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The Giver Quartet

(The Giver #1-4)

Lois Lowry (Goodreads Author)

4.35 · Rating details · 6,436 ratings · 407 reviews

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Published by Houghton-Mifflin (first published November 5th 2013)

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Apr 26, 2013 BlackhamBoys rated it really liked it

Shelves: series-review, jen

While "The Giver" was written years ago, I did not discover it until this year. So lucky me, I got to read all four books in the series quite close together (although not directly back-to-back). Although unlike other series, the four books didn't weren't technically sequels/serials (each book picking up where the last left off) ... in fact, it was a bit of a stretch to tie the books to each other.

Book 1: The Giver: I really liked this story. The reader is introduced to a pretty "perfect" society While "The Giver" was written years ago, I did not discover it until this year. So lucky me, I got to read all four books in the series quite close together (although not directly back-to-back). Although unlike other series, the four books didn't weren't technically sequels/serials (each book picking up where the last left off) ... in fact, it was a bit of a stretch to tie the books to each other.

Book 1: The Giver: I really liked this story. The reader is introduced to a pretty "perfect" society... a Utopia one would think. Perfect families (one boy one girl in each), perfect professions for all, no sickness, no old age, no turmoil ... no OTHER things too (color, music, mountains). Despite some implausibility, it was an enjoyable and introspective read. I would mention aspects of it to my boys, wondering if it might stir their interest at all. It was pretty easy/short, and had a young boy as the protagonist. It is considered a YA book, yet I think I appreciated it much more as an adult that I would have as a teenager. Content: There is some talk of "stirrings" (sexual thoughts) which are immediately supressed with pills.

Book 2: Gathering Blue: Do NOT consider this a SEQUEL to "The Giver" or you will be disappointed. You could read this on its own, not having heard of "The Giver" at all. It is a completely different story, in a completely different setting, completely different characters. That said, it again was a very interesting story. This time with a female protagonist, and the setting cannot be considered Utopian in any way. I wasn't quite satisfied with the ending (while "The Giver" was completely open ended, this one seemed MORE abrupt, without closure.)

Book 3: The Messenger: What I liked about this book, is that it tied Book1 and Book2 together. It was very satisfiying to have both stories entertwine. But overall ... I can't say that I LIKED this book. It left me sad, disturbed ... it was very thought provoking. I'm not saying it was bad, I'm just saying it wasn't an enjoyable read.

Book 4: Son: This book tied all THREE books together. To start, the reader is BACK in the world of "The Giver" ... at the same time, same characters, just a different point of view. It was really interesting to see some of the same scenes through different eyes. I really liked the first portion of the book. The second section dragged a little, and the third section brought everything from the first three books together. It felt a little too easy at the end, everything coming together, but I left the book (and the series) on a very positive note, happy with how (almost) everything turned out.
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Aug 30, 2014 Kathy Hulin rated it it was amazing

I saw the movie and I know the book is always better. I enjoyed the movie, but it left me wondering what happened next. I am glad I didn't buy just the book "the Giver" because it is exactly like the movie and it leaves you wondering what happened too. But this book tells 4 different stories and gives you the whole story. I could see similarities in the story to how our lives and the way we live could cause misguided leaders to think all the problems in the world could be solved if only we did " ...more

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Feb 23, 2016 antiquarian reverie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: book-made-to-movies-i-have-seen, bildungsroman, modern-1960-1999, poltical-bend, romance, own, 1900, other-authors, 2000

