The Giver | Pam Webb

Archive for the tag “The Giver”

17 Mar 2015

Author Snapshot: Lois Lowry

Sometimes a novel is similar to a wave in how its impact builds momentum, breaks, recedes, and begins the cycle all over again. The Giver by Lois Lowry is such a book. First published in 1993 it pushed societal paradigms, gathered a following, and is once again building another following due to the film adaptation. It’s still considered controversial some twenty years later. The story is deceptively simple, yet profound in its impact. There are so many issues presented: government control, euthanasia, loss of innocence, and dystopia versus utopia. Lowry presents these heavy issues with a light hand and leaves reader with hope in its ambiguous ending. It deservedly won the prestigious Newberry Award.

For many years The Giver remained a standalone title. And then Gathering Blue came out in 2000; however, it wasn’t a true continuation of The Giver and frustrated many readers looking for answers, because it teased a bit, alluding only slightly to Jonas’s world. Readers had to wait until 2004 for Messenger, which served as a bridge between The Giver and Gathering Blue. Alas, answers still weren’t totally available and finally in 2012 closure arrived with Son.

Having read The Giver when it first came out, I was impressed with its message, although a bit dissatisfied with its ambiguity at the end. “That’s it?!?” I felt like shaking the book to see if I could render out the last drop, maybe find the missing resolution or at least find a denouement of sorts. I wasn’t aware of the succeeding books that formed the quartet and had the distinctive pleasure of reading the quartet in succession after watching the 2014 film adaptation of The Giver. Due to the sizable waiting list for The Giver (could it be the movie stirred people to seek out the original?) I began reading the other three and saved The Giver for last. Glad I did so, because the library (love my library) bought the newest edition, which is a twenty year celebration of the novel, and it contains an introduction, a reflection, by Lois Lowry. Her humor and unique outlook is prevalent and added a dimension to the reading I wouldn’t have probably gained reading the standard paperback issue. A bonus section (special features?) included interviews of different actors from the movie including Taylor Swift.

Yet, there is more to Lois Lowry than The Giver. Her talent extends to comical middle reading found in the Krupnik series which is about the plucky Anastasia and her rascally brother Sam. Another notable book, her first Newberry Award, is Number the Stars, which covers the Danish Resistance in WWII. Lowry’s diversity is evident when scrolling through her impressive book list of thirty plus titles which range from picture books to historical fiction, and include young adult reads. I have been exploring other Lowry titles and I am amazed by her diversity. For instance, I just finished an audio reading of Silent Boy, which reminds me of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird recalling her childhood memories from an adult perspective. Another audio novel, The Willoughbys is radically different from any of her other works. This a parody of all those long ago old-fashioned tales starring orphans who make good after much travail. Think Lemony Snicket meets Pollyana. The reading was enhanced by the reading talents of Arte Johnson, best remembered by his Laugh In days. The humor varies between lampoon and subtle, the vocabulary rivals SAT prep exercises, and there is a constant anticipation of “What next?” right up there with “This is a kid’s book?”
Lowry is one of those authors who provides the reason why adults peruse the kids’ section when searching for a good read.

Interesting bits about Lois Lowry:

she’s been a contestant on Jeopardy
traveled to Antarctica
had The Giver turned into a play, opera, film, and musical
she’s been a clue in a New York Times crossword puzzle
has owned numerous dogs, cats, and horses
has a great little author website

Posted in Americans, Awards, Books, reviews, writers and tagged authors, Lois Lowry, Newberry Award, The Giver

10 Jan 2015

21 Comments

The Giver et al

I have rediscovered The Giver.

sometimes the movie reminds the reader the greatness of the book image: bookopia.com.au

When it arrived on the scene in 1993 I was not an impressionable YA reader. No, I was a thirtysomething wife/mom/librarian and read books no matter what age they were intended for. Hmm. the only thing that’s changed is my age and the fact that I’m a librarian at heart while teaching English.

Like most readers, I felt a bit cheated at the ending. It was not neatly wrapped up and presented as a conclusion of satisfaction. Ambiguity can be quite frustrating, yet that’s one reason why The Giver is so memorable. We all want to know what happened to Jonas. Having rediscovered The Giver through watching the 2014 film led me to discover the other books in the series: Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son. And here I thought all these years that the story ended with that famous sled ride.

Apparently it took twenty years for the book to become adapted to the screen. Jeff Bridges bought the rights and had originally wanted his father Lloyd to play the part of Giver. It didn’t happen, but viewers can watch a family reading of The Giver as one of the special features selections on the released DVD. Having finished reading the entire quartet I am smitten with the entire story. I hope there is a continuation of the series since each adds to the overall understanding of Jonas’s world.

An added bonus to rediscovering The Giver was reading the latest edition which contains author Lois Lowry’s twenty year reflection of The Giver’s impact.

A goal for this year: revisiting novels, particularly juvenile and YA novels, to gain a different perspective and insight.

Anyone interested in doing the same?

Posted in Books, Movies, Reading, Reflections, reviews, writers, Writing and tagged inspiration, reading, reviews, The Giver, writing

01 Mar 2012

6 Comments

Hungering for More Dystopia

Read this?

Then you might want to read this:

Especially if you are needing another dystopian novel read.

Once finishing the Hunger Games trilogy I found myself cruising the library stacks looking for something to fill the void. I needed another Katniss. I craved more page-turning plot. I required a book, make that another series, about individuals standing up against the system. My book booster buddy, “E”, suggested I try out Divergent by Veronica Roth. I put in my library request. And waited. Long wait. Apparently others had discovered Roth’s writing filled their void as well.

The basics:
Sometime in the future and we’ve got some serious Dystopian times. Society is now divided up into five factions and upon turning sixteen a person must decide which faction he or she will choose. This will be a life-changing decision: families will be separated and relationships tried, refined and perhaps broken.

Beatrice chooses a faction other than the one she grew up with and she finds herself in a totally alien environment. She struggles with her identify, as well the values she’s grown up with all her life. She also lives with the fact she hides a secret–one that could get her killed if it is revealed.

What I like:
Sure the plot is similar to Hunger Games, and that’s one reason why I like the book. It has a page-turning plot, a strong and likable protagonist, a government gone wrong, and a love interest brewing in the background. The rich vocabulary is worth mentioning, as well as the restraint on gratuitous violence, sex, and swearing–which is one reason Hunger Games was such a winner in my opinion. Divergent is almost 600 pages. I devoured it in two days. Devouring pages is one of my requirements for a good book.

On the subject of dystopia–why am I, like so many other readers, attracted to stories about societies gone wrong? Personally, I am not a person who appreciates chaos, yet I find myself intrigued by books where the world is on the verge of disorder and disruption. Hmm, some reflection. Am I attracted to what I fear? Am I heartened and relieved that when I put down the book I still have a voice, an identity, and a vote? To get even more analytical here is a quick list of dystopian books from way past to recent read:

College (of course)