The Giver Book Review -A Powerful Dystopian Story

What is The Giver by Lois Lowry about?

” When people have the freedom to choose, they choose wrong.”

The Giver is a thought-provoking dystopian story about a boy called Jonas. Jonas is selected for the important role of the Receiver- a heavy responsibility that sets him on a different path from everyone else. As he begins his training, Jonas starts to see colours in what was once a colourless world. He discovers memories from ancestors and emotions he never experienced before.

But along the way, Jonas also uncovers dark secrets in The Community and realises he must leave everything behind and go far from this place.

It has complex themes, emotionally intense moments and requires good inferential reading skills. Many readers aged 11 and above can read it with parental guidance.

Discover our Review and Summary of The Giver by Lois Lowry

This is the place of sameness -aware but numb, safe yet dangerous, equal but at the cost of freedom. A perfectly controlled, but fake world.

Welcome to The Community, where Jonas lives with his family. Here,  everything is always perfect and decided by the Elders – from family to future jobs. Jonas lives a happy life and enjoys spending time with his best friend Asher, a joyful and fun-loving boy.

Both of Jonas’s assigned parents hold important roles in the Community. His mother works in the Department of Justice, while his father is a Nurturer who cares for newborns. With their care, Jonas is almost ready for the sacred Ceremony of Twelve – a significant Ceremony where every child, upon reaching the age of 12, gets assigned their role. Jonas and his little sister can’t wait to discover what job he will be assigned.

My favourite part of the story is when Jonas receives the Giver’s memories and experiences real emotions for the first time. He finds that simple words such as happiness cannot fully capture the beauty of the sensation and the depth of feeling. He discovers pain, love and joy- he begins to truly discover himself.

My favourite character is the Giver because of his deep emotions and genuine care for Jonas. The Giver has gone through a lot in his life, and I feel happy for him when the small moment of joy comes into his final years.

Is The Giver Worth Reading?

Overall, I loved the storyline as I found it very interesting. This book is a reminder as to why our differences matter and celebrate the beauty of uniqueness .

I give this book a 5/5 stars and would recommend it to ages 11 and above, especially those who enjoy deep perspective and understanding.

Interestingly, this book has been banned in some schools. This only shows how powerful and discussion-worthy this book is. From my point of view, it offers an opportunity for meaningful conversations and helps us appreciate things we often take for granted.

The Giver quartet – full series by Lois Lowry includes, The Giver | Gathering Blue | Messenger | Son. Each book has a different main character and takes place in different communities, but they are all connected across the series.

If you liked The Giver, try these other thought-provoking reads:

1984: A powerful dystopian novel that explores what it means to be a human in a society built on fear.

Animal Farm: A powerful political satire that uses a simple farm story to show how power can lead to corruption and inequality.

The Hunger Games: A powerful story of survival in a Dystopian government controlled districts.

Sunrise on the Reaping: A gripping prequel (Haymitch’s story, 50th Hunger Games) in the Hunger Games Series.

The Book Thief: An emotional story from a child’s perspective in a controlled/harsh society.