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved reading this story & devoured it in about 7 days. The Giver was written in 1993 & the sequels which after reading all gives you a deeper understanding of the author's intent. Gathering Blue written in 2000. Messenger in 2004.Son in 2012. I will write about the Giver & others in general so for those interested are not spoiled in the journey. If you want a detail of all after you read this let me know. The Giver book is a dystopian society where everythi I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved reading this story & devoured it in about 7 days. The Giver was written in 1993 & the sequels which after reading all gives you a deeper understanding of the author's intent. Gathering Blue written in 2000. Messenger in 2004.Son in 2012. I will write about the Giver & others in general so for those interested are not spoiled in the journey. If you want a detail of all after you read this let me know. The Giver book is a dystopian society where everything is controlled from birth to death. Jonas & his friends will soon find what path in life that is chosen for them. Will they be lawyers, care takers or birth mothers. This society controlled & the people seem happy but do they know what happy is? Can they leave & can they have any failures? These questions & the strange family unit are something that Jonas starts to question. The main point of the first book is freedom important to you or would you rather be safe/without any needing wants. Gathering Blue- Takes you into a totally different society where cruelty & getting your needs met without a care for others. Kira a lame girl has just buried her mom & is fighting for the right to live life. It all depends on the elders & she wants to see where her destiny leads here. One thing she possess might help her survive! Messenger- Yet another society with familiar characters but evil comes here. The trade master has a special power to grant wishes but at what price? The villagers start to change & the leader starts to worry what comes next. Matty starts to see the changes & looks to help his adopted father. Son- The last book tells the story of Claire & her desire to dream & want something that seems impossible. She must make a choice that will effect her life. All these books tell a wonderful story of strength, determination & what to improve there society & community. The Giver- My general feeling when reading this book was interest in the dreary & safe society of these people on the surface seem happy but in reality the emotional feelings are nothing. They discuss dreams & feeling but it is a ritual and true feelings are dulled or not apparent. Later out find they take a pill to dull any urge so that the sameness of everything is the quest for those in charge. You see no apparent torture so you think that this place is not that bad but then you learn about releasing a person after attempts at sameness or following the errors in behavior. Then in horror you see what releasing is by Jonas' father injecting something to kill a twin so not to be identical. The heavier twin lives & the father does all this as procedure & no thought yet he can speak kindly & sing song like. The mother is so tough in manner & the father the opposite yet you see that any emotions are just on the surface. Everything is controlled & destinies too. Jonas & The Giver agree that all the emotions that Jonas receives will be released after his escape. I wonder if the society changed after they left but I have a feeling that if it was change it would be not too significant. How he gets his powers to see beyond & what is the common thread with light color eyes. So much to think about here.Gathering Blue_the burying ground is so sad & Kira having to stay with her died mother until her spirit leaves. This society is cruel & looking out for oneself is priority. There are families who seem more caring than the Giver society. Hunger is the main driving force. Kira's & other powers Her powers are interesting & her decision to stay & how much of a change is there. I loved when her father came back. The Messenger- This ending was so sad. Matty the rascal of a kid & now a teen helped erase evil but paid with his life. This was so sad. Kira mentioned that she saw how special he was in saving Branchie life & the life of the puppies. This village with all the refugees from other places was interesting but the border reference seem to try to make a comparison to present state of affairs. I general I understand her points but in reality much more complex. The town changing to evil & the Mentors wish for the widow & his dealing with the devil.
Son_ I liked Clairie & her strong bond of her to her son. Her not taking the pill is another instance of how it controlled behavior. The village she came to was so different & the people seemed almost perfect but when hearing about her having a child without a father & shunning was quite sad. It shows that prejudices in human nature & need to evaluate life. I was so sad when she left Einer & there love that had grown but her desire to bewitch her on was strong. You wonder about her choice with the trades master was smart & her youth given away but after hearing about Gabe's desire to find his mother was the right one. If she had not traded he might have and his powers would be useless. In fighting the tradesmaster you see the force of good & evil, Gabe chooses the lesson of God & when so he denies all the offered that evil bring. I loved the ending & see Claire & Gabe search for Einer's village so they can be together. Even though this was a kids book it was filled with many human concepts & that made it grand. The powers & many things seem impossible but the points are clear enough. ...more

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Oct 08, 2014 Abooktopia rated it it was ok · review of another edition

http://abooktopia.weebly.com

I quite enjoyed the simplicity of this book. Each book told of a different story from someone else's point of view, yet in the end they are all connected together and brought together the story through different perspectives. The main moral of the story explains how our lives and the way we live can sometimes be the outcome of how some misguided leaders think problems in the world should be solved or eliminated, though there is no such thing as a perfect world, and e ...more

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Oct 30, 2016 Cheyenne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-and-read, read-2018

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 05, 2017 André Oliveira rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, dystopia

# ~~The Giver~~ - 4.5*
# ~~Gathering Blue~~ - 3*
# ~~Messenger~~ - 3.5*
# ~~Son~~ - 3.5*

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Apr 11, 2019 Lauryn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2019

O.W.L.S MAGICAL READATHON 2019 | BOOK #8| TRANSFIGURATIONS (read a book with a red cover or sprayed edges)

