The Giver (Giver Quartet, #1)

by Lois Lowry

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

For such a small book, THE GIVER packs a punch in its dystopian elements. This book is from a time before fiction was so inundated with dystopian novels, and its ideas are rich and accusing. Although I first read it years ago, I don't think I fully understood or appreciated the implications of this community and it's need to impose the weight of memory, wisdom, and conscience on to a single person as so to unburden the community to function at peak effectiveness.

And that isn't even to touch on the conversation of language. There is an emphasis on precision of language that could easily be unpacked into a full essay. There's a lot to talk about here, and that's only when we discuss the dystopian elements.

As a novel, THE GIVER is easy to read and intriguing in not only its hypotheticals, but also character and world building. The end comes abruptly and leaves the reader wanting more, making the whole a compelling story. If you've read this before in school or when you are young, it's well worth a reread and some contemplation.

For an extended review of this and other books, or for more bookish content, visit The Literary Phoenix.