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The Giver #3
Người truyền tin
Lại là Trái Đất trong tương lai. Lại một thế giới hoàn toàn khác. Không phải xã hội công nghệ phát triển vượt bậc và quy củ đến lạnh người. Cũng chẳng phải thị trấn lạc hậu nơi kẻ yếu thế bị ruồng bỏ man rợ. Rốt cuộc, trong phần thứ ba của bộ tứ Người truyền ký ức, ta cũng gặp một cộng đồng tốt lành, nơi người người đối xử với nhau thương yêu và trân trọng…
… cho đến khi Chợ Buôn xuất hiện. Và người ta bắt đầu trao đổi. Khó mà tưởng tượng họ sẵn sàng đánh đổi những gì để lấy chút tiện nghi hay đôi trò giải trí xuẩn ngốc. Thế giới bắt đầu trở nên xấu xí, và đó là khi chúng ta cần một anh hùng.
Không ai xa lạ, ta từng gặp người anh hùng ấy trong phần hai, Tìm lại màu xanh. Từ một thằng nhóc hoang dã bất trị, Matty giờ đã lớn thành một cậu thiếu niên chững chạc và tràn đầy thấu cảm. Cậu nghĩ mình cũng khá đặc biệt, bởi cậu là người duy nhất có thể băng qua khu rừng thâm u bao quanh Làng để truyền tin đến những cộng đồng xung quanh. Nhưng Matty đặc biệt hơn cậu tưởng rất nhiều, vì trong cậu ẩn chứa một sức mạnh lớn lao mà cậu không bao giờ ngờ tới.
Cuốn ta đi trong thế giới tưởng tượng choáng ngợp rồi neo giữ ta lại bằng những thông điệp sâu sắc về nhân tính, Lowry vẫn luôn kỳ diệu như thế.
Lois Lowry sinh năm 1937 ở Hawaii, Mỹ. Bà xuất bản tiểu thuyết đầu tiên, Mùa hè để chết, năm 40 tuổi, và đến nay đã cho ra đời gần 50 đầu sách, trong đó có những bộ sách thiếu nhi được yêu thích như Người truyền ký ức, Anastasia, Sam Krupnik và Gooney Bird. Bà đã hai lần đoạt Huân chương Newbery dành cho sách thiếu nhi với Đánh số sao trời (1990) và Người truyền ký ức (1994).
Lois Lowry nổi tiếng vì bàn đến những đề tài khó khăn như cái chết, sự kỳ thị, bài ngoại, chế độ chuyên chế, bóc lột tình dục… với một sự thấu hiểu và thương cảm tinh tế dành cho các nhân vật trẻ tuổi của mình. Sách của bà bị cấm ở nhiều trường học Mỹ nhưng được đưa vào giảng dạy ở nhiều trường học khác. Riêng Người truyền ký ức đã trở thành một trong những cuốn sách thiếu nhi kinh điển của thời hiện đại.
“Lowry lại tài tình đem đến một câu chuyện ám ảnh và gợi nhiều suy ngẫm nữa trong phần thứ ba của Người truyền ký ức.”
- Publisher Weekly
“Cho những người cháu của tôi - và cho cả những thế hệ tiếp nối chúng - thông qua việc viết, tôi cố bày tỏ ý thức mãnh liệt của mình rằng chúng ta sống phụ thuộc lẫn nhau trên hành tinh này, và tương lai của ta phụ thuộc vào việc ta quan tâm hơn đến nhau, và làm nhiều hơn cho nhau.”
- Lois Lowry
Trọn bộ Người truyền ký ức do Nhã Nam xuất bản:
- Người truyền ký ức
- Tìm lại màu xanh
- Người truyền tin
- Con trai
… cho đến khi Chợ Buôn xuất hiện. Và người ta bắt đầu trao đổi. Khó mà tưởng tượng họ sẵn sàng đánh đổi những gì để lấy chút tiện nghi hay đôi trò giải trí xuẩn ngốc. Thế giới bắt đầu trở nên xấu xí, và đó là khi chúng ta cần một anh hùng.
Không ai xa lạ, ta từng gặp người anh hùng ấy trong phần hai, Tìm lại màu xanh. Từ một thằng nhóc hoang dã bất trị, Matty giờ đã lớn thành một cậu thiếu niên chững chạc và tràn đầy thấu cảm. Cậu nghĩ mình cũng khá đặc biệt, bởi cậu là người duy nhất có thể băng qua khu rừng thâm u bao quanh Làng để truyền tin đến những cộng đồng xung quanh. Nhưng Matty đặc biệt hơn cậu tưởng rất nhiều, vì trong cậu ẩn chứa một sức mạnh lớn lao mà cậu không bao giờ ngờ tới.
Cuốn ta đi trong thế giới tưởng tượng choáng ngợp rồi neo giữ ta lại bằng những thông điệp sâu sắc về nhân tính, Lowry vẫn luôn kỳ diệu như thế.
Lois Lowry sinh năm 1937 ở Hawaii, Mỹ. Bà xuất bản tiểu thuyết đầu tiên, Mùa hè để chết, năm 40 tuổi, và đến nay đã cho ra đời gần 50 đầu sách, trong đó có những bộ sách thiếu nhi được yêu thích như Người truyền ký ức, Anastasia, Sam Krupnik và Gooney Bird. Bà đã hai lần đoạt Huân chương Newbery dành cho sách thiếu nhi với Đánh số sao trời (1990) và Người truyền ký ức (1994).
Lois Lowry nổi tiếng vì bàn đến những đề tài khó khăn như cái chết, sự kỳ thị, bài ngoại, chế độ chuyên chế, bóc lột tình dục… với một sự thấu hiểu và thương cảm tinh tế dành cho các nhân vật trẻ tuổi của mình. Sách của bà bị cấm ở nhiều trường học Mỹ nhưng được đưa vào giảng dạy ở nhiều trường học khác. Riêng Người truyền ký ức đã trở thành một trong những cuốn sách thiếu nhi kinh điển của thời hiện đại.
“Lowry lại tài tình đem đến một câu chuyện ám ảnh và gợi nhiều suy ngẫm nữa trong phần thứ ba của Người truyền ký ức.”
- Publisher Weekly
“Cho những người cháu của tôi - và cho cả những thế hệ tiếp nối chúng - thông qua việc viết, tôi cố bày tỏ ý thức mãnh liệt của mình rằng chúng ta sống phụ thuộc lẫn nhau trên hành tinh này, và tương lai của ta phụ thuộc vào việc ta quan tâm hơn đến nhau, và làm nhiều hơn cho nhau.”
- Lois Lowry
Trọn bộ Người truyền ký ức do Nhã Nam xuất bản:
- Người truyền ký ức
- Tìm lại màu xanh
- Người truyền tin
- Con trai
189 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2004
4114 people are currently reading
84168 people want to read
About the author
Lois Lowry
143 books22.9k followersTaken from Lowry's website:
"I’ve always felt that I was fortunate to have been born the middle child of three. My older sister, Helen, was very much like our mother: gentle, family-oriented, eager to please. Little brother Jon was the only boy and had interests that he shared with Dad; together they were always working on electric trains and erector sets; and later, when Jon was older, they always seemed to have their heads under the raised hood of a car. That left me in-between, and exactly where I wanted most to be: on my own. I was a solitary child who lived in the world of books and my own vivid imagination.
Because my father was a career military officer - an Army dentist - I lived all over the world. I was born in Hawaii, moved from there to New York, spent the years of World War II in my mother’s hometown: Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and from there went to Tokyo when I was eleven. High school was back in New York City, but by the time I went to college (Brown University in Rhode Island), my family was living in Washington, D.C.
I married young. I had just turned nineteen - just finished my sophomore year in college - when I married a Naval officer and continued the odyssey that military life requires. California. Connecticut (a daughter born there). Florida (a son). South Carolina. Finally Cambridge, Massachusetts, when my husband left the service and entered Harvard Law School (another daughter; another son) and then to Maine - by now with four children under the age of five in tow. My children grew up in Maine. So did I. I returned to college at the University of Southern Maine, got my degree, went to graduate school, and finally began to write professionally, the thing I had dreamed of doing since those childhood years when I had endlessly scribbled stories and poems in notebooks.
After my marriage ended in 1977, when I was forty, I settled into the life I have lived ever since. Today I am back in Cambridge, Massachusetts, living and writing in a house dominated by a very shaggy Tibetan Terrier named Bandit. For a change of scenery Martin and I spend time in Maine, where we have an old (it was built in 1768!) farmhouse on top of a hill. In Maine I garden, feed birds, entertain friends, and read...