Meh 😐. I don't really know how I feel about these books. This series was OK, nothing really special or interesting. I don't have much to say about this other than meh. ...more

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Jan 13, 2018 Christina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2018, physical-copy

The Giver Quartet is an absolute must read. Each of the four novels is beautifully written, but when read consecutively in this omnibus format, it becomes clear how brilliantly Lois Lowry tied them together. There is something to learn in each story, and I think Messenger is especially meaningful given our current political climate in America. Please give this series a read if you haven't yet. ...more

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Oct 09, 2017 Kim Woolfson rated it really liked it

The stories were so thought through and unique. At first I was confused because they were all so different, but in the end it all tied together and made sense. I would definitely recommend this series.

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Dec 27, 2019 Shelly L rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: be_my_sci-fy

Took a leap of faith. Climbed out from the valley of not-knowing to discover whether The Giver, which was written to stand alone, could be expanded without ruining my eyes or scarring my soul. Lived to tell that despite stabbing sticks and murderous vines, I'm glad I undertook the journey. Gathering Blue is a quality companion for the formerly only child I loved so well. It held the same eerie, not-is-all-as-it-seems feel as its older sibling, but in a new community with very different flaws. Lo Took a leap of faith. Climbed out from the valley of not-knowing to discover whether The Giver, which was written to stand alone, could be expanded without ruining my eyes or scarring my soul. Lived to tell that despite stabbing sticks and murderous vines, I'm glad I undertook the journey. Gathering Blue is a quality companion for the formerly only child I loved so well. It held the same eerie, not-is-all-as-it-seems feel as its older sibling, but in a new community with very different flaws. Lowry skillfully, instantly has me caring for a new main character, tho it's unclear how Kira has anything whatever to do with Jonah and Gabe — fan concern for whom pressured our author into writing this in the first place. But as becomes clear, Lowry has no simple duet in mind. Nor a trio. No, it takes a full quartet to get where we're going, detail by detail, step by step. As such, part three, Messenger, is enjoyable, tho most of my critiques fall here. And finale, Son, is quite wonderful, making me care for a new heroine yet again, tying everything together, and putting me into a forgiving mood overall. Thinking back over the whole leaves a glow of satisfaction, and I'm not a bit sorry I know what I know. The Community of The Giver is very ordinary on the surface. It’s low-tech, as people ride bikes, but has electricity, technology, and, as it turns out, powerful medications. So it's easy to overlook that it also has a touch of spiritual magic in the titular role. Somehow, one person is made to sacrifice mental-emotional well-being to feel all the feels, and remember all the rememberings, like one, single Inside Out for all. Then, Gathering Blue maintains a similar balance. Kira's mean-spirited village is much lower-tech for the common people — tho the upper echelon has running water and a building with windows. But there's something more going on, and that something more has a touch of spiritual magic. Sewing, carving, singing, these skills are valued for their powers of cultural memory, and some few are made to sacrifice their talents to preserve — or steer? — the history of their community. Gathering Blue doesn't say these talents are fully magical, just creative — tho in this world, artistic powers seem to have extra punch. While it may be a tad bit pretentious, this subtlety jives with the style and themes of The Giver. In the Community, emotion is the enemy. In Kira's village, creativity undermines control. So, all good. But Messenger, though entertaining, disappoints, as when the force became genetic. When our characters' differences — the ones that have made them interesting people who somehow resist — become specific “gifts” that may have been handed down through a family line? My eyes roll. In fact, an emphasis on pale blue eyes make my own smart and wince. Sigh. Yes, it all gets a bit magicky, Christ-y, and explainey. And while I can possibly forgive magicky and even Christ-y, not so much explainey. Lowry is better than this. Proving me right, she goes on to be. Son is great. It's unexpected, we're a bit confused, then we get the joy of catching on. Revisiting the Community feels right, and Claire's story is gripping. Of course, it is necessarily built upon magicky, gifty concepts established in Messenger. Can't shed them. No, see them through it must, whilst elaborating a Steven King style Trademaster. He develops from a mysterious and chill reminder that capitalism is bad to full-on devilish evil. You see, in Village, greedy selfishness signaled by conspicuous consumption is the bad news. A scarce universe mentality. A sense of entitlement. We get it. Striking how many sci-fi and fantasy stories have warned us explicitly, word-for-word, against the dark side that is the Trump era. Down to the details. Srsly eerie. Village is a community of immigrants. A la Things Fall Apart, it's a grouping of the weird people, the broken, the ones other villages didn't want dragging them down. But the pain and assumed weaknesses made these people strong, made them survivors. And Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity-style, their differences have made them empathetic, and ready to help others so all can reach full potential. As time passes, the broken ones find mates, and soon, whole, strong sons and daughters are born right in Village — and subsequently feel they have a blood-born right to all Village has to offer. Unlike newcomers. When reminded that beloved member of the community, Matty, was a newcomer once, we get the heatedly chilling reply, “I remember what he was like! If we close the border, we won’t have to do that anymore! We won’t have to deal with thieves and braggarts and people who have lice in their hair, the way Matty did then, when he came!” Yes. Why deal with unclean bodies and sad histories and odd accents any longer? Strangers are dangers. Village is for villagers. "And suddenly Matty could see, too, crowds of people at the edge of Village. They were dragging huge logs. Someone — it looked like Mentor — was giving directions. They were preparing to build a wall." ...more

