The Giver by Lois Lowry

Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pages: 208 pages
Published: January 2006 (first published in 1993)

How old am I to be reading The Giver by Lois Lowry? In my opinion, books really have no age limit. Of course, there are certain books that are not suitable for youngsters, but I believe once you've reached my age, you can read anything you want - no judgement. Having said all that, I will offer up this explanation. I decided to read this book because my 6th grade niece is reading it for her language arts class, and I love reading and discussing books with all people, but especially her!

The Giver is essentially the OG of dystopian. Before The Hunger Games, there was this lovely book. It's about a utopian society where everything is calm and peaceful. All people are respectful and follow orders. Each family unit can only have up to two children. Careers are decided by a group of leaders. The days are formulaic. Everything is gray, dull ... and boring. When the protagonist, Jonas, reaches the age of majority where he is given his job in the community, he begins to see things in a new light. His eyes are opened to a world beyond any he's ever known, and with this knowledge comes great responsibility.

I don't typically enjoy dystopian. Had I known that this was the genre, I probably would have gone into it with a different mindset. The reason I don't like reading dystopian is because of the few books I've read, it all seems hopeless and dire. I can't reconcile it with my reality, so I struggle. The difference with this book is that I do think it's filled with hope and promise. As I understand it, Lowry went on to write more books in the series. I don't know if I'll tackle those, (Although, I suppose my niece could convince me.) but I throughly enjoyed this one. Many other reviewers have balked at the ending; however this was my favorite part. I think most people either love it or hate it. If you've read The Giver or intend to, I'd love to hear your thoughts about the ending in the comments below.

Recommendation: This is a quick read for all ages. I recommend it as a nice escape from reality that evokes a myriad of emotions.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.