The Giver by Lois Lowry | Teen Ink

The Giver by Lois Lowry MAG

By Bapalapa2 ELITE, Brooklyn, New York
Bapalapa2 ELITE, Brooklyn, New York
1044 articles 0 photos 1 comment

After reading The Giver, I was left confused and disappointed. It seemed as if it would be interesting, but you can't judge a book by its cover. The contents were dull and predictable. Quite honestly, I wouldn't recommend it to any reader seeking a fine piece of literature. It just doesn't suffice.

The Giver is about a young boy named Jonas. He resides in a futuristic society in which each citizen is assigned a job, a spouse, and children. The children are born to mothers who will never get to see them. Trying not to give anymore away, I will only say that Jonas is assigned an important job and is challenged with the release of an innocent child. Jonas is left with the option of leaving his home, job, and family to save the child, or facing the harsh reality of his community and job, and enduring the release of the child.

This book was dreadful. I became more and more dissatisfied with each page. It was a waste of time and hardly made sense. I'll admit, there were a few interesting lines, but far too few to continue reading after the first chapter. Although I finished it, I regret doing so. It was, by far, the worst book I've ever picked up. It proved to be mediocre, no better than what the average person could conceive. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 587 comments.


on Apr. 12 2010 at 9:40 am
Peace420 BRONZE, Williston, Florida
2 articles 0 photos 42 comments

I hardly remember this book but I do remember sitting on my bed after being WOW. I love this book and it is very interesting idea...

 


on Apr. 8 2010 at 8:03 pm
shelterisland GOLD, Montclair, New Jersey
14 articles 0 photos 175 comments

Favorite Quote:
-Biting's excellent. It's like kissing only there's a winner."-Doctor Who, The Tardis

haha sorry that was supposed to be a reply to someone else's comment

on Apr. 8 2010 at 8:03 pm
shelterisland GOLD, Montclair, New Jersey
14 articles 0 photos 175 comments

Favorite Quote:
-Biting's excellent. It's like kissing only there's a winner."-Doctor Who, The Tardis

ikr, i really liked it!

on Apr. 8 2010 at 7:22 pm
maritina BRONZE, San Juan, Other
4 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
In life you never know what's gonna happen next...whether it's good or bad, for the worst or for the best. Either way you just have to take a chance and hope it's for the best...

I neither agree nor dissagree. I will admit that it is not my favorite book in the entire world, but it was a good read for a rainy day.I did not dislike it because it was a bad book, but because it didn't interest me very much at the time. I think it was very well written though and it is very eye opening to events that coud easiy happen if society keeps insisting absolute equality in every single aspect of people's lives.

 


PurpleRain said...
on Apr. 8 2010 at 6:29 pm

I really enjoyed this book! The ending wasn't exactly satifying but for the most part it was extremely interesting.

 


_NoAir_ BRONZE said...
on Apr. 8 2010 at 4:08 pm
_NoAir_ BRONZE, Toronto, Other
4 articles 1 photo 463 comments

Favorite Quote:
There are as many ways to live as there are people in this world. Each one deserves a closer look.


–Golly (Harriet The Spy)

Hey wait a minute. If you don't like this book, then why did you read it? :|

_NoAir_ BRONZE said...
on Apr. 8 2010 at 4:06 pm
_NoAir_ BRONZE, Toronto, Other
4 articles 1 photo 463 comments

Favorite Quote:
There are as many ways to live as there are people in this world. Each one deserves a closer look.


–Golly (Harriet The Spy)

Yeah, I agree. We are reading this book at school. It's kinda disguisting when it's talking about "stirrings" but I still love this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

S.Kriva SILVER said...
on Apr. 5 2010 at 5:46 pm
S.Kriva SILVER, Richmond, Virginia
5 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live laugh love

i totally agree with your comment it is really true even though I have read it once it is one of the best books I have ever read

S.Kriva SILVER said...
on Apr. 5 2010 at 5:37 pm
S.Kriva SILVER, Richmond, Virginia
5 articles 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live laugh love

Well I am sorry but I totally disagree with this review. I read it for a book club and I LOVED it.  Lois Lowery is an awesome author. I really enjoyed her writing style.