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Aug 13, 2014 Stuart rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Giver is premiering this Friday August 15th. To the younger generation of moviegoers, those in their teens most likely, this is another blockbuster in the same vein as Hunger Games. It's got some big names like Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, and even Taylor Swift. To an older audience, those in their 20s to 30s, they know that this was actually a book released in 1993 by Lois Lowry. Some from this generation, like my wife, actually had this assigned as summer The Giver is premiering this Friday August 15th. To the younger generation of moviegoers, those in their teens most likely, this is another blockbuster in the same vein as Hunger Games. It's got some big names like Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, and even Taylor Swift. To an older audience, those in their 20s to 30s, they know that this was actually a book released in 1993 by Lois Lowry. Some from this generation, like my wife, actually had this assigned as summer reading, which was pretty remarkable and groundbreaking for the time given the content of this book.

The Giver is a book that takes place in the future, a dystopian future. However, the book is initially painted in a utopian light that becomes more dystopic the more you read. The society has eliminated pain and other negative emotions from their society, called "Sameness." There is no privacy, and no one seems to really mind. There is one man, however, the Receiver of Memory who stores all past memores before the "Sameness." The main character is a young boy named Jonas who has the same pale eyes as the current Receiver of Memories. Jonas has been chosen to be the new Receiver of Memories. By taking on this role, he experiences a lot of pain, but he also experiences genuine happy emotions for the first time as well. By receiving this influx of emotions, he learns one of the gruesome prices his community pays for peace. He also longs for a time and place different than his current one. I won't continue to give plot away, but just know that the end of the book leaves you at a sort of cliffhanger, wishing for more answers.

Books with unsatisfying endings always leave readers wanting closure. They also cause dedicated fans to write to authors and implore them to write more of the story. Some choose to, like L. Frank Baum who kept writing because children kept asking him to do so. Others choose not to, like J.K. Rowling. She is happy with how Harry Potter ended and has no plans to write more books in that world. It took seven years by Lowry wrote a somewhat sequel called "Gathering Blue." However, it didn't pick up where "The Giver" left off and introduced us to a new character named Kira. In 2004, Lowry released "Messenger" which helped tie together "The Giver" and "Gathering Blue." "Son" was released in 2012 and also has strong connections to the first book.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt did fans of this series a HUGE service by combing all the books in a beautifully bound hardcover omnibus. It's just under 800 pages long, has a ribbon place-marker, and is a super reasonable price. I also really appreciate the fact that even though they turned The Giver into a movie that at least with this omnibus didn't make a new cover with the main actors and actresses. So if you have seen the movie already or are going to see the movie, I definitely recommend taking some time to read the book. It will be a bit different than the movie but in a good way. ...more

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Jul 30, 2016 zachary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to zachary by: Léon

Shelves: ya, literary, dystopia, scifi, fantasy, fiction, futuristic, english, shorts, borrowed

The Giver Quartet is a series of short stories about different dystopian societies. It begins with Jonas who lives in a society where pain and suffering is no longer known. But the price paid for a life without pain is a life without love, a life without happiness. Everyone in the community is a follower of Sameness; and they live by many strict rules. Precision of language is important. It doesn't do to use words with abstract definitions; if the definition is too broad, how will you ever under The Giver Quartet is a series of short stories about different dystopian societies. It begins with Jonas who lives in a society where pain and suffering is no longer known. But the price paid for a life without pain is a life without love, a life without happiness. Everyone in the community is a follower of Sameness; and they live by many strict rules. Precision of language is important. It doesn't do to use words with abstract definitions; if the definition is too broad, how will you ever understand the meaning behind the spoken word?

