The Blogging of a Book Addict

I am the first to admit that I am a bandwagon reader. I like an eclectic and unknown piece of literature as much as the next person, but a lot of the time I read whatever people happen to be talking about, and if it's becoming a movie, I probably have plans to read it.

The above said, it should come as no surprise that The Giver has been at the top of my to-read list for the entire summer. I am so glad I finally got around to it, because I have not been this impressed by a book in a VERY long time.

I am a huge fan of dystopian lit, so this book is perfect for me, but it is also brilliantly written, both for the younger age group it is apparently intended for and for people in my age group (college/young adult readers). Jonas is a captivating narrator, and because we learn about the horrors of his world along with him, readers can get heavily invested and involved in the story, which I enjoyed.

Also, as I told a friend: this book is CREEPY. Something about people who are living in a horrifying world and yet wholeheartedly believe the world is perfect are even more terrifying to read about than people who hate the oppressive world they live in and who deal with horror and violence on a daily basis. In most dystopian literature, we see the world from the point of view of a rapidly disillusioned main character, and in The Giver we get the chance to see things from the perspective of someone who genuinely doesn't understand there is a problem with his society for a vast portion of the novel. It's a refreshing and interesting take and one I wholeheartedly enjoyed.

My biggest (and really only) problem with The Giver is the ending, or rather lack thereof. I am generally a person who likes endings that come wrapped up with a perfect bow, and this book is decidedly lacking that. Still, there is a part of me that enjoyed the uncertainty of the ending because it seems to fit the novel, somehow, and really my minor displeasure was not enough to negatively impact my opinion of this book.

In short, if you like to read books, read this one.