Review: The Giver

 

 

The Giver by Lois Lowry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this a few years ago, and have just re-read it this year (2021) and appreciated it so much more!

Our family watched the movie a few years ago and I thought it was so good I wanted to read the book, which I did. But I still have children at home and I think that life's interruptions kept me from fully immersing myself in it and gleaning it's power.

This time, I'm an empty nester and have been able to more fully enjoy it - after watching the movie again with our now-adult daughter and my husband. By the way, the movie is great and I'd say sticks very closely to the book.

This entire SERIES is amazing! Highly recommended for anyone who loves good books that you can't put down and that have plot twists of a sort that you don't expect.

The story line is about a community post-modern era Earth, where society has become so socialistic and fascist that there are now "leaders" and everything in life is controlled by them. No one sees anything in color - because color creates too much inequality and the leaders think it's best if everyone is EQUAL (equity) in outcome, not just in rights. So they have all given up their rights "for the greater good".  That means every single thing is planned out.

There are no real parents. There are "birthing people," then the baby is placed in a "family unit" created by 2 emotionally stabilized (read: indoctrinated into society's way of being and controlled by daily pills) adults who raise the children according to protocl.

There is 0% lying allowed, and this is taught/punished into the children from birth (with the exception of 1 adult who is the "Receiver" - of all previous human life's history to include wars, disease, abuse, etc. - and he is ordered to lie.

Everyone must use the proper language, "Exactness of language" they call it, You can't say "I'm starving!" because no, you are not starving, you are simply very hungry, so say "I'm very hungry." And the list goes on.

Children are called by their age, "I'm a 9" (means I'm a 9-year-old) and by the time they are "11ers" they know they will "Graduate" that coming December and become an adult when they turn 12.  Examples:
     - 7's receive front-button jacket
     - 9's are given their first bicycles
     - 10's are given their first haircuts and little girls who previously all wore braids with ribbons, no longer are allowed to wear braids nor ribbons
     - 12's graduate and are assigned their life-long careers according to talents. No questioning or changing it.

The children are tracked and studied from birth, so that by the time they are 12'ers the "council" (leaders) choose which career they will have.

There is a cast system among careers.

There is no over emotions - negative nor postitive - all things must be kept within controlled balance.

The daily "pill" controls the "stirrings" (sexual and human desires), so they stop people from feeling these emotions, as well as it is prohibited to touch each other, hold hands, hug, kiss, etc. NONE of that is allowed. Those things only "confuse the mind" and keeps you from focusin on the career and making society a better place.

When a baby is born, if it doesn't keep up with the accorded age-range of behavior and speech they are "released" (euthanasia) - Old people once they no longer can work are also "released", though they get a happy bright "celebratory ceremony" right before they are murdered and "released."

No one knows what happens to those who are "released", they just assume they leave the community and go live somewhere else. No one is allowed to see what really happens.  

EVERYTHING is spied on and watched through videos posted EVERYWHERE throughout the community. Even your conversations are recorded and public announcements made over the loud-speaker city-wide system.  There is no room for screwing up. Everyone is forced to behave perfectly.  As a result, they are not truly happy, for they have not known sorrow.

I like to think of this series as the baby between Hunger Games and The Truman Show.

And yet..... the plot thickens and twists.... and you'll have to just read it! :)

EXCELLENT BOOKS!  And a GREAT and TALENTED author!

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