In December, Jonas becomes a Twelve. It's the start of their last days as a child; it'll be the start of the rest of his life. At the ceremony, Twelves are assigned a job to keep for the rest of their lives. There's caretakers, and teachers and any title that helps keep the community going like it always has. But Jonas isn't assigned anything like that. No, Jonas is to be the new Receiver of Memory.

His job is to carry all the memories from the past. To keep the community without pain; it's his job to carry the bad memories of pain and hurt. But he soon realises there's so much more to it. There's good memories too. Memories of what a snowflake feels on your nose, or what it is like to love. It's a feeling hard to forget – and he has a hard time letting go of the thought that there must be more to life than Sameness.

Oh, wow. The first short story, The Giver, completely blew me away. It hit me quite hard on a personal level. It was just as beautiful and empowering as it was sad. I don't necessarily agree with the whole ”if you don't know sadness, you can't know happiness” point of view but the story definitely made me think my own experiences over; both good and bad. I feel like the point is that all the memories and experiences make us who we are.

I didn't like the second story as much. I feel like I would've liked it if it hadn't dragged out the beginning so much – I would've loved it not to end as soon as it did but rather that the first half became more like the first half of the first half. It was slow and ended just as it got interesting. The same more or less goes for the third one; it feels forced and unnecessary. Like it was mostly done to link The Giver and Gathering Blue together.

But the fourth one? I do have some issues with what parts the author decided to give more pages but over all, the plot is just as beautiful and painful as The Giver. I'm sad it's last in the series because I have a feeling the quality of Gathering Blue and The Messenger will cause a lot of people to give up reading; which means they are missing out big time. It was definitely worth to get through those stories to get to this one. It's going to be hard to ever forget it. ...more

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Oct 14, 2019 Jan rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, classics

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Lois Lowry asks us to work very hard at suspending our disbelief. Part of the difficulty in doing that is that she provides a dearth of actual details on what happened because of the actions of the protagonists. Let us begin with The Giver:

1. We are expected to accept that Jonas, an innocuous, bland, and boring boy, is suddenly elevated to the exalted position of "Receiver." We are told this happened because he has a fantastical talent for "seeing beyond." He "accepts" memories from the "Giver" ...more

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Dec 13, 2014 Bill rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: The young at heart

Recommended to Bill by: The Giver Movie

Shelves: fantasy, teen-ya-plus

I read this series after seeing the 1st (I hope) movie with Brenton Thwaites as Jonas. I'd not heard of the series. I was a bit skeptical as Amazon's age range is 12 and up, vis à vis YA. I like reading good YA as they usually have elements that take maturity and experience to fully realize and they make me feel young again, a rational pursuit. These are not children's books.

The Giver Quartet does this well. The books are easy 1 nite reads (I always read from 10 pm till I start nodding). The pr ...more

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Mar 25, 2017 Claire rated it it was ok

Shelves: short-story-tales

I think the concept was good. Four simple connected stories told by four different characters. The first book was the best for me.
But, even if these books are targeted at children, I still feel that the stories are not developed enough and it left you with so many questions unanswered.

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Apr 24, 2015 Camille rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, fantasy, ya

*4.25*

The Giver : *5*

Gathering Blue : *4*

Messenger : *4*

Son : *4*

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Mar 20, 2018 Deborah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

The Giver is excellent. The other three books are good but not quit up to the same level. It has elements of the classic hero tales. Good stories for children to read.

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Dec 09, 2015 Shelby rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Classic.

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May 04, 2017 Mary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: home-library

The Giver Quartet has been on my To Be Read list for quite some time now. I finally finished it while waiting for another book to come in and maybe my impatience colored my opinion of this one a bit. Frankly, and I'll keep this short, this series by Lois Lowry was very well written. I enjoyed the reading, though I feel like I rushed through it. It wasn't earth-shattering or life-changing for me but it did keep me entertained for the few days it took to read.

The characters are very crafted but th ...more

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Jul 15, 2018 rivka rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: gr-author, tv-or-movie-tie-in, other-spec-fic

4.5 stars

Each of the 4, especially the first, is excellent.