My books have varied in content and style. Yet it seems that all of them deal, essentially, with the same general theme: the importance of human connections. A Summer to Die, my first book, was a highly fictionalized retelling of the early death of my sister, and of the effect of such a loss on a family. Number the Stars, set in a different culture and era, tells the same story: that of the role that we humans play in the lives of our fellow beings.
The Giver - and Gathering Blue, and the newest in the trilogy: Messenger - take place against the background of very different cultures and times. Though all three are broader in scope than my earlier books, they nonetheless speak to the same concern: the vital need of people to be aware of their interdependence, not only with each other, but with the world and its environment.
My older son was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. His death in the cockpit of a warplane tore away a piece of my world. But it left me, too, with a wish to honor him by joining the many others trying to find a way to end conflict on this very fragile earth.
I am a grandmother now. For my own grandchildren - and for all those of their generation - I try, through writing, to convey my passionate awareness that we live intertwined on this planet and that our future depends upon our caring more, and doing more, for one another."
"I’ve always felt that I was fortunate to have been born the middle child of three. My older sister, Helen, was very much like our mother: gentle, family-oriented, eager to please. Little brother Jon was the only boy and had interests that he shared with Dad; together they were always working on electric trains and erector sets; and later, when Jon was older, they always seemed to have their heads under the raised hood of a car. That left me in-between, and exactly where I wanted most to be: on my own. I was a solitary child who lived in the world of books and my own vivid imagination.
Because my father was a career military officer - an Army dentist - I lived all over the world. I was born in Hawaii, moved from there to New York, spent the years of World War II in my mother’s hometown: Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and from there went to Tokyo when I was eleven. High school was back in New York City, but by the time I went to college (Brown University in Rhode Island), my family was living in Washington, D.C.
I married young. I had just turned nineteen - just finished my sophomore year in college - when I married a Naval officer and continued the odyssey that military life requires. California. Connecticut (a daughter born there). Florida (a son). South Carolina. Finally Cambridge, Massachusetts, when my husband left the service and entered Harvard Law School (another daughter; another son) and then to Maine - by now with four children under the age of five in tow. My children grew up in Maine. So did I. I returned to college at the University of Southern Maine, got my degree, went to graduate school, and finally began to write professionally, the thing I had dreamed of doing since those childhood years when I had endlessly scribbled stories and poems in notebooks.
After my marriage ended in 1977, when I was forty, I settled into the life I have lived ever since. Today I am back in Cambridge, Massachusetts, living and writing in a house dominated by a very shaggy Tibetan Terrier named Bandit. For a change of scenery Martin and I spend time in Maine, where we have an old (it was built in 1768!) farmhouse on top of a hill. In Maine I garden, feed birds, entertain friends, and read...
My books have varied in content and style. Yet it seems that all of them deal, essentially, with the same general theme: the importance of human connections. A Summer to Die, my first book, was a highly fictionalized retelling of the early death of my sister, and of the effect of such a loss on a family. Number the Stars, set in a different culture and era, tells the same story: that of the role that we humans play in the lives of our fellow beings.
The Giver - and Gathering Blue, and the newest in the trilogy: Messenger - take place against the background of very different cultures and times. Though all three are broader in scope than my earlier books, they nonetheless speak to the same concern: the vital need of people to be aware of their interdependence, not only with each other, but with the world and its environment.
My older son was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. His death in the cockpit of a warplane tore away a piece of my world. But it left me, too, with a wish to honor him by joining the many others trying to find a way to end conflict on this very fragile earth.
I am a grandmother now. For my own grandchildren - and for all those of their generation - I try, through writing, to convey my passionate awareness that we live intertwined on this planet and that our future depends upon our caring more, and doing more, for one another."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,142 reviews
February 19, 2024
Regrettable.
Matty and the Seer live in the Village, once a happy and prosperous place, but lately a sinister influence seems to be affecting the community, tainting its neighbors, and the surrounding Forest. It all coincides with the arrival of the Trademaster, a mysterious figure who sales precious artifacts in exchange of the most unusual things…
Another seemingly standalone story yet in many ways connected to The Giver universe. Sadly this installment was the weakest in the series, and I truly regret reading it. It’s not necessarily a bad story, it connects #1 and #2, provides some cameos and answers, and closes some timelines while leaving other ones open ended. However, for me it was for the most part boring, somber and tragic for no good reason. I can usually find some beauty in a good sad story, but I could find next to none in this one. Also bothers me that in the long run this novel doesn’t bring for me any important significance to the progression of the series,
Ultimately I wish I had never read it, and it’s my sincere desire to warn others so to be spared the pain and disappointment. Given a second chance, I would skip it.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2004] [169p] [Dystopia] [YA] [1.5] [NOT Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ 1. The Giver
★★★★☆ 2. Gathering Blue
★★☆☆☆ 3. Messenger
★★★★☆ 4. Son
-----------------------------------------------
Lamentable.
Matty y el Veedor viven en la Aldea, antes un feliz y próspero lugar, pero últimamente una siniestra influencia parece afectar la comunidad, contaminando sus vecinos, y el Bosque alrededor. Todo coincide con la llegada del Mercader, una misteriosa figura que vende preciosos artículos en cambio de las cosas más inusuales…
Otra historia aparentemente solitaria que sin embargo está conectada en varias formas con el universo del Dador. Lamentablemente esta entrega fue la más floja de la serie, y verdaderamente me arrepiento de leerla. No es necesariamente una mala historia, conecta #1 y #2, provee cameos y algunas respuestas, y cierra algunas líneas temporales mientras deja otras abiertas. Sin embargo, para mí en su mayor parte resultó aburrida, sombría y trágica sin buena razón. Usualmente puedo hallar cierta belleza en una buena historia triste, pero pude encontrar poco y nada en esta. También me molesta que a la larga esta novela para mí no aporta nada importante ni significancia a la progresión de la serie,
En última instancia desearía nunca haberla leído, y es mi sincero deseo advertir a otros para que puedan ahorrarse el dolor y la decepción. Dada una segunda chance, yo la saltearía.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2004] [169p] [Distopía] [Joven Adulto] [NO Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
Matty and the Seer live in the Village, once a happy and prosperous place, but lately a sinister influence seems to be affecting the community, tainting its neighbors, and the surrounding Forest. It all coincides with the arrival of the Trademaster, a mysterious figure who sales precious artifacts in exchange of the most unusual things…
Another seemingly standalone story yet in many ways connected to The Giver universe. Sadly this installment was the weakest in the series, and I truly regret reading it. It’s not necessarily a bad story, it connects #1 and #2, provides some cameos and answers, and closes some timelines while leaving other ones open ended. However, for me it was for the most part boring, somber and tragic for no good reason. I can usually find some beauty in a good sad story, but I could find next to none in this one. Also bothers me that in the long run this novel doesn’t bring for me any important significance to the progression of the series,
Ultimately I wish I had never read it, and it’s my sincere desire to warn others so to be spared the pain and disappointment. Given a second chance, I would skip it.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2004] [169p] [Dystopia] [YA] [1.5] [NOT Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ 1. The Giver
★★★★☆ 2. Gathering Blue
★★☆☆☆ 3. Messenger
★★★★☆ 4. Son
-----------------------------------------------
Lamentable.
Matty y el Veedor viven en la Aldea, antes un feliz y próspero lugar, pero últimamente una siniestra influencia parece afectar la comunidad, contaminando sus vecinos, y el Bosque alrededor. Todo coincide con la llegada del Mercader, una misteriosa figura que vende preciosos artículos en cambio de las cosas más inusuales…
Otra historia aparentemente solitaria que sin embargo está conectada en varias formas con el universo del Dador. Lamentablemente esta entrega fue la más floja de la serie, y verdaderamente me arrepiento de leerla. No es necesariamente una mala historia, conecta #1 y #2, provee cameos y algunas respuestas, y cierra algunas líneas temporales mientras deja otras abiertas. Sin embargo, para mí en su mayor parte resultó aburrida, sombría y trágica sin buena razón. Usualmente puedo hallar cierta belleza en una buena historia triste, pero pude encontrar poco y nada en esta. También me molesta que a la larga esta novela para mí no aporta nada importante ni significancia a la progresión de la serie,
En última instancia desearía nunca haberla leído, y es mi sincero deseo advertir a otros para que puedan ahorrarse el dolor y la decepción. Dada una segunda chance, yo la saltearía.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2004] [169p] [Distopía] [Joven Adulto] [NO Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
July 16, 2014
This book was terrible. And stupid.