WiseGirl said...
on Apr. 2 2010 at 3:48 pm
WiseGirl, Adams, Tennessee
0 articles 0 photos 64 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I think, therefore I am."
-Rene Decartes

I happen to LOVE The Giver. I have read both of the companion novels.

on Mar. 31 2010 at 2:17 pm
tennisplayergirl GOLD, Arrington, Virginia
10 articles 0 photos 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
"He who will not risk cannot win." John Paul Jones

This is my all time favorite book! I couldn't possibly understand why something wouldn't like it! I love how Lois Lowry makes up her own futuristic world. It's so cool!

on Mar. 27 2010 at 2:23 pm
Natalie4ya GOLD, Laredo, Texas
19 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To each his own" "Love is being stupid together"

From reading your...review..I became very upset. I have read The Giver multiple times and my mother teaches it at her skoool. The Giver is one of my all time favorite books, its the complete oposite of everything you called it and how dare you regret reading it. Do not blame the novel or the author if your not bright enough to trully understand the novels contents.

readaholic said...
on Mar. 23 2010 at 7:27 pm
The messenger and gathering blue are the type of books called companions. They aren't sequels but are related to the story in some way. And about the review above: i personally LOVED the book and disagree with the reviewer. I read it in 6th grade by choice and i think it's interesting and makes you think. It really depends what type of books you like to read.

on Mar. 17 2010 at 8:30 pm
MisplacedTexan14, Saratoga, California
0 articles 0 photos 106 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them."- a Bumper Sticker
"If Obama was the answer, it was a stupid question." - Another Bumper sticker

I agree that it was a warning. It shows how it would be if everyone was perfectly equal and there was no creativity. It was written beautifully and made everyone in my class think.

on Mar. 17 2010 at 7:16 pm
literaryaddict PLATINUM, Albuquerque, New Mexico
23 articles 3 photos 157 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We're almost there and no where near it. All that matters is that we're going." Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls
"The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound." Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

in a way, yes, they are sequels. but also, in a way, they're not. you have to read the giver then gathering blue then messenger. the information is continued and expanded.

on Mar. 17 2010 at 7:13 pm
literaryaddict PLATINUM, Albuquerque, New Mexico
23 articles 3 photos 157 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We're almost there and no where near it. All that matters is that we're going." Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls
"The whole theory of modern education is radically unsound." Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

i must disagree. i loved this book. it was thought provoking and offered insight into a world that could be true if we try to make everyone the same. jonas, the heroine, shows important moral virtues. moral of the story: the world isn't what you think it is. another moral: listen to your morals and what you believe is right. but i'm glad you made an effort to finish it to make a well-backed opinion.

nora said...
on Mar. 17 2010 at 6:03 pm
That's part of the point of the book. The parallels to this extreme society and ours are supposed to make you feel uncomfortable. She wants you to think about those things, about brainwashing and governments who don't confide in their people and euthanasia. They are things that are hard to talk about, she's saying that not talking about them could lead to this sort of society.

heeeheee34 said...
on Mar. 17 2010 at 11:58 am
srry i tested this website and i made an error, this book is actually decent and suspending

heeeheee34 said...
on Mar. 17 2010 at 11:56 am
This book sucks.

on Mar. 17 2010 at 10:58 am
MisplacedTexan14, Saratoga, California
0 articles 0 photos 106 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you can't stand behind our troops, feel free to stand in front of them."- a Bumper Sticker
"If Obama was the answer, it was a stupid question." - Another Bumper sticker

okay, whatever. Talk about the book. Is it really that important if they're not REAL sequels. His story continues, I was just pointing that out. Talk about the book.