The problem with reading them immediately after each other (as opposed to how they were written, or how I read them originally, years apart) is that it emphasizes Lowry's inconsistencies from earlier books to later ones with the same characters. Events retold in later volumes are not only from someone else's perspective (reasonable), they are distinctly different. Things that happened in the morning are retold as having been at night. O ...more

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Dec 25, 2017 Tracey Lamond rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love this quartet. Such an amazing vision of what might happen. I recommend them.

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May 02, 2018 Jessyca rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved every part, even the sad parts. The only downfall to the book is that the ending felt rushed. Other than that it was amazing and I would love to read it again.

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Aug 07, 2018 Grace rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is an amazing series. I loved all four books.

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Feb 16, 2021 Aisyah ♡ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Brilliant

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Jan 03, 2020 Jennifer Meyer added it

Shelves: read-in-2020

I read The Giver when it first came out 20 years ago and had no idea there were sequels written until my daughter learned about them. The Giver was even better than I remember it being. Reading it as an adult was a much richer and deeper experience. Definitely a worth while read.

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Apr 28, 2015 EA Solinas rated it it was amazing

Dystopian teen fiction is pretty hot right now, with blockbusters like "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent." But the grandaddy of them all was "The Giver."

And long before it became chic, Lois Lowry produced a hauntingly memorable quartet of stories set in a world where emotions are suppressed and people with gifts are imprisoned. The four books are loosely tied together -- the first and last most tightly -- and mingle fantasy and science fiction, with haunting prose and some very strong characters Dystopian teen fiction is pretty hot right now, with blockbusters like "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent." But the grandaddy of them all was "The Giver."

And long before it became chic, Lois Lowry produced a hauntingly memorable quartet of stories set in a world where emotions are suppressed and people with gifts are imprisoned. The four books are loosely tied together -- the first and last most tightly -- and mingle fantasy and science fiction, with haunting prose and some very strong characters, as well as a message of compassion and acceptance.

In "The Giver," Jonas lives in a rigid, joyless community where people use emotion-deprivation pills and adhere to insanely strict rules -- they have no conflict, poverty or discrimination... but they also have no love, no fun, and no creativity. When Jonas is selected as the Receiver of Memories, he is suddenly flooded with feelings and memories of both the good and the bad from humanity's distant past.

And as he comes to realize what his people have lost in their quest to be the same, Jonas begins yearning for the world he knows must exist outside the Community. But his quest becomes a more personal one when he discovers another price for the Community's existence: the "release" of babies that they don't deem good enough. The only one who can change the Community is Gabe.

"Gathering Blue" introduces us to Kira, a young girl born with a deformed leg in another community that leaves disabled or sickly people to die in the Field of Leaving. She is only kept alive because of her skill with embroidery and weaving, so she can make the Singer's robe. As she comes to realize the horrible flaws in her village's way of life, Kira must make an important decision -- stay and try to improve things, or leave for a place that would welcome her?

"Messenger" was somewhat controversial upon its release, since some fans of "The Giver" felt that it "ruined" the bleak ending they had imagined for the first book. In takes place in Village, a community made up of outcasts, misfits and disabled people, ruled by the kindly Leader. But the Village is surrounded by Forest, a terrifying and deadly forest that kills those who venture into it -- and though the awkward teen boy Matty has been able to go there, it is now growing darker and twisted. As the Village begins to close itself off from the outside world, Matty finds that he may be the only one who can save them all.

"Son" takes us back in time to Claire, a young woman whose entire purpose is to produce babies for the Community -- and her child is the sickly baby boy known as Gabe, who vanishes with Jonas into the great unknown. Her desperation to find her son inspires her on a years-long quest to find him -- and a Faustian pact with a terrible figure who only wants suffering.

Pretty much all young-adult dystopian fiction owes a debt to the Giver Quartet -- it has young people discovering the cruelty and callousness of their societies, and finding different ways to rebel. But Lowry doesn't shy away from asking the serious questions in her story, such as lack of respect for life (if it's inconvenient or doesn't fit in), kindness, compassion, and the good AND bad roots of what it means to truly live.

Lowry's writing is simple but poetic, winding through with some quietly eloquent language ("Now, on this shattered morning, he felt nothing but knots and snarls under his fingertips"). And she fills the stories not with bombast and battle, but with tragedy and quiet triumph -- and while the story is in a future world fragmented into multiple civilizations, there's a hint of the fantastical as well. Think special powers, the mysterious Trademaster, and whatnot.

