The Short:
The Giver
By: Lois Lowry
5/5 Stars (And on the Favorites Shelf)
What: Jonas’ world is perfect, but when he is selected for a
position of honor in the community, he finds not everything is as it seems.
Recommended to those who like: Dystopian, Clean,
Thought-provoking, quick reads.
The Long:
This is one of my favorite books, but I haven’t read it for
several years. When I found a used copy for a reasonable price, I simply had to
read it again.
Jonas’ community is perfect. There is no pain, no argument,
and no hunger. But when he is selected for the highest honor in the community,
he discovers that nothing is as it seems. Is what they lost worth what they
gained?
The Giver is one
of those unique books that both children and adults can read and enjoy. The
language is simple and straightforward, but the story itself is
thought-provoking. I always end up thinking about the story for days after I
read it.
The plot, the characters, and the message all combine for a
beautiful read.
I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone in case they
haven’t read it, so I will refrain from saying more. (This is an easy book to spoil for others). If you haven’t read this
one yet, make sure you read it soon! Also, the movie isn’t half bad, but it
misses some of the points made in the book.
The Bottom Line: I would highly recommend this book to anyone and
everyone.
What's the most pressing book on your to-read list?
Ah! Love this book so much! It makes you think and just, just wow!
ReplyDeleteIt is also one of my favorites! It makes me think every time.
DeleteThanks for the comment! Sorry it took me so long to reply!
I JUST LOVE THIS BOOK! One of my favourite books of all time, definitely. What did you think of the movie (if you've seen it)? I personally loved it, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was well done, but not as good as the book. I think the thing that bugged me most was that it turned into a "feelings save the day" message. There are a lot of movies that carry the message that we all need love, and I would have liked to seen some of the other themes explored a little more thoroughly. For example, one thing that I always get out of the book is the struggle of whether people should be allowed to choose, even if they might choose wrongly. How many movies carry that message?
DeleteI also wasn't a fan of how Jonas' friends got involved. I see how it was an improvement from a cinematic standpoint--it's rather boring to only follow one person. However, I think we lost the message that sometimes we will be the only one in a position to do what is right, and that takes a lot of courage.
My favorite review on Rotten Tomatoes was by David Ehrlich: "The fatal irony at the heart of The Giver is too hilariously blatant to ignore: here is a dystopian teen drama about the perils of sameness that feels exactly like all of the other movies in its increasingly crowded genre." I agree with his sentiment, but thought that it deserved a higher rating than the 1.5 stars he gave it.
None of this is to say that it was a bad movie--I enjoyed it and thought it was one of the better book to movie adaptations I've seen recently. I would compare it to a literal translation of poetry--it followed the plot in the strictest sense, but something substantial was lost.
Well, that was longer than intended, but I hope it answered your question! Thanks for the comment!