It pains me to say so, because (as everyone likely knows by now) The Giver is one of my most favorite books of all time. In this book, we get to see Jonas again (and even Gabe, for a moment) so I thought for sure it would tie things together and give me some emotional resolution. And while it was good to see what happened to Jonas (even though he is never called by that name in this book, it's clearly Jonas) there were too many other major flaws for me to enjoy the story.
Major spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk.
First of all, I was more than a little confused to learn that Jonas literally arrived in Village (also, this trend of capitalizing nouns and not putting "the" in front of them--annoying as fuck) on a sled. The sled is now in Museum in Village. (SEE?! Annoying!) Because the ending of The Giver is so open ended, I kind of thought maybe the sled was a metaphor, or a hallucination, or something. Why was there randomly a sled? He literally rode a sled into town? All right. Okay. I'll pretend to buy that. BUT...Jonas is around 20-21 in this story. He has already been named the leader of this new community (his name is now Leader) and apparently has been for some time. Really? A thirteen-year-old shows up one day on a sled, with an infant, and in a few years he's the leader of the community? This is kind of explained by saying that Leader has a gift, the ability to "see beyond." Yes, I've heard that before. Jonas could see colors when the other genetically engineered people in his childhood community could not. But wait--this is not the same "seeing beyond" that we know from before. Adult Jonas can actually see...beyond...what normal people can see. Like, he can stand in his study and focus really hard on the forest and "see" to the other side. But it makes him really tired. Hmmmm. When did he discover/master this particular skill? We never find out.
At one point Matty, the main character in this story, is hanging out with Leader and admiring his many books. Leader says that they arrived one day (when he was about 15) on a river barge--just a bunch of wooden crates filled with books. We are led to understand that these were the books that the Giver had owned, sent down the river to Jonas as a token of forgiveness for leaving them and making them deal with memories and colors. So, what happened in his old community? Is the Giver still there? Did they sort themselves out? Again, we never find out. Jonas has never gone back to his old community, never regained contact with his family, nothing. No juicy tidbits for a Giver fan to hold on to.
Apart from the frustrating lack of information about Jonas, we have a strange subplot involving trading pieces of your soul (or your family's health) for things like slot machines that give you candy. There's this shady fellow called Trademaster who is apparently magical in some way, because he's collecting "the deepest self" of many of the people in Village and trading them for these slot machines. This is making many of the people in Village turn into hostile assholes who are mean to each other, and want to close the borders to prevent additional refugees from coming in. So, you would think that this Trademaster fellow would be the Big Bad of the story. Who is he? What does he want? What on earth is he doing? Guess what? We see him once, and then...we. Never. Find. Out.
Somehow related to this "close the borders" subplot is the fact that Forest (not THE forest, but proper noun Forest) is thickening, decaying, and killing people who try to enter it. Like, Forest is literally attacking people with vines and sharp sticks when they try to pass through. This obviously has something to do with why people in Village are becoming so mean, and also probably with Trademaster, but none of it is ever explained. Zip, zero, zilch, nothing. The book ends with Matty sacrificing himself by using up all of his healing power to "heal" the forest, which then heals the people in Village (by restoring their deepest selves) and Jonas and Kira (oh, she's here too) traipse out of the woods together. That's the end. The main character dies stopping this malevolent evil that is completely unexplained. Where was it coming from? Why is Forest trying to kill everyone? Are the slot machines evil? Who is Trademaster? What exactly were people trading? WHY IS THIS BOOK SO TERRIBLE?!
We never find out.
So, if you're looking for a completely nonsensical and frustrating read, I highly recommend this book. Otherwise, if you've read The Giver and are thinking about continuing the series, I strongly suggest that you do not, because you will be sorely disappointed.
And yes, I'm still going to read Son. Glutton for punishment, I guess.
It pains me to say so, because (as everyone likely knows by now) The Giver is one of my most favorite books of all time. In this book, we get to see Jonas again (and even Gabe, for a moment) so I thought for sure it would tie things together and give me some emotional resolution. And while it was good to see what happened to Jonas (even though he is never called by that name in this book, it's clearly Jonas) there were too many other major flaws for me to enjoy the story.
Major spoilers ahead, so read at your own risk.
First of all, I was more than a little confused to learn that Jonas literally arrived in Village (also, this trend of capitalizing nouns and not putting "the" in front of them--annoying as fuck) on a sled. The sled is now in Museum in Village. (SEE?! Annoying!) Because the ending of The Giver is so open ended, I kind of thought maybe the sled was a metaphor, or a hallucination, or something. Why was there randomly a sled? He literally rode a sled into town? All right. Okay. I'll pretend to buy that. BUT...Jonas is around 20-21 in this story. He has already been named the leader of this new community (his name is now Leader) and apparently has been for some time. Really? A thirteen-year-old shows up one day on a sled, with an infant, and in a few years he's the leader of the community? This is kind of explained by saying that Leader has a gift, the ability to "see beyond." Yes, I've heard that before. Jonas could see colors when the other genetically engineered people in his childhood community could not. But wait--this is not the same "seeing beyond" that we know from before. Adult Jonas can actually see...beyond...what normal people can see. Like, he can stand in his study and focus really hard on the forest and "see" to the other side. But it makes him really tired. Hmmmm. When did he discover/master this particular skill? We never find out.
At one point Matty, the main character in this story, is hanging out with Leader and admiring his many books. Leader says that they arrived one day (when he was about 15) on a river barge--just a bunch of wooden crates filled with books. We are led to understand that these were the books that the Giver had owned, sent down the river to Jonas as a token of forgiveness for leaving them and making them deal with memories and colors. So, what happened in his old community? Is the Giver still there? Did they sort themselves out? Again, we never find out. Jonas has never gone back to his old community, never regained contact with his family, nothing. No juicy tidbits for a Giver fan to hold on to.
Apart from the frustrating lack of information about Jonas, we have a strange subplot involving trading pieces of your soul (or your family's health) for things like slot machines that give you candy. There's this shady fellow called Trademaster who is apparently magical in some way, because he's collecting "the deepest self" of many of the people in Village and trading them for these slot machines. This is making many of the people in Village turn into hostile assholes who are mean to each other, and want to close the borders to prevent additional refugees from coming in. So, you would think that this Trademaster fellow would be the Big Bad of the story. Who is he? What does he want? What on earth is he doing? Guess what? We see him once, and then...we. Never. Find. Out.
Somehow related to this "close the borders" subplot is the fact that Forest (not THE forest, but proper noun Forest) is thickening, decaying, and killing people who try to enter it. Like, Forest is literally attacking people with vines and sharp sticks when they try to pass through. This obviously has something to do with why people in Village are becoming so mean, and also probably with Trademaster, but none of it is ever explained. Zip, zero, zilch, nothing. The book ends with Matty sacrificing himself by using up all of his healing power to "heal" the forest, which then heals the people in Village (by restoring their deepest selves) and Jonas and Kira (oh, she's here too) traipse out of the woods together. That's the end. The main character dies stopping this malevolent evil that is completely unexplained. Where was it coming from? Why is Forest trying to kill everyone? Are the slot machines evil? Who is Trademaster? What exactly were people trading? WHY IS THIS BOOK SO TERRIBLE?!
We never find out.
So, if you're looking for a completely nonsensical and frustrating read, I highly recommend this book. Otherwise, if you've read The Giver and are thinking about continuing the series, I strongly suggest that you do not, because you will be sorely disappointed.
And yes, I'm still going to read Son. Glutton for punishment, I guess.
August 9, 2018
I did love this book, I was so happy to find out what happened to Jonas and Gabe after the heartbreaking ending of The Giver. One criticism is that while I found the sub-plot of the Trademart to be very interesting it seemed to just fade off without any explanation. Where did the Trader come from? How was he able to take a persons inner-most self...was it magic? Kira, Leader and Matty all seem to have magical powers...where did their powers come from. Their world seems to be ours...there are references to Shakespeare and periods of our history. But we have no magic, so where did it come from. I liked the allegorical aspect of people trading what is really important (their souls) in return for things like the removal of a birthmark, being taller, younger, less, bald, better looking, pretty furniture, a slot machine. It seems to speak to our own society where being beautiful is valued over kindness and intelligence (just watch an episode of Real Housewives of anywhere). Where people bankrupt themselves in pursuit of material goods they can't afford. All of the books in this series are allegories...The Giver showed what happens when people try to prevent any painful experience from ever happening to the people in its community...Gathering Blue showed a corrupt society where people had forgotten how to care for one another...and Messenger showed how a society that was based on caring principles could become corrupted. I look forward to reading Son, the final book in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2025
This series should've stopped with the Giver.
