that he must prevent his peers from ever fully knowing love, snowstorms, or color. As Jonas becomes better acquainted with what it means to be human, he must grapple with the contrast between his own truth, and his community’s version of truth.

Review:
I first read this book in the fifth grade, and found myself intrigued, confused, and mind-blown. I read it again when I was 25. Although I still enjoyed it the second time around, The Giver is either geared towards younger audiences or first-time readers. Suspense is pretty relevant to The Giver. Still, Lois Lowry paints a disturbingly clear dystopia that feels all-too possible in the modern day. Her writing is descriptive and lyrical, but certainly easy enough for younger readers. Nevertheless, situations in the story require some deep thinking and analysis of moral decisions. The Giver is a great jumping-off point for questioning the self and the world at large.