"The Giver"

by Lois Lowry, 1993, 179p, rating= a resounding 5!!
Newbery Award winner

"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's time for Jonas to receive the truth.  There is no turning back." (book's synopsis)

Holy cow!  This is an incredibly amazing book!  Not having read it thus far is another proof that I've been living under a rock.  I am totally at awe.   My horizon has certainly been broaden.  I am happier for reading this book!! Aahhhhhh!!!  So if you haven't read it already, what are you waiting for?  Stop reading this post and go to a bookstore or library or Kindle or wherever you can find this book and read it today!  Then come back here and finish reading this review.  :D

Okay, let me take a deep breath and compose myself.  Oh, I am lost for words but here I go.  Anyway, Jonas's community of  "sameness" will leave you asking, utopian or dystopian?  It depends on how you look at it.  How did you feel about the movie The Truman Show starring Jim Carrey?  Would a society of peace and order be better than a society of chaos but with choices?  Truly makes one wonder the worlds of the Amish, the Native American tribes, or such groups that subsist outside the mainstream culture.  We might think that they are missing out but are they?  Suffice it to say that specifically in this book, I am grateful for color, music, and love.  I like having choices and I delighted in Jonas's courage to go after them.  To me, the ending was a happy ending.

My quote-ables:

"The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain.  It's the loneliness of it.  Memories need to be shared." pg 154