I think I had too high of expectations for this book (but with what everyone has been saying and Lowry's introduction, it's kind impossible not to have high expectations for this "life changing" book). I liked the book, it was an entertaining read, but that is also all it was for me. I loved the first half of the book and Lowry really is a good writer. However the book reached a point where it seems like she almost gave up and just wanted to finish it already (view spoiler)[ When The Giver all of a sudden comes up with a suicide plan for Jonas and then Jonas running away (hide spoiler)]. 
 I feel like I missed a vital point; I know I was supposed to cry at the end and be heartbroken, but nothing happened. The ending was completely lost on me (view spoiler)[ What exactly is Jonas dying for? The people from his community has apparently already gotten back their memories when he left. (hide spoiler)] and not at all as ambiguous as I think it was supposed to be (view spoiler)[ He dies (hide spoiler)]. 
 I liked the setting of the book and the dystopian society, she definitely had something going. I didn't even mind that the character was a twelve year old boy! But, as already mentioned, the last part felt too rushed and lost it's significant. She introduced characters (Asher and Fiona) and built up their story and then completely forgot about them, and at the same time forgot to built up our expectations about what was really important in the story (view spoiler)[ She could have put in some references to Elsewhere to build up our expectation for Jonas journey (hide spoiler)] 
 All in all a nice read, but not at all that remarkable. 
 "The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared."