Review: The Giver

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The Giver The Giver by Lois Lowry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“The Giver” is the memory keeper of a supposedly ideal society. Lets us imagine for a moment an ideal society where there are no wars, no strife, no lies and no disorder. That will be a paradise?? Yes, No, Maybe? This is about one such society where they have made everything same. Sameness is the motto.

Jonas is an 11 year old who will be chosen for a profession when he will be 12. He lives in an ideal, Utopian society where everything is in order and there are no surprises. There is a council who chose children for these. He is assigned a mother, father and a sister. Every family gets one boy and girl. There is a limit of 3 child per couple for reproduction so as to avoid scarcity. Everything is same and there is no difference of flora, fauna, landscape or color. When someone does something awful or gets old she is released from society and that is very harsh punishment. There is only one receiver who has all the memories and wisdom. Jonas is chosen as his successor and he is transferred memories by the Giver (as he is giving his memories to Jonas).


The society is seemingly Utopian but actually is dystopian. There is no individuality and no feelings. There is no concept of love and people are like machines. It is horrific to say the least. Jonas becomes more and more disgusted as he gets memories. Do we choose to give up our feelings for so called order and happiness? That equation is it the heart of book. My answer is no. what is yours?

Although the book raises some pertinent questions about society it lacks the feelings (for which it is railing against in the novel). There are no rounded characters. There is no tension except maybe Jonas and the Giver. But for the want of any situations they look one dimensional. Other charters are card board. So I couldn’t enjoy the book as much as I would like. 3/5 stars.




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