This is a book I really enjoyed. The world building and writing style was top-notch, and the characters were all very well developed and jumped off the pages as you read them.

In this first book in a series of 4 (the giver quartet), there are 4 main protagonists: Matty, Jonas, Claire and Kira. But this first book only focuses on Jonas, who is a young boy living in a community with strict rules and restrictions that Jonas isn't a fond of. Like most books in its genre, there is at least a touch of romance and "breaking free of your society" involved within the book.

This book was a very short read and I read it in about two days, but each day was a delight and left me wanting more. Each sitting went by in a flash and I longed to find out what happened next.

I loved every part of the book in its entirety, each and every moment clear in my mind as if I were watching a movie. Everyday I'd go back and read a passage or two and maybe take some notes, it was that good. ( I'm not really in to taking notes. )

After reading The Giver, I have to say I was pretty shocked when the next book, Gathering Blue, jumped to Kira, the second protagonist. This book, I would say, was very different from its predecessor. It had a different setting and tone to the story. I was honestly expecting the book to start right where the last one left off, with Jonas and the sled ( not really a spoiler, but you'll understand after you read it. )

The author Lois Lowry is a New York Times bestseller as well as the author of several other books, including the Newbery Award winning book Number the stars, which was also a fantastic read and nothing like The Giver.

So if you're one for science fiction, the grandfather of Divergent and other modern classics is just the book for you! Happy reading!