Mostly because: That. Ending. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
deeep breaths
Okay, let me back up a bit. In this quasi-magic, quasi-dystopian world, we have humans with magical gifts living in harsh, cruel and primitive villages.
In the previous book we followed Kira, who was gifted with great artistic skills with embroidery (talk about a disappointing super power!) as she is used and abused by those in power. This book, we follow Matt (Kira's old companion).
His deepest desire is to become the Messenger - in charge of relaying communication between the crude, vengeful and often irrational villages surround his little town. Only, some of their madness is infecting his home.
In the midst of that, Matty is sent out with one, final task - to find Kira and bring her back before it's too late. But with her lame leg and the Forest's ever-increasingly menacing presence, Matty will soon find that even he might not make it back at all.
Overall, I liked this one a bit more than the previous but I'm still peeved that after three books we're left with not even a scrap of information regarding their powers, the society (i.e. how the forest can have a consciousness) or the world-that-used-to-be.
The Trader arc was never truly resolved and I don't think I could forgive the author for what she did to Matty. I'll finish this series but my heart isn't in it anymore.
Audiobook Comments
Well-read and a pleasure to listen to. The variation in tone made this audiobook extremely engaging!
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Mostly because: That. Ending. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
deeep breaths
Okay, let me back up a bit. In this quasi-magic, quasi-dystopian world, we have humans with magical gifts living in harsh, cruel and primitive villages.
In the previous book we followed Kira, who was gifted with great artistic skills with embroidery (talk about a disappointing super power!) as she is used and abused by those in power. This book, we follow Matt (Kira's old companion).
Matt - now Matty - is roughly a teenager and is coming into powers of his own. And (unsurprisingly) world has become very, very confusing for him.
"Things seem more when you’re little. They seem bigger, and distances seem farther."
His deepest desire is to become the Messenger - in charge of relaying communication between the crude, vengeful and often irrational villages surround his little town. Only, some of their madness is infecting his home.
A Trader has come to town and what he is trading causes harm to the entire population. Gentle friends are quickly becoming cruel, kind folks are becoming apathetic and soon the entire village shifts from idyllic to something far, far worse.
"And he could see as well that they had not yet approached the worst of it."
In the midst of that, Matty is sent out with one, final task - to find Kira and bring her back before it's too late. But with her lame leg and the Forest's ever-increasingly menacing presence, Matty will soon find that even he might not make it back at all.
Overall, I liked this one a bit more than the previous but I'm still peeved that after three books we're left with not even a scrap of information regarding their powers, the society (i.e. how the forest can have a consciousness) or the world-that-used-to-be.
The Trader arc was never truly resolved and I don't think I could forgive the author for what she did to Matty. I'll finish this series but my heart isn't in it anymore.
Audiobook Comments
Well-read and a pleasure to listen to. The variation in tone made this audiobook extremely engaging!
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
June 9, 2008
Arrrrrgh! (In the best way...)
I was 15 pages from the end and said to my husband, "I don't see how this is going to end!"
So when I get to the end, I moaned, and he asked whether it was a bad ending, to which I replied, "Really good--but bad."
And that is all I can tell you. This is one you really must read if you have not. I think I might even read it again to really "get" it.
If you can, start with The Giver and go right through to Gathering Blue and then Messenger. I have not enjoyed a related series of books so much since Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets. I don't know how these two "sequels" to The Giver escaped me for so many years!
I was 15 pages from the end and said to my husband, "I don't see how this is going to end!"
So when I get to the end, I moaned, and he asked whether it was a bad ending, to which I replied, "Really good--but bad."
And that is all I can tell you. This is one you really must read if you have not. I think I might even read it again to really "get" it.
If you can, start with The Giver and go right through to Gathering Blue and then Messenger. I have not enjoyed a related series of books so much since Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets. I don't know how these two "sequels" to The Giver escaped me for so many years!
June 28, 2018
the Messenger boy runs to and fro, delivering his messages, keeping his secret to himself.
the old Seer sees beyond his blind eyes, to the world around him, to his distant past, to the heart of the boy.
the young Leader looks ahead, the past secured, the present and the future fraught with danger.
the distant Embroiderer makes her tapestries and sees all, all but the sickness.
the once-welcoming Villagers have changed: avarice and fear sicken their hearts; warmth and life have been replaced.
the now-sick Forest has found a new purpose: kill, kill, and kill again; cold and rot have replaced warmth and life.
the Author writes a parable, her third in this world of parables; she provides a guide on how not to live a life; a guide full of secrets and blind sight that sees and futures that must be avoided and sickness that must be cured; she writes with clarity and ambiguity, in equal measures.
the Parable is a simple one: resist your worst self.
the Cure is a hard one: sometimes a terrible sacrifice must be made.
the author Lois Lowry lost a son, caught in the machineries of war; she wrote an elegy for him, to mourn his passing - to mourn the reasons for his passing - to give his passing meaning - to give him life, again - to mourn his death, again.
the Elegy is a lament for the dead: a lament that gives purpose; a lament that adds something tender and something meaningful to the terrible sting of loss.
the boy is a Healer, as is the seer, and the leader, and the embroiderer; the world the Author creates requires their sights, their sacrifices, their giving.
the world We live in requires the same.
the old Seer sees beyond his blind eyes, to the world around him, to his distant past, to the heart of the boy.
the young Leader looks ahead, the past secured, the present and the future fraught with danger.
the distant Embroiderer makes her tapestries and sees all, all but the sickness.
the once-welcoming Villagers have changed: avarice and fear sicken their hearts; warmth and life have been replaced.
the now-sick Forest has found a new purpose: kill, kill, and kill again; cold and rot have replaced warmth and life.
the Author writes a parable, her third in this world of parables; she provides a guide on how not to live a life; a guide full of secrets and blind sight that sees and futures that must be avoided and sickness that must be cured; she writes with clarity and ambiguity, in equal measures.
the Parable is a simple one: resist your worst self.
the Cure is a hard one: sometimes a terrible sacrifice must be made.
the author Lois Lowry lost a son, caught in the machineries of war; she wrote an elegy for him, to mourn his passing - to mourn the reasons for his passing - to give his passing meaning - to give him life, again - to mourn his death, again.
the Elegy is a lament for the dead: a lament that gives purpose; a lament that adds something tender and something meaningful to the terrible sting of loss.
the boy is a Healer, as is the seer, and the leader, and the embroiderer; the world the Author creates requires their sights, their sacrifices, their giving.
the world We live in requires the same.
May 2, 2008
Here's the second companion piece to The Giver. I liked this one better than the first, Gathering Blue. Actually, it had potential to be a great book, but it's like Lowry forgot her plot lines and things just fell off at the end of the book.
The first two books, The Giver and Gathering Blue deal with utopian societies. This book takes place in a village with all the outcasts from these utopian societies. It's called the village of the Broken, people with some deformity, disfigurement or handicap that were ousted from their home village now live here. It is a great village where everyone accepts each other, has endless patience and are willing to help anyone along the way. Then these auctions called Trademart starts and it's simple at first, where people trade one good for another. But then people start trading part of their souls to fix their disfigurements. As the villagers become 'normal' their village changes. People mock others behind their backs, no one wants to help others anymore and now they want to close their village to any new outcasts, fearing the village will run out of supplies and resources. A messenger is sent out to all the surrounding places to let everyone know that the village of the Broken is builing a wall and closing itself down. This messenger has a secret too but will it help or hurt the village. And here's where the book falls off a little. The ending is a little anticlimactic, I was really interested in the Trademart aspect and then all of a sudden it wasn't mentioned anymore, it wasn't resolved. But I will say, for the age this book is written for, it is a good read and I think most tweens could get something valuable out of this book.
