The Giver
I don’t read much Young Adult (YA) literature but chanced upon ‘The Giver’ by Lois Lowry. Published in 1993 and receiving the Newbery Medal a year later, it is a short dystopian novel, dealing with a managed society in which no-one is allowed to experience deep emotion, or to learn about history. Society does not operate independently or democratically.
When children reach the age of twelve, they are assigned their lifelong tasks by the Elders. For example, if girls are appointed as Birth mothers, they will bear three children, and then become labourers. Babies are assigned to family units. Adults are matched with appropriate partners. There is no love, romance, courtship, or choice. In order to combat ‘stirrings’ of emotions, a daily pill is taken to suppress them.
Nurturers look after newborn babies. Other people live their lives cleaning up.
Jonas, the ‘hero’ of the book, is called to be a Receiver. In that role, he receives all the memories hidden from the rest of his community, and learns about pain, colour, hunger, happiness, and family. In time he will become the Giver of memories.
Inevitably, he decides to escape and takes with him the baby Gabriel, who has been destined to be ‘released’ because he is not considered strong enough to live in the community. They set off on an arduous journey to reach ‘Elsewhere,’ an unknown location.
The story feels like a slighter form of George Orwell’s powerful novel, ‘1984.’ It comes to an abrupt and unsatisfying end, when Jonas and Gabriel, cold and starving, see colour and warmth in a cottage at the foot of a steep, snowy slope.
It was interesting to read the author’s comments at the end of the book. She claimed that the ending was deliberately ambiguous and then wrote sequels to the book in later years.
It is not a book I would recommend. It starts well, but runs out of ideas once the hero leaves his secure environment, as though the original premise was exciting but had not been thought through thoroughly.
Have you read this book? What did you think?
I haven't read this story but I've read a lot of juvenile fiction.
ReplyDeleteTeachers tend to read a lot of books written for younger people.
DeleteYour synopsis suits me fine.
ReplyDeleteNot tempted? I'm not surprised.
DeleteI haven't read the book, but I think this was a movie that I saw bits and pieces of because the story sounds very familiar.
ReplyDeleteThere was a film made in 2014. I haven't seen it.
DeleteI've never read a Lois Lowry book. I don't typically read YA books, but, by all accounts, Lowry is a very good writer.
ReplyDeleteIt was very easy to read. Writing for young people is a special skill.
DeleteI have that criticism of a lot of writers -- great premise then they flounder not knowing how to write their way out of it.
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteI agree with Anvil. Your synopsis is enough for me
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Deletewe liked this book, the story was interesting enough to enthrall my son when he was nine and I enjoyed reading it. The end was mysterious to me but not to my son- he said "They died". that is all.
ReplyDeleteYour son's reaction was interesting. The author later claimed that they didn't die. This book was the first of a quartet, but I don't think I'll read the rest!
DeleteI haven't heard of the book or the author and I don't think I will look for it.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of other books out there.
DeleteI found its premise deeply compelling, but I agree that the ending feels unresolved and that the story loses momentum once Jonas leaves the structured world that gave it such tension
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to learn that one survey designated it 'the fourth-best children's novel of all time.'
DeleteIt sounds like many others on a similar theme.
ReplyDeleteYou're right.
DeleteThank you for the review. I haven’t heard of this book or author. Too sad about what’s going on over here so will probably not read it.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's not an uplifting book!
DeleteI've heard of Lous Lowry but not read any of her work. It sounds like one to leave on the shelf if other reads are available. I wouldn't normally read YA books but did so recently for two books written by a friend. She actually sequenced them backwards giving written Jellyfish Dreaming she decided she needed to explain in a prequel how the main character arrived at the opening of the first book and so wrote Electric Ice. I only agreed to read them because I attended one of her bookstore readings in London and got to hear what her motivations were for the themes she explores and like my purchases of art and ceramics I will generally only do so after a conversation with the artist about their inspiration etc.
ReplyDeleteI used to read a lot of children's literature - it goes with the teaching territory - but not now.
DeleteIt can be awkward to critique a friend's work.
No I have not read this book nor does it sound like the type of book I would enjoy reading. I prefer a good mystery.
ReplyDeleteIt's not thrilling or amusing, that's true!
ReplyDeleteI think my son read this sometime in his schooling. I read it years ago when, for a couple of years, I was into YA literature. I've read dystopian literature for years and I liked the book's ending, because it was so open to interpretation. It's too bad, in a way, that Lowry wrote a sequel that cleared up the mystery of that Giver ending.
ReplyDeleteShe destroyed her own justification of the ending in a way.
DeleteI have not read the book and stopped reading YA when I was about 13. I would not read the book, just reading your review of the content made me have angry feelings. I have said many times I am so happy that I was born when I was born and not back in the past, when women were treated like slaves. even in my childhood they still were.
ReplyDeleteIn some parts of the world women are shamefully still treated as second-class citizens, not allowed education or a voice.
ReplyDeleteI liked it. It's one of the better Newbery winners, in my opinion, and it's one that remains popular in our school library. There are two sequels, I believe. Having said all that, I read it several years ago and I had forgotten the plot completely (beyond the fact that it was dystopian), so although it was enjoyable it wasn't particularly memorable!
ReplyDeleteToo bad you didn't like it
ReplyDeleteI thought it started so well, but declined after the escape from Sameness. Still, anything that encourages children to read is good.
ReplyDeleteSounds disturbing. I've got my own dystopia.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of neither the book nor the writer.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this one but the premise sounds intriguing. Too bad it wasn't as good as the beginning of it all the way to the end. It sounds like it had promise.
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