The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry is a novel about a community built for the purpose of keeping peace and order at all times. The community lives in a state of Sameness; everyone lives lives that are basically the same with few variations. Jonas, an Eleven, is approaching Twelve and apprehensive about what he will be assigned to do with the rest of his life. Unlike many Elevens, he does not have a chosen area of preference for his required volunteer hours, nor does he have a strong opinion on where he should be placed. In his world, everything is assigned: family unit, career, and even mode of transportation. There is no such thing as animals, and there is required sharing of feelings each evening. When he is unexpectedly chosen as the community's new Receiver of Memories, he faces the challenge of isolation and secrecy unlike any he has ever experienced. It is only when he truly learns the community's secrets and receives the memories of those before him that he begins to question his way of life. Is Jonas willing to overlook the questionable events taking place in the community, or will he crack under the pressure?

This novel strongly leans toward placing power in the hands of the elders of the community, both male and female equally. There are few women mentioned; however, the women in the novel are shown in a positive, caring light. Fiona, another Eleven, has a loving personality that attracts Jonas' appreciation. She strongly prefers to care for the Old and shows great love and respect for each person she encounters. Jonas' mother is depicted in much the same way. She is assigned to the Department of Justice and is required to issue punishment to the same member of the community twice, something that saddens her because a third offense requires Release. This is a powerful novel, well worth the read.

To read more about the author, I've included some information. The first is a biography with other books by this author. The second is an article about the novel itself which includes some of the controversy involved with this novel.

Lois Lowry

Controversy and Other Topics of Interest


Here is a video interview with Lois Lowry with her thoughts and explanations of how she intended The Giver to be perceived.

And finally, a quote from the book:

Eve & Adam

Eve & Adam by Michael Grant is a novel about a teenage girl, Eve, who is hit by a car and gravely injured. From the moment she wakes up in the hospital, she comes into contact with Solo, one of her mother's cronies. He is kind and gentle toward her, but something boils just under the surface. During Eve's recovery her mother Terra Striker, owner and operator of a large pharmaceutical company, tasks her with creating the perfect boy. Eve creates Adam using a simulation program in a painstaking process. Her hope is to finally create someone who will live up to her impossible standards while constantly reminding herself that Adam is only a simulation, not the real thing. Aislin, Eve's best friend, is the thorn in Terra Striker's side. She is a constant distraction for Eve and can't seem to stay out of trouble. How will this story play out?

In this story, Eve is immediately placed into a position of power simply because of who her mother is. We soon find out that she lives up to the position and even uses it to her advantage. She has moments where she comes off as tad dense; however, they are few and far between. Eve is intelligent and clearly has a lot going for her throughout the novel. Aislin on the other hand is not as fortunate. Aislin is often the victim of neglect, not unlike Eve in some respects; unfortunately, in Aislin's case, she responds to the lack of attention and accountability with a gusto for life that often gets her into highly dangerous situations. Aislin is the damsel in distress in this story and though she seems to be shamed by her constant need, she doesn't seem to know how to change it. This story is interesting and well developed. It is a fast easy read that I would qualify more as a pleasure read. There are references that place book in parallel to the bible at points, as the title suggests.

For those interested in more about this author, who also wrote the Gone series, you can visit the sites below, which give more information on the author and another series written by the author. I've also included an interview with Michael Grant, which isn't necessarily about Eve & Adam, but is interesting nonetheless.

Michael Grant

Gone Series

Interview with Michael Grant

For your viewing pleasure I've included a little teaser on the book: