The Giver by Lois Lowry: Review

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Published Houghton Mifflin Books 1993

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia

Format: Hardback from the library

Other books in this series: Gathering Blue, Messenger, Son

Buy This Book: Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Jonas' 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.

To be totally honest, I really don't know what to think of this book. For many people, it is the ultimate classic and example of what a dystopian novel should really be. And I truly understand that. I just don't think it lived up to the hype for me. 

My main problem was that the book was short at only 225 or so pages. There are very little books nowadays that are published saying too little. However, it felt like the story was shoved into such a small space. This didn't really allow for the character development of Jonas or The Giver. The secondary characters were also just thrown aside for the most part. It really could have been improved if I related to Jonas, but I really did not care. The writing style was also very detached from the characters. The book was written in third person, but it felt so different because the way it was written. 

The story idea was also good, but it was not expanded upon enough. I had no idea a year had passed until the end of the book when they mentioned Jonas' ceremony of the thirteen, which really threw me. I thought, until that point, the book was within a month. There are not many descriptions of time passing. I also wanted to know more about the memories that were being given to Jonas. The ending felt strange too, like it didn't totally belong in the book. It just appeared at the end randomly and I could not figure out why they were doing this. That scene came in a rush as did most of the book.

Overall, I understand that this book is influential and defintely very good, but I just wasn't sure about the execution and description given to the topic. 

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano Review

 Summary (from Goodreads): On Internment, the floating island in the clouds where 16-year-old Morgan Stockhour lives, getting too close to the edge can lead to madness. Even though Morgan's older brother, Lex, was a Jumper, Morgan vows never to end up like him. She tries her best not to mind that her life is orderly and boring, and if she ever wonders about the ground, and why it is forbidden, she takes solace in best friend Pen and her betrothed, Basil.

Then a murder, the first in a generation, rocks the city. With whispers swirling and fear on the wind, Morgan can no longer stop herself from investigating, especially when she meets Judas. He is the boy being blamed for the murder — betrothed to the victim — but Morgan is convinced of his innocence. Secrets lay at the heart of Internment, but nothing can prepare Morgan for what she will find — or who she will lose.

Review:

And just when you thought the dystopian genre had been exhausted, Lauren DeStefano comes up with this gem. Perfect Ruin is the firs book in the Internment Chronicles, a new trilogy. Her first, the Chemical Garden books, were terrible. However, I decided to give her books another chance because the summary was so intriguing. 

Internment is a city in the sky, characterized by its love of trains, extreme monarchy, and careful population control. People can also jump off the city in the sky, called jumpers, who are trying to kill themselves. Morgan's brother, Lex, is one of these. The book kicks off when Daphne, a fellow classmate, is killed in a city supposedly without problems. This leads to a chain of crimes in the city. 

Morgan is one of the best female characters. She isn't strong like Tris or Katniss. She is honestly a normal girl reacting in the same way I would (like a better version of Clary). Her best friend, Pen, would be amazing to have as a best friend. She is extremely funny and witty, the perfect comparison to Morgan. Basil is adorable and my new fictional boyfriend. Thomas and Pen were also very cute together, in a different way.

The book is written beautifully and all the pictures of the world are so drawn out. It is perfect for those looking for a fast paced read, while not necessarily action. Love, love, loved this book. Highly suggest. 

5/5 stars