The first two books, The Giver and Gathering Blue deal with utopian societies. This book takes place in a village with all the outcasts from these utopian societies. It's called the village of the Broken, people with some deformity, disfigurement or handicap that were ousted from their home village now live here. It is a great village where everyone accepts each other, has endless patience and are willing to help anyone along the way. Then these auctions called Trademart starts and it's simple at first, where people trade one good for another. But then people start trading part of their souls to fix their disfigurements. As the villagers become 'normal' their village changes. People mock others behind their backs, no one wants to help others anymore and now they want to close their village to any new outcasts, fearing the village will run out of supplies and resources. A messenger is sent out to all the surrounding places to let everyone know that the village of the Broken is builing a wall and closing itself down. This messenger has a secret too but will it help or hurt the village. And here's where the book falls off a little. The ending is a little anticlimactic, I was really interested in the Trademart aspect and then all of a sudden it wasn't mentioned anymore, it wasn't resolved. But I will say, for the age this book is written for, it is a good read and I think most tweens could get something valuable out of this book.
May 11, 2018
While the plot issues with Gathering Blue weren't resolved in this one, it stood on it's own better as a story. I loved Matty in this, and all the other characters too, like Seer, Leader (who's totally Jonas), Jean, and Kira from Gathering Blue. The themes of immigration and acceptance, of social sickness reflecting in nature were very well done and relevant. I wished there had been a bit more in some areas, but found myself deeply engrossed throughout and read it all in one sitting (it is very short though, so that isn't exactly a bragging point). I'm excited to read Son now, which is considerably longer than Gathering Blue and Messenger, possibly even combined.
November 20, 2008
I'm a bit torn on this. I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the two previous novels in this "series," but it had such a powerful ending and the extreme geek in me was so excited that it united all three of the books together in such a good way... It's just hard for me.
Matty didn't appeal to me as much as Jonas or Kira had in the previous novels, and while his struggles were interesting I felt it focused entirely too much on the journey through the forest while I was really wanting to know more about what was going on in Village as well as how exactly things were progressing in Kira's village that was featured in Gathering Blue (at the end of that it's in a pretty big mess, but we never get a real idea of HOW it changed or why).
I felt this definitely could have used 50 more pages to flesh out different aspects of the story, and even then it still would have been pretty short! Seriously, I understand the basics of what was going on at Trade Mart, but I was still so curious as to what was going on that I wanted more information!
Still, the ending was strong for me and I had a hard time sleeping after finishing it since I found myself thinking about it after I'd turned my light off. I can't really justify a 4-star rating on this even though it did keep me thinking, however. I liked it, but it just didn't resonate with me as much as the previous two. A decent companion, but definitely could have been better.
Matty didn't appeal to me as much as Jonas or Kira had in the previous novels, and while his struggles were interesting I felt it focused entirely too much on the journey through the forest while I was really wanting to know more about what was going on in Village as well as how exactly things were progressing in Kira's village that was featured in Gathering Blue (at the end of that it's in a pretty big mess, but we never get a real idea of HOW it changed or why).
I felt this definitely could have used 50 more pages to flesh out different aspects of the story, and even then it still would have been pretty short! Seriously, I understand the basics of what was going on at Trade Mart, but I was still so curious as to what was going on that I wanted more information!
Still, the ending was strong for me and I had a hard time sleeping after finishing it since I found myself thinking about it after I'd turned my light off. I can't really justify a 4-star rating on this even though it did keep me thinking, however. I liked it, but it just didn't resonate with me as much as the previous two. A decent companion, but definitely could have been better.
January 20, 2024
2.5 stars (rounded up)
Uh…what did I just read? I am not sure if anything made sense looking back. However, I will attempt to spill my thoughts into a somewhat coherent review AND try to be nice.
So supposedly, Messenger is the 3rd installment of The Giver series. It takes place many years after Gathering Blue with Matty being the main character in this story. Remember Matt the energetic and adorable tyke from the 2nd book with the cute accent? Well, he is older now and therefore turned into two-syllable Matty! Yay!
The setting takes place in a place called Village that stems from the last book which is supposed to be a safer and more inclusive community/settlement where all sorts of people emigrate to start over. In Village, they are kind to one another, and flaws are accepted here that would otherwise result in punishment by death in prior communities of this universe.
All this sounds okay until some other elements come into play…attempts are made to connect the main character Jonas from the first book with the second book events, but it all just started making my head hurt realizing how none of it even actually made any sense. Jonas from The Giver is clearly Jonas even though never stated; he is referred to instead as “leader.” Gabe is only briefly mentioned. There goes the fun of an open ending or logical conclusion of The Giver. There are also some bizarre mentions of things that never get full explanations such as the Trade Mart and Forest. Then you have Kira from the 2nd book come back, and her gift that was so “underwhelming” before has been elaborated into something more special than previously construed. Why? I am not even sure at this point. I’m beginning to see why I never heard about the “series” and most definitely why they never made a second movie. It would have completely bombed out with bad ratings. I admit the ending was a bit tragic and all, but I did not really feel a strong enough connection with the story to care too much. Frustration instead overruled.
I’ve got one more to go to complete the series. Can I do it? It looks like the final installment may relate back to the beginning roots of the series where The Giver took place, so I might be able to force myself to go on reading as that was the best book in the series by far. Ah! Being a completionist is a tough life to live! If there was more than one book left in the series though, I would definitely rather choose to live in a dystopian society for a year as that would be an easier punishment to endure at this point!!
Anyway, I found a way to complete another category challenge for my 2024 Monster Mash Challenge, so the book was not a total waste!
|Invisible Man Category|
◇ Read a book under 200 pages. ✔️
Uh…what did I just read? I am not sure if anything made sense looking back. However, I will attempt to spill my thoughts into a somewhat coherent review AND try to be nice.
So supposedly, Messenger is the 3rd installment of The Giver series. It takes place many years after Gathering Blue with Matty being the main character in this story. Remember Matt the energetic and adorable tyke from the 2nd book with the cute accent? Well, he is older now and therefore turned into two-syllable Matty! Yay!
The setting takes place in a place called Village that stems from the last book which is supposed to be a safer and more inclusive community/settlement where all sorts of people emigrate to start over. In Village, they are kind to one another, and flaws are accepted here that would otherwise result in punishment by death in prior communities of this universe.
All this sounds okay until some other elements come into play…attempts are made to connect the main character Jonas from the first book with the second book events, but it all just started making my head hurt realizing how none of it even actually made any sense. Jonas from The Giver is clearly Jonas even though never stated; he is referred to instead as “leader.” Gabe is only briefly mentioned. There goes the fun of an open ending or logical conclusion of The Giver. There are also some bizarre mentions of things that never get full explanations such as the Trade Mart and Forest. Then you have Kira from the 2nd book come back, and her gift that was so “underwhelming” before has been elaborated into something more special than previously construed. Why? I am not even sure at this point. I’m beginning to see why I never heard about the “series” and most definitely why they never made a second movie. It would have completely bombed out with bad ratings. I admit the ending was a bit tragic and all, but I did not really feel a strong enough connection with the story to care too much. Frustration instead overruled.
I’ve got one more to go to complete the series. Can I do it? It looks like the final installment may relate back to the beginning roots of the series where The Giver took place, so I might be able to force myself to go on reading as that was the best book in the series by far. Ah! Being a completionist is a tough life to live! If there was more than one book left in the series though, I would definitely rather choose to live in a dystopian society for a year as that would be an easier punishment to endure at this point!!
Anyway, I found a way to complete another category challenge for my 2024 Monster Mash Challenge, so the book was not a total waste!
|Invisible Man Category|
◇ Read a book under 200 pages. ✔️
December 9, 2015
I think this is the most boring book of the series so far. Very little happened really, although we did get one revelation Otherwise I spent most of this book bored.
5 out of 10
5 out of 10
January 20, 2024
A worthy continuation of The Giver quartet, this being the third installment. Village and Forest are still part of the story. Matty is our primary narrator, living with Seer, who is blind and hoping to be reunited with his daughter Kira. As before, this dystopian world has messages for us, a powerful one in this book is how Village turns against immigration and welcoming others, to building a wall and barring any new people to come to Village.
A beautiful and ominous story, although I found the ending here a bit abrupt. Lois Lowry is a wonder. 4+ stars
A beautiful and ominous story, although I found the ending here a bit abrupt. Lois Lowry is a wonder. 4+ stars
September 16, 2007
Messenger is the third book after The Giver and Gathering Blue. Readers who were dissatisfied by the vague ending of The Giver will appreciate the glimpse of Gabe and Jonas' important role as Leader of Village.
Matty, who befriended Kira in Gathering Blue, is the main character in Messenger. He is anticipating earning his true name, which he hopes will be Messenger. He knows all the paths of the mysterious forest, which becomes more and more sinister as the story progresses. Village, under Jonas' leadership, welcomes those who have escaped from other communities. However, the sinister influence of Trader is changing the people of Village. They decide to build a wall to stop immigrants from entering Village. Matty is sent into the forest with messages for the other communities and to bring Kira back before the wall goes up. Matty and Kira's journey through the forest is delightfully eerie and will keep the pages turning.
