Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Title: The Giver

Author: Lois Lowry

Number of Pages: 179

Genre: Science fiction

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary From Cover: 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 is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

Discussion: Like To Kill a Mockingbird, I had heard such good things about this book, and the movie is coming out, so I had to read it. I actually didn’t know what it was about when I picked it up! I had high expectations for it, from all the feedback I’d gotten, so I was happily satisfied.

The beginning was not slow. In fact, none of it was slow–I was reading as fast as I could because I was so riveted! [Be prepared for me to use even more exclamation marks in this review.] I was hooked throughout the entire book.

I think you get my point of how excellent it was; let’s move on to the negatives (which there were few).

The language was very…scripted. Which is how, I guess, the society worked. But I do feel like they didn’t use realistic words that people say. Maybe Lowry wanted it to be like that. Who knows?

Also, I couldn’t really connect with their feelings. Even when it was being described, I feel like it was either under-dramatic or melodramatic; there was no in between that most people show. I understand that under certain circumstances there are extremes, but these felt too…I don’t know, just under- or over-dramatic.

Books I found very similar to this is the Matched trilogy by Ally Condie and the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver. Both societies are controlled and somewhat robotic, in my opinion. And they take away creativity.

Overall, I loved The Giver, so please read it! And then go see the movie! But don’t see the movie before the book!

I hope you enjoyed my book review of The Giver. Did you like this book, if you’ve read it? I’m going to the bookstore tomorrow, so I will begin reading then.

Requiem by Lauren Oliver Book Review

Book Review: Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Title: Requiem

Author: Lauren Oliver

Number of Pages: 391

Genre: YA Dystopian

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Summary From Cover: They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past. But we are still here. And there are more of us every day.

Discussion: I finally finished it! Yes! It wasn’t terribly horrid, but it wasn’t wonderful perfection either. I struggled to get through it. Many parts were slow, especially from the main character, Lena’s perspective. I found myself enjoying Hana’s POV better, and for that, I felt bad, because Lena is so sweet and lovely, while Hana makes me want to rip my hair out! But in this book, we see cured Hana, a different side to her. [Can’t give anything away!!! So hard!!!]

And the feels, man, the feels.

It was all of them, at random times. I probably looked like an idiot, sitting in a public place, laughing out loud, glaring, and almost crying because of words on a page. I don’t know how Lauren Oliver does it. They’re in mortal terror, and then someone says a joke, an you laugh, completely forgetting they’re about to die. If I could do that, be able to weave magic into words and type them onto a page, reaching out and touching readers’ hearts, GOD would I be the happiest person alive.

I gave it such a low rating, though, because of the slow parts. There were lots of ’em. And it made me want to throw the book across the room! [Of course, I couldn’t, because it’s a library book, and, well…] I do think you should read this series, because it really makes you think about what we take for granted and what our life would be life if that was all taken away.

Did you enjoy my book review? Have you read Requiem? If so, what did you think? If not, will you read it? Tell me in the comments below.

On another note, I am watching Divergent tonight! Finally! With chocolate cake!!!

All the best,

Chloe

Book Review: Pandemonium

Book Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium

Author: Lauren Oliver

Number of Pages: 375

Genre: YA Dystopian

Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary From Cover: I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame. 

NOTE: This discussion will be spoiler-free. I will try to make all of my reviews completely spoiler-free from now on.

Discussion: This book was so good and full of surprises. At the beginning, when the chapters switched off between “Now” and “Then” I was really confused…until I finally understood. The beginning is somewhat slow, but then it picks up, and you’re just like, OMG OMG OMG this book cannot end ever!!!

And then it ends.

I was truly heartbroken with the ending. It was like the book was a balloon, and throughout the book it inflated…and inflated…and then, BAM!, it ends with one word. One word that the reader will recognize. And it’s a total cliffhanger, if you don’t have the next book on hand.

Have the next book on hand. Otherwise, you will probably screech like a monkey and drive to a library or bookstore at 1 AM, steal the book, and drive back, all while speeding and running red lights because you’re flipping out. [And then you might get arrested.]

So, have the next book on hand. Capiche?

Thanks for reading my book review! Have you read Pandemonium? If so, did you like it? And if not, will you read it now? Tell me in the comments below.

I hope you enjoyed my book review. I’m currently reading Requiem, the third book in the Delirium trilogy, and after that Love, Stargirl, which I was so excited to find.

Happy birthday if it’s your birthday, and if it’s not, happy un-birthday!

Signing off,

Chloe