Jonas, a 12-year-old boy, lives in an isolated community where everyone is assigned a role based on their qualities. His father is a nurturer (cares for babies), and Jonas attends the "Ceremony of The Twelve" where he'll be given his lifetime job from an Elder but is kept waiting until he's alone. He's assigned to become the next Receiver of memory and is taught by the previous one. He becomes increasingly distant from his close friends Asher and Fiona and has to lie to his family, something against the rules. He is taught that he's unique and will bear the burden of all history that's kept from the people. The Receiver asks Jonas to call him "The Giver" and transfers his memories to him. The first memory is sliding down a snowy hill on a sled. Jonas is baffled because he has never seen such things, mostly because memories (even color) have been given up for "Sameness". The giver shows good memories like a rainbow, or bad ones like war. Jonas also learns of Rosemary, the Giver's past apprentice. Jonas' father brings home a baby (Gabriel) who is "failing to thrive" and could be "released" and taken "elsewhere". Jonas becomes attached to Gabriel and learns that many people have been "released", such as rulebreakers, seniors, and even Rosemary. The giver shows Jonas a video of his father doing his job, which is killing unwanted babies. The Giver tells Jonas that Rosemary killed herself because she could bear the dark memories and Jonas must leave the community so the memories will return to the people. The giver must stay to keep the people from destroying themselves and will join his daughter Rosemary in death after reforming the community. Jonas plans to escape but rescues Gabriel from being "released" and flees. Jonas believes he's reached "Elsewhere" when he slides down a snowy slope and stops near a warm cabin where he experiences hypothermia. Jonas' and Gabriel's fate is left unknown.
I will give this book 5/5 for plot, originality, and characters. This story is a real eye opener for young teens and even adults because from my perspective similar themes from the book are making their way into reality more rapidly.
I will give this book 5/5 for plot, originality, and characters. This story is a real eye opener for young teens and even adults because from my perspective similar themes from the book are making their way into reality more rapidly.