Have you ever struggled to find another book to read? I have found myself in that position many times before. Here is an amazing book recommendation: The Giver, first published in 1993 and now celebrating its 30th anniversary. Lois Lowry is an amazing author who has won many awards, including the Newbery Medal. She deserves the praise that she has received for her work but especially for The Giver.
The Giver is a work of dystopian fiction that will keep you guessing after every chapter. It follows the story of 12-year-old Jonas, who lives in something of a utopian society–or is it? He begins to learn the truth about the community that he has lived in all his life through the memories that he has received from the Giver. This society has taken away pain and suffering, converting it into “sameness.” The community has also eliminated choice: at age 12 each member of the community is assigned a job based on his or her interests. Citizens can apply for and be assigned compatible spouses; each couple is assigned exactly two children. Citizens who break rules or fail to adapt properly to the society’s view of behavior find themselves released. Throughout the book Jonas battles with his new knowledge, leading him to make a decision that will change his life.
The main message that the story conveys to readers is how important memories can be for individuals as well as the collective community. If you decide to pick up this book as your next read, I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.
