The Giver

by Lois Lowry · 2014

In Lois Lowry’s masterpiece, The Giver, twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a community that appears perfectly ordered and peaceful. Here, citizens are assigned their careers, partners, and families, and no one questions the strict rules that govern their lives. Everything is uniform, predictable, and safe—but completely devoid of true feeling, color, or choice. When Jonas is selected as the next Receiver of Memory, his world begins to shift. Under the guidance of the elderly Giver, Jonas receives the memories of the world before the community—memories filled with pain, but also with vibrant color, deep love, and individual freedom. He awakens to the dark, complex secrets behind his society's sterile perfection, realizing that power truly lies in human emotion. When forced to choose between protecting the fragile system or saving someone he loves, Jonas must find the courage to challenge everything he has ever known.