The Giver

	Title The Giver    Author Lois Lowry    Genre Young Adult, Dystopian    Publisher Random House (Soon to be Random Penguin or whatever...)    Publication Date 1993    How I Got This Book Half.com    Hardback 179    Stand alone or series #1 of Giver Series      My Average No Idea      Reading Difficulty 1 (on a scale of 1-5 5 = dictionary vernacular)
One of the Original Dystopian novels (according to me)

For the small percentage of people out there who haven't read this novel before (this is my second time through):

Jonas'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.


My Thoughts:
I vaguely remember reading this novel in elementary or middle school. It is an easy read, and recommended for any age. The beauty of this novel is that it is a shining example of why we need to remember the bad with the good. Feel everything. Why we can't just push our problems off on someone else. And why it is important to be your own person, to think for yourself.

Though this isn't my favorite dystopian novel, I hold that place for Anthem, by Ayn Rand, this is one of my top (just below Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451). Actually, as I was reading this novel, I was thinking about Anthem, and how similar the two are. I kept waiting for Jonas to find a log cabin in the wintery abyss.

Rating: B+

If you like this novel, you might also like Anthem, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451 & The House of Scorpion.

What were your thoughts on this book when you read it in elementary school, middle school or high school?