And she creates a varied collection of characters. All of them are tied together into a story that culminates in "Son," and they all have the theme of seeking to improve the cruel, callous worlds they were in -- Jonas by leaving the Community to the memories they are trying to avoid, Kira by staying and working, and Matty through self-sacrifice. Claire is the odd duck out, a young woman adrift in the world, desperate to find her baby.

"The Giver Quartet" is a haunting memorable collection of novels, some of which inspired the current widespread dystopian novels. Rich, haunting and well-written.
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May 02, 2016 Mkittysamom rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classic-cult-aged-cheese, ya-luv-all, dystopian-apoc-utopian-etc, own-ebook

Book 1 - The Giver A classic dystopian, about a society that is cold, sterile, avoid of feeling and spread with sameness. A rule or law for everything. The children are born in a factory like setting, then given to parents as a chore after they are 1 years old. Anything out of order must be destroyed. There is a special job called The Receiver...and A Giver...transmissions of long ago memories. Jonas escapes with Gabe..on bike, though a harrowing journey he rides them both to safety on a red sle Book 1 - The Giver A classic dystopian, about a society that is cold, sterile, avoid of feeling and spread with sameness. A rule or law for everything. The children are born in a factory like setting, then given to parents as a chore after they are 1 years old. Anything out of order must be destroyed. There is a special job called The Receiver...and A Giver...transmissions of long ago memories. Jonas escapes with Gabe..on bike, though a harrowing journey he rides them both to safety on a red sled.

I have read this book 4 times and always wondered what happened next, it was a big cliffhanger in the end of the book. I also suspected that there was magic in this world..because if not several things would not be possible by technology alone, for example taking away memories of colors, or transference of memories through hands and certain people having "gifts".

Book 2- Gathering Blue
At first I though what in the heck does this story of Kira and her village have to do with The Giver!?! But in The Giver it is mentioned that there are villages beyond. There is a council that makes decisions for the community. Kira thinks she is getting kicked out but.. She has a gift which saves her butt on trial. She is a incredible seamstress, who is even better than her Mother. Kira's Mom dies before she could teach her how to make dyes and the only color the village can not make is Blue. It is said to be out yonder..beyond the dangerous forest. Matt is a tyke who helps out Kira, and he will be an important character. He also has a gift. Annabelle was her Mom's teacher,so Kira is sent to her, to learn how to make dyes. Annabel says there is nothing dangerous in the forest, that the village is deeply afraid of.
This story is great on it's own but slowly references and connections are made throughout the book that maybe the world isn't as small as everyone thinks it is. It seems that each village is brutal in its own way but also filled with magic, and only certain people realize this.

Book 3- Messenger
This is basically a continuation of book 2 but years later after Matt, has grown up and from his point of view. He finds a new village...a oasis amidst of all these crazy dystopian societies. It is a welcoming place for misfits, refugees and savior of the lost. This village is like the heart of all the communities, but due to the Trademaker...evil starts to lurk within its walls. People become judge-mental and don't want outsiders to come in, they don't want to help people anymore. The leader is someone familiar! There is a lot of magic in this book. And it was probably the hardest to read for me, because I felt so much sadness for the characters.

Book 4- The Son
This book tells the story from the original village Jonas escaped from but in a new character's point of view. Not an exactly new, because this person has been mentioned in The Giver. I don't want to give away who it is, so I will be vague. This is what wraps all the books up, but it doesn't start that way and we also meet another community. A thriving community with love, loss and simple medicines or rather a very simple way of life..but not without it's own share of magic. At the top of an impossible cliff...lies a danger that has been maliciously torturing characters from books 2-3. I liked this last one because I feel that at least someone gets some redemption, and reunites with family rather than loosing family. The wall climb was tedious and boring to read. I was frustrated.. Because it didn't move along quickly in the plot but everything is wrapped up in a big bow for the reader! I'm glad I read all 4 books together otherwise I would never have put the clues together or remembered significant things in each book. In order to know and understand the entire story about Jonas and the world he lives in, you must read them all!!

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Nov 24, 2014 Harriet B rated it really liked it

I don't feel like writing four reviews on four different books, so I'm going to put them all here.

