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The Simple Summary (for the series):
Genre: Dystopian (with some speculative fiction elements)
Rating: 3 out of 4
What I liked: Plot, world, Christian themes, evil is evil, how the stories get interwoven
What I didn't like: Speculative fiction elements, some of the content, a lack of a plot twist
Content:
Multiple: Descriptions of some wounds, references to puberty, questionable spiritual beliefs, death
Minor: Nudity, syringes, heartless murder, personification of the Tempter, pregnancy (and a C-section)
Mention: suicide, sexual dream
The Explanation (with spoilers):
I've been meaning to read some (relatively clean) dystopian for a bit. After being introduced to The Giver in a literature class--and needing to better understand the genre--I decided to give the whole series a try. Despite the fact that it was YA (Young Adult), it was surprisingly clean.
And that's coming from someone hypersensitive to blood and gore. Yes, there were some descriptions I squirmed at--looking at you, Son-- but in reality it wasn't too bad.
Now, let's start the series evaluation. What better place to start than the first book?
Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community.
When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now it's time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.
Jonas lived in a world without emotions and without love.
Jonas's world had no pain--because all memories of such pain were forgotten, erased. And one person held the responsibility of bearing all that pain, all those memories. The Giver at the time of the story, who remains otherwise unnamed, had once failed at training the former Receiver, Rosemary. Rosemary, from what can be gleamed from context, seems to have been the Giver's daughter. She filed for release.
There were few choices; everything from your job to your children were assigned. Even at birth, there were fifty people per age group, all with a number. Children got their life assignments at the age of twelve with a special ceremony.
Jonas didn't spend his volunteer hours at any particular place; he had no clue what he was going to be assigned.
But, plot twist, he didn't get assigned; he got selected to be the next Receiver of Memory. This was partly due to his gifting--seeing beyond (the ability to see faraway things that exist in the present).
When Rosemary had filed for release--ending her time as a Receiver--the memories she had were released back into the community. Jonas was the second chance, the redemption, who got to suffer next.
With great pain came great loneliness.
Many memories later, Jonas came up with the idea of having everyone share the memories. The Giver agrees, and the two formulate their plan.
Things get worse when Jonas's "brother" Gabe is sentenced to be released--killed--the next day. Jonas fled that night--causing a stir in his community (Son elaborates more on this, so I'll spare the details).
The two--Jonas and Gabe--struggled to survive and stay alive as Searchers, well, searched for them. They made it on a sled from one of the memories, riding down a snowy hill (it was December, after all) and made their way into Village at last.
You could stop here if you so wished--or keep reading to find out more.