Book Review: "The Giver" by Lois Lowry

My Rating: 

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Plot Tease
Jonah's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

Book Review
The Giver is definitely thought-provoking. When the dystopian environment is introduced, you get this weird feeling. Something isn't quite right behind the curtain, even though what you're seeing isn't necessarily 'strange'. Lowry captures that uncanny sense perfectly and simply.

Jonah is very kind, and adheres to the community rules: no lying, use precise words, stay with your assigned parter, and take pills to suppress Stirrings (love, emotions), among others. The Giver literally brings color into the mundane community world. He is the only surviving human that knows anything about emotions, pain or love of any kind. He is the only person who has memories of humanity as it was before.

Jonah's role is to take over the Giver's job when the Giver is 'released'. He must hold these emotions and memories in order to advise the community council. Jonah's character develops as he experiences color for the first time. He tells his first lie. He understands love. He feels pain, where he never has before. It's brilliantly breathtaking how Lowry describes each facet of life that we as human beings usually take for granted.

Recognizing that his community operates on placid lies, Jonah struggles with being able to interact with his friends and family. They simply cannot understand the world in the same way, and it is both painful and frustrating to read. A huge moral decision is put upon Jonah (which I won't spoil. Read it, it's good!), and in order to do what is right he will have to break every rule.

I think almost anyone can relate to Jonah's situation. Everyone has felt like the outcast at some point, or has been faced with the possibility that they will have to go against popular opinion to stay true to themselves. The Giver may be simple, but it deals with some big issues in a very vivid way. It's definitely worth a read.

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.” - The Giver

Cost: New $8.99/Used $1.00 (Available on Nook and Kindle.)
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Have you read The Giver? Would you be able to trade emotions and memories to stop war and pain? Do you think it is the government's role to make that kind of decision?