This is the latest of my book reviews. Yes, I read this one in under a day.
This book is among the list of banned books in schools. And, you can pretty much bet that if its on the banned books list, I've probably read and LOVE it!
You know when you were a kid, you always heard that if you start strong and end strong then no one would remember what happened in the middle?
Well, this book does not adhere to that rule. I could have completely done without the beginning and the end. It was the middle that captivated me. In a word:
PROFOUND
First of all, I like the cover...very Dumbledorish, according to Randy. But let me get to the PROFOUND part.
This book is the story of a utopian society (dystopian is a more correct term) that adheres to strict rules and guidelines that have been dubbed "best" for everyone. No one knows what goes on outside the society; no one asks questions.
The society has eliminated pain and other unwanted elements by converting to "Sameness," which also makes the society devoid of emotion, even love.
One child is selected to become the "Receiver of Memory," the one who stores all the memories of the time before Sameness, in case they are ever needed by the society to assist with decisions that others lack the experience to make. "The Giver" is the previous "Receiver of Memory" who is bestowing his gift on the young child. He (The Giver) is dubbed the "wisest" in the community, as he has so many experiences to guide their lives. He "shows" the child the memories of pain, war, hunger; in addition to love, snow, laughter.
Whewww....I thought this was a child's book! I suppose if you didn't dig very deep, it would be just that. Oh yeah, except for the genecide, suicide, and infanticide it describes.
Anyway, it is a beautiful way to step back and look at your life. To me, it made me re-evaluate how I raise my kids! I would love to shelter them from the hurts of life, such as pain, hunger, and war; but at the expense of them not gaining wisdom for the future? How can our kids make good decisions about their lives if they have never experienced hurt?
I recommend this as an adult book...not sure its appropriate for all children, as is has some big issues to tackle.
Let me know what you think!
Doesn't he look handsome?!
