Movie Release and Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

I first read The Giver by Lois Lowry back in 2011 as a reading challenge, so when I saw the movie trailer, I was excited to add it to my watch list.. Well The Giver releases tomorrow, August 15, 2014 in major theaters, so I thought I'd share a bit about the book, my original review, and the movie trailer. Enjoy!

Original Book Cover:

The Giver (The Giver Quartet #1) by Lois Lowry

Published: January 24, 2006

Publisher: Ember (first published 1993)

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.

My Thoughts

Amazing, thought-provoking story that will linger in my thoughts for a long time. This book paints a daunting picture of how unsettling it can be when a society strives to make everything perfect and constant. There’s a lot to think about when it comes to this book and to say it comfortably resides within the dystopic genre is an understatement. The Giver by Lois Lowry is a gem in its own right, but at the same time the themes presented here are the sort of Pleasantville I would hope can never be achieved.

This story takes place sometime in the undetermined future when climate changes and unpredictable weather created a perception that Sameness was needed to achieve order. Things like hippos, elephants, birds, etc. are regarded as imaginary animals and the presence of love, colors and history are hidden from society.

In this story, people have lost the ability of choice. Everything is decided for them from their mate, family unit, job, even down to the loss of ability to experience a Stirring. I won’t dive into that one because it gave me the creeps. By eliminating the option to choose, people can avoid making mistakes, but that perceived value is challenged when Jonas is singled out to receive the memories of true emotion and the pleasures of life. He goes on a quest to seek the truth and a course of events begin to unfold that threaten the balance of constancy this society has worked so hard to achieve.

As I was reading, my purchase receipt slipped out of the book, and I noticed I bought this book back in January 2009. Thank you to my long time reading buddy Flannery for challenging me back in 2011 to dust of this book and give it the attention it deserves. Great choice! 

5 Snowflakes

Movie Tie-in Edition Book Cover of The Giver

The Giver Movie Trailer

Movie Release Date: August 15, 2014

Be sure to let me know if you plan to see this movie! :)