REVIEW: The Giver

The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry

I had never heard of this book or the author before my son came home from school with a permission slip for me to sign. The book had some "sensitive subject matter"in it (as far as the school is concerned) so they asked for parental permission before assigning the kids to read it. I looked up a blurb on the book, read a little about it, and listened to the first couple of chapters of the audiobook. I signed the slip. I would have signed it no matter what the content of the book. But I would have carefully read it and had discussions with my son about the book if it had sexual or other situations I thought warranted some parental involvement. I didn't feel the book warranted Mom-mode, but the little bit that I read did pique my curiousity. I spent today doing some heavy cleaning and packing up items to donate to local charity and I needed something to listen to while I worked. I remembered I still had the audiobook loaded on my phone. The unabridged audiobook is only 4 1/2 hours long....perfect companion for a day of housework.

The basics: Jonas is nearing his 12th birthday. When kids in his community turn 12, they get assigned their jobs in life. Everything changes....they start training for their vocation, there is less time for play with their former classmates, and they are on the track to adulthood. It's an important milestone. More important than their naming ceremony the first year, the year where they lose their comfort item they've slept with since infancy, the 9th year when kids get their first bicycle......all of the other milestones pale in comparison to Twelve. Jonas is nervous. What if he gets wrongly assigned to a job he won't like? He's excited, but a bit scared too. He hopes that whatever he get assigned that he will perform well and not make mistakes.People who can't follow the rules or make mistakes can get corrected...but sometimes they are released. Old people are released. Sickly infants are released. They leave the community to go Elsewhere and are never seen again. Jonas really doesn't wonder much about Elsewhere. He's sure they are happy and productive there. Jonas has no clue what his Twelfth year will mean for him....it will change his entire life.

I'm not going to give away any spoilers. But, I do understand why the school asked permission for sixth graders to read this book. It's not bad....nothing sexual or completely over the top....just some deep subjects that do require a bit of discussion. My son isn't quite to the part where I know he is going to have some questions -- or want to rant a bit. But I did let him know I've read the whole thing, and I'm ready for when he gets to certain parts. The plot isn't anything new......it's been discussed in many books before. But it does add some new elements to the story. When is it ok to control choices and limit decisions, experiences......and what happens when it goes too far? When does trying to prevent injury, pain and harsh life experiences become so total that other parts of what it means to be human also disappear? Things like love, the value of life, and individuality.  Very interesting concepts....and the iffy portions of the subject matter are not graphic or over dramatized. The book is well-written...and chilling. I'm glad my sixth grader is reading it....and I look forward to discussing the book with him as he gets a bit further in the story.

The audiobook I listened to (enguin Random House Audio Publishing) is just a bit under 5 hours long. Ron Rifkin narrates. He reads at a good pace and is easily understandable. I have hearing loss, but was easily able to hear and understand him. The recording quality is excellent.

The Giver is part of a 4-book series. I'm definitely going to read the rest of the series!

To find out more about the author and her other books, check out her website: http://www.loislowry.com/