Book Review: THE GIVER by Lois Lowry

Jonas is almost twelve. The elders are watching him and other elevens very closely and taking notes. Jonas knows why. In December, two days ceremonies are held. On the second day, the ceremony of Twelve begins. Jonas sits and waits. The chief elder announces the adult assignments. Jonas, when it is his turn, is skipped! Everyone is shocked. Jonas gets his assignment at the end. He is selected to be the RECEIVER. It is the most honored job. Jonas, after a year's training runs away because he wants to change his community. Jonas wants to go and live in ELSEWHERE. Will he find ELSEWHERE? Will he survive?      

This is a story of a boy named Jonas. Jonas lives in a seemingly perfect world, where there is no war or fear or pain. There everyone lives a very, very predictable life. I think the most ultimate thing in this book, the thing that makes it so unique is its setting. To know all about the setting and environment, you'll have to read the book. Most of the setting is revealed later. Oh, and one more thing, people cannot see colors. I think this book is really mysterious. Ms. Lois Lowry created a really suspenseful kind of suspense here. It keeps you really involved. Also, Ms. Lowry left a lot of questions unanswered. The ending is really wonderful, and it was a cliffhanger. The ending left me thinking and wondering for a long time. I was astounded. Ms. Lowry has woven words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters to create an astounding and wonderful story.

In this book Lois Lowry depicted a very strange world. There are no wrong choices, because there are no choices at all! To make everyone feel involved, and to not make anyone feel excluded or embarrassed, you are not allowed to talk about each other's differences. You can always talk about what is same. Think such a life would be perfect, right? Wrong! Also, in this world, there are a lot of common phases, like the standard apology phase. This makes it boring for you to communicate. It is also really routinely. The choices as I said are really limited. One is also not allowed to choose one's spouse. Each couple is allowed to apply for one boy and one girl only. There are women who are "birthmothers". The family unit is ideal with one adult male, one adult female and a young male and a young female. The Old, some newchildren and people who break the rules three times are RELEASED. You will be shocked to know the meaning of release. 

To help the community run smoothly, everyone is assigned a role in the community. These are like jobs, but you cannot choose them. I think that is ridiculous. You start your volunteer hours when you are Eight. There is a special committee which observes you and decides the assignments at the "Ceremony of Twelve".

The story starts like any other, though it is surprising. After about chapter seven, the story really starts. I felt shocked when bit by bit, the settings were revealed. I also felt curious when some of the answers, like, how the community became to be like it is? How did they banish colors? Were not answered. I really wish I knew the answers to those things. There are also many more unanswered things (read the book if you wish to know).

You might want to know why it's called THE GIVER. When Jonas becomes twelve, he, like many others, is assigned a job. What Jonas is assigned is not a normal job. It is the most honored job of all. It is also the most important job. Jonas is assigned to be the next RECEIVER. The previous receiver now becomes THE GIVER. Jonas is now the receiver in training. Only the giver holds all the memories of the past; the memories of hills, snow, sunshine, rain, war, famine and everything else. This arrangement is made so that the community members do not have to carry the painful burden of the memories of the past.

When Jonas starts training, stronger emotions surge through you. You feel terror, joy, sadness, happiness and many other emotions. About here, I felt something else, too. I felt that without sorrows you cannot feel pleasure, without pain you cannot be healed. I felt that our world, with its sorrows and happiness, is the best! There cannot be a better world.

Towards the end of the book, the emotions are stronger. Sadness is the main one. The mysterious cliffhanger ending left me really curious and with millions of questions.