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.


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This article has 587 comments.


on Jan. 19 2011 at 10:39 pm
TheMesserSandman, West Chester, Pennsylvania
0 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If my answers frighten you, then you should cease asking scary questions."

I read this entire review twice and I have yet to find a single concrete reason why the Giver is a bad book. A review is your opinion, yes, but when there are no facts to back that up, then it turns into a rant.

on Jan. 19 2011 at 3:13 pm
blackveilbrideschickies BRONZE, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 30 comments

I totally agree with you. The Giver sucks...Like worst book Ive ever read

 


on Jan. 18 2011 at 1:28 pm
Wolfheart BRONZE, Aslan&#39s Country, California
1 article 10 photos 41 comments

I'm sorry but I disagree, it was a very good book in my opinion...one thing I liked was that you never knew that there was no color until the giver said "you are beginning to see the color red."

Here's something: If you want to like this book more, read "I heard the owl call my name." THe giver will no longer be your least favorite book.


on Jan. 8 2011 at 8:57 pm
TheAsianHeather SILVER, Wuhan, Other
6 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is no longer I that live,but Christ living in me.-The Apostle Paul

I don't agree with you.I think this book is great,even if th ending is kind of disappointing.When I had to study The Giver in seventh grade,my language arts teacher said she hated it.I can kind of understand why you don't like it.

pablo_ivher said...
on Jan. 1 2011 at 7:53 am
Unlike you it was a great book for me for the way in which it is written and also about the theme it was interesting to see how Jonas copes with the decision of leaving a society that expects a specific role for him but which imposes a harsh future.

Kai17 GOLD said...
on Dec. 31 2010 at 8:53 pm
Kai17 GOLD, Spokane, Washington
17 articles 5 photos 339 comments

Favorite Quote:
*beepbeep*
"Where to, Miss?"
"To the stars."

I don't believe that people are trying to criticize the writer; I thought the article was well presented. However, this is the review section, and if someone were reading this to decide whether to read The Giver, they should know that this isn't the be all and end all opinion.

Ariadne said...
on Dec. 30 2010 at 10:58 am
Ariadne, Berkeley, California
0 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If we don't tell strange stories, when something strange happens we won't believe it." ~Shannon Hale

I don't understand the number of negative comments on this review.  I believe in the complete democracy of the reader and no one should be criticized for not liking a book, in my opinion. There are lots of popular books and classics that I have read and disliked and I am sure that is true of everyone. I also want to make the point that just because a book has an interesting point or interesting concepts that really make you think, does not mean it is well written.  Has anyone read La Nouvelle Heloise? 

I found this piece engaging and honest and well written and I think that deserves to be mentioned.


lovevpets said...
on Dec. 29 2010 at 7:18 pm
Gathering Blue and The Messenger, both of which I have but haven't read yet.

lovevpets said...
on Dec. 29 2010 at 7:17 pm
I agree with you.  The Giver is an amazing book with thought provoking themes.

Ariadne said...
on Dec. 29 2010 at 2:31 pm
Ariadne, Berkeley, California
0 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If we don't tell strange stories, when something strange happens we won't believe it." ~Shannon Hale

I didn't like the Giver either, for genuine reasons.  I don't think that just because a book is a classic everyone should or will at some point enjoy it or agree with it.  I think it is unfair to the author of this well written review to undermine and dismiss their points so lightly.

Winter92 said...
on Dec. 28 2010 at 7:22 pm
I liked it as much as the giver. It's sort of an ambiguous, unofficial sequel. I read it when I was in middle school so I don't remember it particularly well, but if you enjoyed the Giver, I think you'd like GB also.

chey13 BRONZE said...
on Dec. 28 2010 at 7:17 pm
chey13 BRONZE, Sayreville, New Jersey
4 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
Winnie the Pooh quote

I've been thinking of reading "Gathering Blue", and would just like to know how was it. Is it one of these books you can't put down, or just a waste of time. If it is as good as "The Giver" I will be glad to take the time to read it.

chey13 BRONZE said...
on Dec. 28 2010 at 7:12 pm
chey13 BRONZE, Sayreville, New Jersey
4 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
Winnie the Pooh quote

I too read "The Giver" about 4 times. The first time I read it I was in 5th grade and I had no clue what in the world they were talking, but then a few years later I read it again and loved it. Many people I know that read it hated it and I felt different. I think young people and even adults will enjoy this book.