The exact natures of Trader and the suddenly magical forest (remember that it was actually harmless in Gathering Blue) are never revealed, so even though some questions are answered, others are left unanswered.
Matty, who befriended Kira in Gathering Blue, is the main character in Messenger. He is anticipating earning his true name, which he hopes will be Messenger. He knows all the paths of the mysterious forest, which becomes more and more sinister as the story progresses. Village, under Jonas' leadership, welcomes those who have escaped from other communities. However, the sinister influence of Trader is changing the people of Village. They decide to build a wall to stop immigrants from entering Village. Matty is sent into the forest with messages for the other communities and to bring Kira back before the wall goes up. Matty and Kira's journey through the forest is delightfully eerie and will keep the pages turning.
The exact natures of Trader and the suddenly magical forest (remember that it was actually harmless in Gathering Blue) are never revealed, so even though some questions are answered, others are left unanswered.
December 11, 2012
I am speechless. This book has literally blown my mind away. This is the third book written by Lois Lowry, after "The Giver" and "Gathering Blue". If you were dissatisfied with the end of The Giver, I highly recommend this book, as you'll realize what has truly happened to Jonas and Gabe.
The "Messenger" focuses on Matty, a character who briefly appeared in "Gathering Blue". We can see that everything is doing fine in the village he is currently living, but something ominous is approaching. Is not an unexplainable phenomenon or a fictional creature, but the society itself. The village who once was a humble and sympathetic place, is now becoming wretched, selfish, and uncaring... which is basically what is going on nowadays. The book teaches us bravery, courage, wisdom and the inner strength that unleashes during the darkest days. I loved the scene were Matty suggested to heal Kira's leg and she refused, stating that the limp was part of her identity, and it made her whole and complete, teaching her to be stronger and to take pride in her pain.
I became really enthralled with the novel and is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. You must read it, period.
The "Messenger" focuses on Matty, a character who briefly appeared in "Gathering Blue". We can see that everything is doing fine in the village he is currently living, but something ominous is approaching. Is not an unexplainable phenomenon or a fictional creature, but the society itself. The village who once was a humble and sympathetic place, is now becoming wretched, selfish, and uncaring... which is basically what is going on nowadays. The book teaches us bravery, courage, wisdom and the inner strength that unleashes during the darkest days. I loved the scene were Matty suggested to heal Kira's leg and she refused, stating that the limp was part of her identity, and it made her whole and complete, teaching her to be stronger and to take pride in her pain.
I became really enthralled with the novel and is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. You must read it, period.
October 13, 2018
well Jonas is finally back, with a new name. and even Gabe gets a name drop. but this book is not about the community from the giver. it's from the idealistic "Village." not to be confused with gathering blue's "the village." Kira and Jonas are side characters in the one. Matty from gathering blue is your narrator. he's 8 years older and living with Kira's Dad in "Village." and everything is changing. people are trading their inter most selves for material things and it is turning everything hostile even the surround world. that's today lesson. how a peaceful ideal village can be tainted by material greed. but the story ends before anything is really resolved or explained.
this book has a true under current of mysticism. where the other two book only have slight hint of magic. that is the biggest difference in messenger. the sift in realism is jarring. that lost this book a star from me. Jonas's seeing beyond turns from just colors to far away places and the future. Kira's talented weaving. become self guiding fortune weaving. and Matty has a special power as well which becomes the main plot of the story. does Lowry really need characters that can tell the future her book are already so predictable. even a Butcher from Georgia can see the ending coming.
also the fact that Jonas and Gabe arrived in village on a actual sled. it was not a metaphor or memory. That was kind of lame. That the downside with lowry simple writing style you put more ideas in than you get out of it. And sometimes it's not as interesting as you thought. This book was more frustrating than entertaining.
this book has a true under current of mysticism. where the other two book only have slight hint of magic. that is the biggest difference in messenger. the sift in realism is jarring. that lost this book a star from me. Jonas's seeing beyond turns from just colors to far away places and the future. Kira's talented weaving. become self guiding fortune weaving. and Matty has a special power as well which becomes the main plot of the story. does Lowry really need characters that can tell the future her book are already so predictable. even a Butcher from Georgia can see the ending coming.
also the fact that Jonas and Gabe arrived in village on a actual sled. it was not a metaphor or memory. That was kind of lame. That the downside with lowry simple writing style you put more ideas in than you get out of it. And sometimes it's not as interesting as you thought. This book was more frustrating than entertaining.
December 31, 2019
I really wanted to know "why" Forest was becoming malevolent, and more background on the workings of Trade Mart would have been helpful too - and did it completely disappear after Matty finally used his gift? Hopefully I'll find out in the next installment. If not for these questions, I would have given this book four stars, as I'm really enjoying this series.
December 27, 2017
5 stars. I honestly cannot think of one thing I didn't like about this book. IT WAS SO GOOD. Full of surprises and twists and allegories and ugh ugh UGH I'M NO GOOD AT WRITING REVIEWS FOR BOOKS THAT I REALLY LOVED. Because I can't do anything but fangirl and babble incoherently. :''') IT'S FINE.
I can't even make a list of things I liked and didn't like because I LIKED EVERYTHING. Even the ending, as it broke my heart into little smithereens. *cries into a pillow* The characters were filled with depth and emotion — they each had unique voices and personalities. I loved how the characters from THE GIVER were finally reintroduced into the story (AT LAST A BIT OF CLOSURE *gasps desperately and hugs Jonas*) Matty was definitely my favorite. His character development was A+++++++ and he was just the perfect blend of strength and gentleness. His gift was intriguing and I totally didn't expect the ending… *cries some more* SO BAD IT'S GOOD. And the allegories of Forest and how it related to the spiritual changes in the people of Village… ASDFGHJKL YES MMMHMM. It left me thinking. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE books that make me think.
Like THE GIVER, I couldn't put this book down. It was definitely my favorite in the series so far…not sure if that means I'm getting used to the lack of explanatory endings or what. :') OH WELL. I CAN DEAL WITH A LITTLE CONFUSION. *runs off to read book 4*
I can't even make a list of things I liked and didn't like because I LIKED EVERYTHING. Even the ending, as it broke my heart into little smithereens. *cries into a pillow* The characters were filled with depth and emotion — they each had unique voices and personalities. I loved how the characters from THE GIVER were finally reintroduced into the story (AT LAST A BIT OF CLOSURE *gasps desperately and hugs Jonas*) Matty was definitely my favorite. His character development was A+++++++ and he was just the perfect blend of strength and gentleness. His gift was intriguing and I totally didn't expect the ending… *cries some more* SO BAD IT'S GOOD. And the allegories of Forest and how it related to the spiritual changes in the people of Village… ASDFGHJKL YES MMMHMM. It left me thinking. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE books that make me think.
Like THE GIVER, I couldn't put this book down. It was definitely my favorite in the series so far…not sure if that means I'm getting used to the lack of explanatory endings or what. :') OH WELL. I CAN DEAL WITH A LITTLE CONFUSION. *runs off to read book 4*
November 8, 2007
The third (and final?) installment of The Giver books. The Giver was more uptopic/dystopic worlds, Gathering Blue had a Sci-Fi feel, and this one was more fantastical. I enjoyed it very much.
One complaint: if I met the reader on the street (I audio booked it) I would say, "Hey guy, SLOW DOWN! St. Elsewhere has been cancelled; what are your rushing off to?"
Addendum: The more I thought about this book since completing it, the more annoyed I became. It just ends so abruptly. What happened? I know what happened, but what happened next? Why was forest angry? What were the people exchanging at Trade Mart? What was up with Mentor? And now everything is just ok? What about Kira's community? What ever happened to the Singer? I'm dropping this to 3 stars but did consider going down to two. I am not satisfied with the conclusion at all. The only community where we had closure was Jonas'.
One complaint: if I met the reader on the street (I audio booked it) I would say, "Hey guy, SLOW DOWN! St. Elsewhere has been cancelled; what are your rushing off to?"
Addendum: The more I thought about this book since completing it, the more annoyed I became. It just ends so abruptly. What happened? I know what happened, but what happened next? Why was forest angry? What were the people exchanging at Trade Mart? What was up with Mentor? And now everything is just ok? What about Kira's community? What ever happened to the Singer? I'm dropping this to 3 stars but did consider going down to two. I am not satisfied with the conclusion at all. The only community where we had closure was Jonas'.
