So disappointed in The Giver Quartet.

Submitted by wealy t3_z4y1ir in books

A main theme of the Giver is the memories and what happens to the community when the receiver leaves. The series never circles back and explores what happens. I was so hopeful at the beginning of the last book that they would finally explain what happened to everyone after Jonas left but, nope. Instead got the lamest “villain battle” of all time.

I’d love to hear some other people’s thoughts on this series. For me, personally, I’d never recommend it to anyone beyond the first book. But, maybe I’m looking at it all wrong?

Edit: found this from 7 years ago. Still, unsatisfied but at least it’s something:

https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/3ab3fz/hi_reddit_i_am_lois_lowry_author_of_the_giver_ama/csb20bk/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3

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Comments

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Varathien t1_ixtokln wrote

The first book was great. The rest were... meh.

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oridol t1_ixtqfm7 wrote

there are more?! i just remember having to read it for 8th grade english…

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r--evolve t1_ixtru0n wrote

I was disappointed too. I read The Giver and Gathering Blue as a kid then reread both and finished out the series as an adult.

I had moderate expectations for the ending, but I agree the "final boss battle" was kinda lame and I feel the intended audience (kids/preteens) would think so as well. I would've been more satisfied with a happily-ever-after, tied-up-in-a-bow ending instead.

I want to be lenient and chalk it up to: It's a children's/middle grade series, so it just didn't lend well to adult-me enjoying it.

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not_dead_7214 t1_ixtzofy wrote

I read a post mentioning The Giver quartet, too, and most of us (even you) share the same sentiment.

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wealy OP t1_ixuaek8 wrote

Replying to oridol (#681,224)

Funny enough I just taught The Giver to my 8th grade English. We finished like 2 weeks ago which is why i decided to finish reading the series. I had never gotten around to it. Hard pass. Cannot recommend it to students. The original stands alone so well for so many reasons especially the ambiguity of the ending.

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wealy OP t1_ixuaj49 wrote

Replying to not_dead_7214 (#682,253)

Interesting that you liked the 3rd. I think 2 was okay ish but 3 was like a weird seemingly desperate attempt to connect the in universe. Like Lois Lowery wrote Gathering Blue then decided to try and connect it to The Giver afterwards

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not_dead_7214 t1_ixuk9y8 wrote

Replying to wealy (#683,480)

Oh, I kind of get your point. Haha! Because it really felt that way. How do I put it though... For me, the messenger is an active character in book 2 that he deserved his own arc, and I think he was given justice in book 3. At least that's how I see it, and maybe because I am also partly a sucker for lowkey selfless characters. I have to agree though, that book 3 was such a poor attempt to connect to The Giver.

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oridol t1_ixv2tg2 wrote

Replying to wealy (#683,462)

My 8th grade english teacher never even told us there were more. She praised the ambiguous ending. I wish I remembered more but I moved like 2 weeks after finishing the book so I had bigger fish to fry.

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geauxandy72 t1_ixv3my4 wrote

This actually makes me so sad. The First 2 books are some of my favorite. Probably mostly nostalgia, but I really enjoy The Giver and Gathering Blue. The last two are pretty meh. The Giver is a book that really helped develop my enjoyment of reading. I’ve probably read it 7 or 8 times and I enjoy it every time. I like that it didn’t circle back around. It leaves it open ended so your imagination can work.

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