A young adult fiction highly recommend by Gayatri K. Its a simple and direct style, with a futuristic, scientific bent. Jonas the twelve year old lives in a society where "sameness" is the basis of their existence, where differences in the form of color, sound, relative knowledge, choice, emotions and memories are eliminated. People are "assigned" their role in society, their spouse, their children (limit 2 per family unit) a boy and a girl, by a group of elders who monitor every citizen, resulting a peaceful, law abiding, strife free yet mechanical world.
At twelve Jonas is "selected" to be the "Receiver" of memories from the "Giver", who keeps all the memories of the past going back several generations. The Elders of this society seek the advise of the "Receiver" on matters beyond their experience, as the Receiver has memories and wisdom that comes from it to guide them. Jonas realizes that memories of color, music, joy, warmth of the sun, breeze from the ocean, death, starvation, war and love all enrich a person even though some of them cause pain.
Nice concept, makes you appreciate the little things that are taken for granted, to appreciate that differences and diversities is what makes life interesting!!Yet, I wonder if it can keep children's attention through out the book..
The books ends abruptly leaving you dissatisfied and a few questions hanging in the air....
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