February 7, 2012
It's not that this book was bad per se. It is like the others in this series, beautifully written and deals with beloved characters. However, it would be a stretch to say I liked it. First, the plot elements are mystical which has never really happened before and I found totally out of place in the world. The series has toyed here and there with fantastic ideas, but they could be explained, if at a stretch. The Messenger is dealing with things like sentient forests and paranormal powers and it comes out of nowhere. Ultimately though, I didn't like this book because nothing was concluded. The final sacrifice was made yet the main problem is left unresolved. The thing is, you can't force salvation. To save someone, he or she needs to want to be saved and have some idea of what they're being saved from...or they'll go right back where they were. The solution in The Messenger is at best an extremely costly finger in the dike: the problem is still there, the cause of the problem is still there, and the water is still going to drown the populace. This is not a satisfactory end to a book. In fact, I felt I had wasted quite a lot of time reading a story that went nowhere.
April 6, 2017
This third book in the author's The Giver Quartet features characters from both The Giver and Gathering Blue. The author continues to build a very convincing fantasy world in which individuals with a variety of physical and/or emotional wounds as a consequence of life in a dystopian community are welcomed into Village, a place where they are valued and where their individual gifts are recognized and nurtured.
As I expected from this author, the very strong undercurrent of spirituality is continued. This element is, in my opinion, slightly too melodramatic in the ending of this book; hence, I give it a slightly lower rating. Nonetheless, it is well worth reading as a sequel to the previous books. I would not recommend it as a "stand-alone".
As I expected from this author, the very strong undercurrent of spirituality is continued. This element is, in my opinion, slightly too melodramatic in the ending of this book; hence, I give it a slightly lower rating. Nonetheless, it is well worth reading as a sequel to the previous books. I would not recommend it as a "stand-alone".
February 7, 2017
I LOVED The Messenger! Now I finally understand how it is a companion novel to The Giver and Gathering Blue. It is just fantansic how Lois Lowry separates the three villages, showing how the flaws of Jonas and Kira's towns had flaws which can tear people apart and in Village where people are drawn together, caring for one another in community. What happens when selfishness, jealousy, vanity, greed, pretty much the seven deadly sins come into play: The Messenger is heart-wrenching and the ending is so sad. It was a great ending to a great series.
Review written in 2007. Book #4 Son published in 2012 is on my to-read list:)
Review written in 2007. Book #4 Son published in 2012 is on my to-read list:)
October 19, 2016
This wasn't as good as the first two books. I still enjoyed the storyline and the style of writing, but it just seemed a bit more sloppy and rushed. It wasn't explained well at all. What exactly were the people in the Village trading? Why couldn't Matty use just a part of his gift? What happened when they got back? It just had too many loose ends and vague plot holes. Moving on to the last book, hoping it will tie everything together better.
October 18, 2023
3 Stars for Messenger: Giver, Book 3 (audiobook) by Lois Lowry read by David Morse.
This was kind of disappointing. There wasn’t much of a story to this one. It’s frustrating because the first book was so good. Should I bother with the fourth book?
This was kind of disappointing. There wasn’t much of a story to this one. It’s frustrating because the first book was so good. Should I bother with the fourth book?
July 18, 2025
*** Spoiler Alert ***
*** 4.0 Stars out of 5 Stars ***
Lois Lowry wrote a quartet of books (Giver) and the third installment was Messenger. I enjoyed the first two books of the quartet immensely. Book three was an easy fast paced read about Matty, who was mentioned in book two.
Fast forward six years and Matty is bigger and intelligent. He lives with the blind Seer, father of Kira (book two). The Seer and Matty have become fast friends and you later learn the Seer has adopted Matty in his own right and considers him his son.
Matty has taken a special liking to a fellow resident of the Village named Jean. He strikes up a keen friendship with her. Eventually, the friendship blossoms into Jean kissing Matty. Jean give Matty a present and that is a new dog Frolic. Matty's first dog Branch died two years prior. Frolic is a sweat and loving puppy who learns quickly.
In each of Lowry's books certain individuals posses a special power which makes them unique. As it turns out Matty if one of these individuals. You find Matty possesses the ability to heal. He find this out while delivering messages as he has been acting as the Villages Messenger. During one of his trips carrying messages he runs across an injured frog. Matty feels badly for the frog and as he is holding it, Matty heals the frog.
The antagonist of this story is "Forest". Lately, Forest has been acting out and causing more destruction than usually and at times killing residents from the Village or severely injuring them. Matty has a way with Forest and normally Forest doesn't send him warnings or try to hurt him, but things are changing and Forest is closing up and becoming more dense. Matty begins to have problems traversing Forest despite his deep knowledge of routes. Seer knowing from Leader (book one) that Forest has been acting out send Matty to locate and bring back Kira before Forest is closed off for good.
In a climatic ending Kira is able to communicate with book one main character (Leader) as they can speak to one another telepathically to help save themselves from "Forest" marking them for death. Kira is able to help guide Leader to where both she and Matty are dying from wounds caused by Forest. Eventually, Matty summons all of his strength and power to help heal Forest by placing his hands deep down in Forest's mud. His hands vibrate and every essence of what was Matty is transferred into Forest healing it.
Leader and Kira survive and Leader carries Matty's lifeless limp bogy out of Forest. Matty sacrificed himself so his friends and family could live in peace once again. Village was reset by Matty's sacrifice and all residents were back to their usual selves.
As the reader you are left with a sense of loss at the passing of Matty, but gain much needed perspective that at times in life you must make hard sacrifices to ensure your friends and family will survive. I was moved by this book and encourage everyone to read.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, it is much appreciated.
Have a nice day, Andrew.
*** 4.0 Stars out of 5 Stars ***
Lois Lowry wrote a quartet of books (Giver) and the third installment was Messenger. I enjoyed the first two books of the quartet immensely. Book three was an easy fast paced read about Matty, who was mentioned in book two.
Fast forward six years and Matty is bigger and intelligent. He lives with the blind Seer, father of Kira (book two). The Seer and Matty have become fast friends and you later learn the Seer has adopted Matty in his own right and considers him his son.
Matty has taken a special liking to a fellow resident of the Village named Jean. He strikes up a keen friendship with her. Eventually, the friendship blossoms into Jean kissing Matty. Jean give Matty a present and that is a new dog Frolic. Matty's first dog Branch died two years prior. Frolic is a sweat and loving puppy who learns quickly.
In each of Lowry's books certain individuals posses a special power which makes them unique. As it turns out Matty if one of these individuals. You find Matty possesses the ability to heal. He find this out while delivering messages as he has been acting as the Villages Messenger. During one of his trips carrying messages he runs across an injured frog. Matty feels badly for the frog and as he is holding it, Matty heals the frog.
The antagonist of this story is "Forest". Lately, Forest has been acting out and causing more destruction than usually and at times killing residents from the Village or severely injuring them. Matty has a way with Forest and normally Forest doesn't send him warnings or try to hurt him, but things are changing and Forest is closing up and becoming more dense. Matty begins to have problems traversing Forest despite his deep knowledge of routes. Seer knowing from Leader (book one) that Forest has been acting out send Matty to locate and bring back Kira before Forest is closed off for good.
In a climatic ending Kira is able to communicate with book one main character (Leader) as they can speak to one another telepathically to help save themselves from "Forest" marking them for death. Kira is able to help guide Leader to where both she and Matty are dying from wounds caused by Forest. Eventually, Matty summons all of his strength and power to help heal Forest by placing his hands deep down in Forest's mud. His hands vibrate and every essence of what was Matty is transferred into Forest healing it.
Leader and Kira survive and Leader carries Matty's lifeless limp bogy out of Forest. Matty sacrificed himself so his friends and family could live in peace once again. Village was reset by Matty's sacrifice and all residents were back to their usual selves.
As the reader you are left with a sense of loss at the passing of Matty, but gain much needed perspective that at times in life you must make hard sacrifices to ensure your friends and family will survive. I was moved by this book and encourage everyone to read.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, it is much appreciated.
Have a nice day, Andrew.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2016
#3 of the Giver series and this one may be the turning point for me in the series, in a good way. But it also scares me how it still resonates today, especially in the wake of this awful 2016 US Presidential Election.
Some of those who had been among the most industrious, the kindest, and the most stalwart citizens of Village now went to the platform and shouted their wish that the border be closed so that 'we' (Matty shuddered at the use of 'we') would not have to share the resources anymore.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
I can't wait to finish up this series but I'm also scared to.