THE GIVER by Lois Lowry
The Giver is a fantastic story about a young boy growing up in a world without feeling. I loved it because it isn't a clone of any other book (as most books today are). It is original and unique, in its own way. I think that most everyone will enjoy this book thoroughly.

GATHERING BLUE
The only thing that disappointed me about Gathering Blue was the fact that it isn't a direct c ...more

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Jul 06, 2014 Phyllis rated it it was amazing

Since I learned that Macmillan/Farrar Straus and Giroux, had picked up my husbands war memoir and that it will be directed to young adults, I became curious about what young adults are reading today. As I expected, this field as changed tremendously since I was a working librarian. And so far, I am fascinated by what I have read. I especially fell for the Giver Quartet. It was recommended to me by the director of an English language private school here in Mexico. I practially gobbled down the fo ...more

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Jul 18, 2014 Kris rated it really liked it

A series worth reading! After reading The Giver, I almost decided not to go on with the series because I was disturbed by a scene that explained "being released" with a set of twins, and I feared the rest of the books would involve this level of deceit and darkness. I'm glad I gave it a chance. If you read Book #1, keep going! Book #2, Gathering Blue, is labeled a companion to Book #1, but you will not see any relation between the two books as it is the story of another character. In Book #3, Th ...more

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About Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry

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Taken from Lowry's website:
"I’ve always felt that I was fortunate to have been born the middle child of three. My older sister, Helen, was very much like our mother: gentle, family-oriented, eager to please. Little brother Jon was the only boy and had interests that he shared with Dad; together they were always working on electric trains and erector sets; and later, when Jon was older, they always Taken from Lowry's website:
"I’ve always felt that I was fortunate to have been born the middle child of three. My older sister, Helen, was very much like our mother: gentle, family-oriented, eager to please. Little brother Jon was the only boy and had interests that he shared with Dad; together they were always working on electric trains and erector sets; and later, when Jon was older, they always seemed to have their heads under the raised hood of a car. That left me in-between, and exactly where I wanted most to be: on my own. I was a solitary child who lived in the world of books and my own vivid imagination.

Because my father was a career military officer - an Army dentist - I lived all over the world. I was born in Hawaii, moved from there to New York, spent the years of World War II in my mother’s hometown: Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and from there went to Tokyo when I was eleven. High school was back in New York City, but by the time I went to college (Brown University in Rhode Island), my family was living in Washington, D.C.

I married young. I had just turned nineteen - just finished my sophomore year in college - when I married a Naval officer and continued the odyssey that military life requires. California. Connecticut (a daughter born there). Florida (a son). South Carolina. Finally Cambridge, Massachusetts, when my husband left the service and entered Harvard Law School (another daughter; another son) and then to Maine - by now with four children under the age of five in tow. My children grew up in Maine. So did I. I returned to college at the University of Southern Maine, got my degree, went to graduate school, and finally began to write professionally, the thing I had dreamed of doing since those childhood years when I had endlessly scribbled stories and poems in notebooks.

After my marriage ended in 1977, when I was forty, I settled into the life I have lived ever since. Today I am back in Cambridge, Massachusetts, living and writing in a house dominated by a very shaggy Tibetan Terrier named Bandit. For a change of scenery Martin and I spend time in Maine, where we have an old (it was built in 1768!) farmhouse on top of a hill. In Maine I garden, feed birds, entertain friends, and read...

My books have varied in content and style. Yet it seems that all of them deal, essentially, with the same general theme: the importance of human connections. A Summer to Die, my first book, was a highly fictionalized retelling of the early death of my sister, and of the effect of such a loss on a family. Number the Stars, set in a different culture and era, tells the same story: that of the role that we humans play in the lives of our fellow beings.

The Giver - and Gathering Blue, and the newest in the trilogy: Messenger - take place against the background of very different cultures and times. Though all three are broader in scope than my earlier books, they nonetheless speak to the same concern: the vital need of people to be aware of their interdependence, not only with each other, but with the world and its environment.

My older son was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. His death in the cockpit of a warplane tore away a piece of my world. But it left me, too, with a wish to honor him by joining the many others trying to find a way to end conflict on this very fragile earth.
I am a grandmother now. For my own grandchildren - and for all those of their generation - I try, through writing, to convey my passionate awareness that we live intertwined on this planet and that our future depends upon our caring more, and doing more, for one another." ...more