Not being an officianado of Dystopian literature, I have mixed feelings about The Giver. 
 I liked Jonas, he's twelve, not complicated, thoughtful, but malleable. I understand 'sameness.' I liked Father, until he voted for Gabriel's release. The action seemed out of character. 
 Lowry seemed to take more time developing the pre-ceremony story than what followed. From there, the story felt choppy and rushed. All of a sudden there's a plan in place where just 'two hours' before there was only impossibility. 
 I get the story is written for young adults, although I would give them more literary credibility than Lowry does.