Some of those who had been among the most industrious, the kindest, and the most stalwart citizens of Village now went to the platform and shouted their wish that the border be closed so that 'we' (Matty shuddered at the use of 'we') would not have to share the resources anymore.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
I can't wait to finish up this series but I'm also scared to.
April 3, 2018
Odd as it is, I feel like Messenger did a better job of hearkening back to The Giver than Gathering Blue, merely by putting us inside the head of another likeable male protagonist. Matty, (Matt, in the previous book), is almost all grown up now, but beginning to discover something about himself that frightens him. Something that he doesn’t understand—something that could potentially effect great change in his world.
Other than that, Messenger’s plot follows an entirely different trajectory than that of its predecessors. In the previous two books things were bad, and things that seemed good were not really very good at all. There’s a growing sense of unease—a dull horror that things are not what they seem—building up to a better ending. With Messenger, things start out just the way they should. Life is good in the Village. People share, and don’t discriminate between others just because they’re disabled in some way or another. From there, it gradually travels downhill. The mysterious Trade Mart has people trading away their inner selves and becoming selfish, and only receiving silly stuff in return, like velvet-covered furniture, an improved complexion, or an old slot machine that spits out candy. But what can be done about it? Trades are forever. That's where Matty comes in.
Matty is like Jonas in a lot of ways. He’s just beginning to grow up, and realize that there is more to the world than meets the eye. He’s good-hearted, and willing to sacrifice himself for others if necessary. He’s even beginning to experience the stirring of new power within himself, just like Jonas—Jonas could “see beyond,” The Giver could “hear beyond,” and Matty—well, he can fix a frog. (His words, not mine, folks.) He can heal things just by touch. His old friend Kira has the almost supernatural gift for weaving, and Thomas for carving. Matty can heal.
That healing power makes the climax of this book spectacular, and I’ll leave it at that. I noticed that it is a little brief this read-through, but it utterly wrecked me the first time I read it. Prepare yourself for feels—that’s all I have to say. :P
If you liked The Giver, I think you'll like Messenger. As always, Lowry builds the suspense until the very end, and leaves me wanting more.
Other than that, Messenger’s plot follows an entirely different trajectory than that of its predecessors. In the previous two books things were bad, and things that seemed good were not really very good at all. There’s a growing sense of unease—a dull horror that things are not what they seem—building up to a better ending. With Messenger, things start out just the way they should. Life is good in the Village. People share, and don’t discriminate between others just because they’re disabled in some way or another. From there, it gradually travels downhill. The mysterious Trade Mart has people trading away their inner selves and becoming selfish, and only receiving silly stuff in return, like velvet-covered furniture, an improved complexion, or an old slot machine that spits out candy. But what can be done about it? Trades are forever. That's where Matty comes in.
Matty is like Jonas in a lot of ways. He’s just beginning to grow up, and realize that there is more to the world than meets the eye. He’s good-hearted, and willing to sacrifice himself for others if necessary. He’s even beginning to experience the stirring of new power within himself, just like Jonas—Jonas could “see beyond,” The Giver could “hear beyond,” and Matty—well, he can fix a frog. (His words, not mine, folks.) He can heal things just by touch. His old friend Kira has the almost supernatural gift for weaving, and Thomas for carving. Matty can heal.
That healing power makes the climax of this book spectacular, and I’ll leave it at that. I noticed that it is a little brief this read-through, but it utterly wrecked me the first time I read it. Prepare yourself for feels—that’s all I have to say. :P
If you liked The Giver, I think you'll like Messenger. As always, Lowry builds the suspense until the very end, and leaves me wanting more.
November 27, 2014
With the Messenger, there are a few familiar faces, but it is kind of a brand new setting.
We follow Matty, after his dog Branch has died, as he lives in the village with Lira's blind father, named the Seer. Gradually Matty starts noticing changes in those around him and while the village was once welcoming to those who were escaping, they now do not want newcomers.
I'm still not sure what to make of this series. It seems each book could be read on their own and there is very little overlap. I am curious to see what happens in the last book and whether or not it ties it all together.
We follow Matty, after his dog Branch has died, as he lives in the village with Lira's blind father, named the Seer. Gradually Matty starts noticing changes in those around him and while the village was once welcoming to those who were escaping, they now do not want newcomers.
I'm still not sure what to make of this series. It seems each book could be read on their own and there is very little overlap. I am curious to see what happens in the last book and whether or not it ties it all together.
March 8, 2018
My heart feels like it's been shredded. Shredded like... like...
Look at me, already having to cut myself off so as not to spoil anything.
THIS BOOK, GUYS. The Giver was all right, though a bit of a disappointment. Gathering Blue was really good - I liked it quite a lot. *nodnod* But Messenger?? EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO SOB IN A CORNER.
Me at the beginning of the book: Yeah, this is good! I like Matty. I'm intrigued. This is a darn good story.
Me by the end of the book: AKDJOAKEGNEVDF WHYYYYYY??? AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! I CAN'T. HELP. HAAAAAAALP.
So yes, this book may or may not have destroyed me. But that's the whole reason it's getting 5 stars.
Look, I am ATTACHED to these characters. Even if The Giver wasn't amazing, I connected with Jonas and I was EAGER to know what happened to him. In Messenger, that question is answered. My life is now complete. *falls flat on face*
I was soooo happy to see Kira again. I admire her resilience and strength SO SO much.
And Matt?? Don't get me started on darling Matty! I love love looooooved him in Gathering Blue, and to see him a little older - and having grown significantly in ways besides age too... I LOVE MY MATT, OKAY??
The whole gift thing?? I can't with it. The whole deal with the Trade Mart??? I CAN'T WITH IT. The incredibly unique Forest, and what happens to it, and what it does, and also everything that happens in this entire book?? I CAN'T, I CAN'T, I CAN'T.
So yeah, 5 stars. This quartet is growing on me. xD
Look at me, already having to cut myself off so as not to spoil anything.
THIS BOOK, GUYS. The Giver was all right, though a bit of a disappointment. Gathering Blue was really good - I liked it quite a lot. *nodnod* But Messenger?? EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO SOB IN A CORNER.
Me at the beginning of the book: Yeah, this is good! I like Matty. I'm intrigued. This is a darn good story.
Me by the end of the book: AKDJOAKEGNEVDF WHYYYYYY??? AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! I CAN'T. HELP. HAAAAAAALP.
So yes, this book may or may not have destroyed me. But that's the whole reason it's getting 5 stars.
Look, I am ATTACHED to these characters. Even if The Giver wasn't amazing, I connected with Jonas and I was EAGER to know what happened to him. In Messenger, that question is answered. My life is now complete. *falls flat on face*
I was soooo happy to see Kira again. I admire her resilience and strength SO SO much.
And Matt?? Don't get me started on darling Matty! I love love looooooved him in Gathering Blue, and to see him a little older - and having grown significantly in ways besides age too... I LOVE MY MATT, OKAY??
The whole gift thing?? I can't with it. The whole deal with the Trade Mart??? I CAN'T WITH IT. The incredibly unique Forest, and what happens to it, and what it does, and also everything that happens in this entire book?? I CAN'T, I CAN'T, I CAN'T.
So yeah, 5 stars. This quartet is growing on me. xD
December 5, 2019
Messenger is the third book in Lowry’s Giver quartet, a group of four books loosely related by theme and by placement of the stories in a future world post-civilization. This is the weakest of the first three allegorical tales. Although characters from the first two books including Jonas (now “Leader”), Matty, and Kira play large roles in this book and thus link up the first two books, there is less world-building here and it feels story-wise a bit flat.
This story takes place for the most part in the Village where Matty found the blind seer and it has been traditionally a village that took in the broken ones who no one else wanted, but that’s changing. Special powers are apparently not limited to Kira as Matty’s power has made an appearance. And the Forest is, of course, like a living being. Most important, when you go the trade fair, keep a tight grip on your soul and don’t go trading it away.
April 25, 2021
Messenger is the last in the trilogy that commenced with the ever popular The Giver, and which then was followed by Gathering Blue. Unfortunately the first two novels proved to be difficult acts to follow successfully, in my opinion. This story seemed somewhat contrived, haphazard and written with less creative flow. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions by the end, and felt slightly ripped off and let down. Ultimately I feel the story had the potential to be so much more. Ah, well, I would still recommend the series for children, as I do find there are a lot of morality issues addressed as well as an underlying meaningful social commentary.
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