The Giver by Lois Lowry

In a future time things are different than they are today.  People are the same.  There is no real identity, no conflict. Children are referred to as ages and at specific ages they all get the same thing and the Twelves receive what will be their job for their life.

Jonas doesn't get a job, he gets a calling.  He will be the holder of the truth, of the memories, of the way things were before.  The Giver currently holds all these memories and slowly hands them over to Jonas.  He experiences sledding on a cold winter day, the sun, colors...things that do not exist in his current world. 

Feelings, colors, joy, and pain are hard for Jonas to contain inside himself and he begins to believe that perhaps his society isn't as great as he had believed it to be.


The Giver is a decent book.  It isn't a 5 or even 4 star type of book.  The author seems to be vague as to not have to give too many details or create characters.  You need to have a pretty strong imagination to follow this book.

I can tell if I love a book or not if, when done reading the first in a series, I am clamoring to read the second.  That didn't happen with this book.  While I will probably read the second one in the series, I am in no hurry at this time.