Welcome to Avery Reads! My 13 year old daughter is sharing her thoughts on The Giver here today. We thought this would be the perfect book to review during Banned Book Week!
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Published: First published in 1993
Categories: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Social Issues
Source: Our own copy
Description:
Jonas’s world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 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.
Avery’s Thoughts:
I hardly know where to start with this book. First of all, it was amazing. It was well written and the overall plot and concept of the book were incredible and intense. There were parts that were very unnerving to read in the most entertaining of ways. It’s one of those books where you want someonearound you to have read it just so you can talk about it.
While reading The Giver I was constantly thinking and working my brain. It’s definitely one of those books where you’re probably going to say “What!?” out loud a few times because it’s just so crazy. But at the same time it’s not unrealistic.
It’s extremely believable and it really seems like this is something that could have happened. You can compare certain aspects of the book to the real world we live in. I can absolutely say that The Giver is one of my favorite books. The characters are ones that I’m going to want to hold on.
I could write paragraph upon paragraph for every chapter of this book. Instead I’ll just say that The Giver is a book that I would highly recommend to just about anybody.
~Avery
Thanks to my kiddo for hanging out on my blog today. I appreciate it!
The Relentless Reader 
I love it when a book is so good that it *makes* me interact with it. I have seen this reviewed over the years, Avery, but thanks for putting it back on the radar with such a persuasive review.
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This was one of my favorite books when I was 13, too. Great review, Avery; you nailed a lot of things I loved about this book. It's definitely the sign of a good dystopian novel that you can imagine it really happening (which is where The Hunger Games failed, for me). Thanks for sharing your thoughts!And Jen, that's a smart kiddo you've got!
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Great review, Avery! I read The Giver when I was around your age (it was a newly published book back then! Gasp!), and I loved it.
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Avery, that was a thoughtful, fabulous review! The Giver is one of my favorite novels, too. There are sequels to it, but I recommend them with caution. Non lives up to The Giver, BUT they do offer some closure on what becomes of the characters. (Jen, your kid is kind of brilliant. Everything I wrote at 13 was cheeseball essay formula. Way to home school!)
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Lovely review!! And I'm completely agree OMG. I read it as an adult and I was like..I need someone to talk about this book with!!!! This book came out when I was 10 and my school was already set in its ways and only allowed us to read books from 50 years prior. So I wish I could've read this when I was your age Avery!! And congrats Jennifer on having such an eloquent, well read daughter!! 🙂
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This book is still living on my to be read shelf. Your review makes me even more curious about it!
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Nice review! The Giver is one of my favorite books.
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Awesome job Avery!
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Awesome review! I love this book too, and I totally get where you are coming from, wanting someone around you to have read it so you can talk about it. I sometimes make my friends read books I loved just so I can talk about it with them when they are finished. :)I just read the other day that this is going to be made into a movie soon.
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What a brilliantly articulated review, Avery. Well done 🙂
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What a brilliantly articulated review, Avery. Well done 🙂
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I haven't read this yet but apparently my oldest son and I need to. Great review Avery, you have your mom's talent for writing and reviewing!!
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So what you are telling me Avery, is that I need to dust off my copy and actually read it! I have had it forever and I have been told by many that it's wonderful but it is still waiting patiently on my shelf for me to pick it up.
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Avery, Do you know that this book is actually part of a series??? I had no idea until I recently read The Giver and had a friend tell me she loved the SERIES. I was like, SERIES???? So I got my hands on the second (good) and third (LOVED), but haven't picked up the last book yet. Do you think you'd read them? Fabulous review! -Rebecca @ Love at First Book
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Avery!!! What a great post! I hope you will be a regular feature here, because I'd love to hear your thoughts on the other books you read this year. 🙂 Fantastic post.
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Well done! You have natural talent for blogging 🙂 I also loved The Giver. Hope you do more guest blogging here.
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Yay, Avery! Lovely review! This is such a fantastic book. I'm jealous that I didn't read it until just a couple years ago, I feel bad for young Sarah for not being exposed to it.
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Wonderful review, Avery! I've never read The Giver. Sounds like I'm really missing out… I'll have to borrow it from the library.
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Excellent review! I loved that book as a kid and I love it now. I with Rebecca in that I was thrilled and astonished to find out it was a part of a series! I would love to hear your thoughts on the other three. (I haven't made it to the fourth myself either.)
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Avery, great review! I love it when a book *makes* my brain work, and your review tells me that The Giver does just that. Can you believe that at 67 years old I haven't yet read The Giver? Based on your review, I'm adding it to my TBR list! Thanks for a fine book review.
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I'm sure Avery will be starting her own blog soon. That was a really good review and I loved the way it describes the What? moments in book reading.
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Great review! Makes me want to move this one up on my TBR 🙂
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Very nicely done. The Giver is the kind of book that makes you want to blog. Kudos to you. What's next?
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This book is banned? Oh lord! Wonderful review :-)I read this a while ago and liked it, but for some reason I don't feel like reading the other ones.
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Let me step in for Avery: YES.
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Avery,This is one of those books that really made me love reading (and also one of the first books that made me say WAHT!? a bunch of times). I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it and can see how important it is, I think that means you have some more big reads ahead of you. Don't forget to come back to it – it's still just as good 5, 10, 15 years later 🙂
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Great review, Avery! I loved this book too – a lot and I'm with you that this is a very relevant book. Hope to see you here more. 🙂
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I didn't even know about this book! Great review, Avery!
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Great guest review! Like mother, like daughter…wonderful! Great choice for Banned Books Week, too!
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I loved reading her thoughts. How wonderful to get your daughter involved! Thanks for sharing.
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What a great review – must run in the family! It's wonderful that you enjoy a book that makes you think; they scare so many people off.
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This is so awesome in so many ways! Really. LOVE IT! And the review?! Can I be honest and admit that I've never read The Giver?! Ahhh… I know, I know. I should remedy that soon. Great review! I'll have to come back when I get to it!
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