Kai17 GOLD said...
on Dec. 28 2010 at 6:38 pm
Kai17 GOLD, Spokane, Washington
17 articles 5 photos 339 comments

Favorite Quote:
*beepbeep*
"Where to, Miss?"
"To the stars."

I, too, read The Giver, but I'm not quite sure that you and I read the same book. I found it thoroughly engaging, and, in fact, read it two more times. Some interesting concepts were persented, including the idea of a 'utopic' society. Is there any such thing?

As I mentioned, I think you and I read different books. Personally, 'The Giver', by Lois Lowry, is one of the best classics I have read, and would recommend it to anyone.


on Dec. 28 2010 at 5:50 pm
writingrocks GOLD, Brooklyn, New York
16 articles 23 photos 145 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You have to learn to love yourself before you learn to love others."

I actually liked The Giver because of the morals presented within it. First of all, it made me appreciate the things I have. I have the power to see color and read and do many things that the people in that book weren't able to do. I know it's fiction, but it is still touching to know that, "Hey, I'm living here with my family and I'm able to do stuff that children everywhere can't do." Lois Lowry had the power to tell her reading audience that we should help children who are less fortunate than us. Here I am, typing on my computer, and hoping I'll get a laptop for my next birthday. Well, guess what? There are kids all over the world who are dying to see a computer. I get to see my doctor every month, and there are children out in the world who haven't seen a doctor ever since they were born. I get to go to school five days a week, and there are kids out in the world who hope to get an education of some sort, who contain the seeds of inetlligence, but are neglected because no one can help them. They have no roof over their heads, no food to eat, no money, nothing. Only the hope that lies in their hearts waiting to be watered and grow into an adult. But if no one gives them the water, how will they grow? Lowry meant that we should do something about all the things that do not get far in life, and end it. 

Maybe you should try to read the sequel because you just didn't understand the book, and was curious about the ending, and brought it out on the morals and well-written description contained within its simple pages. I applaud Lois Lowry for her amazing book, and hope that it changes the world in some way. 


Winter92 said...
on Dec. 28 2010 at 12:19 am
As has been previously stated, the giver is a classic. Perhaps there was some misunderstanding or you simply lack the life experiences needed to appreciate it (which isn't your fault or anything against you, but a lot of people read classics too young and they go right over their head). Give it a try in a few/fifteen years. If you would like to clear up some confusion, you can try reading Lowry's Gathering Blue, which alludes to Jonas's fate. And if you didn't like the possible setting, maybe take a look into what it is saying politically and compare that to today's current events.

Ariadne said...
on Dec. 24 2010 at 7:24 pm
Ariadne, Berkeley, California
0 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If we don't tell strange stories, when something strange happens we won't believe it." ~Shannon Hale

I can see where you're coming from, but I've read a lot of futuristic dystopia stories and I thought this one really fell flat.  The fact that it seems to be so popular puzzles me.

on Dec. 24 2010 at 6:05 pm
- i understand the weakness of the story but i thought it was rather cool & id love to be important to a whole community of people : ]

Ariadne said...
on Dec. 22 2010 at 10:46 am
Ariadne, Berkeley, California
0 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If we don't tell strange stories, when something strange happens we won't believe it." ~Shannon Hale

I entirely agree with you! I read the Giver recently and I hated it.  By the way, I like Lois Lowry, so this was a disappointment.  The ending was confused and unsatisfactory, the suspense was almost nil, and the clipped writing style, while it worked well in the beginning, to give a sense of this different world, became tiresome.  Thanks for the thoughtful review!

on Dec. 19 2010 at 4:07 pm
Babygirl809 SILVER, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
8 articles 3 photos 19 comments
The Giver is a classic. I can see how some people might not like it but i loved it!!!