I read this book in school, personally I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise but I'm glad that I was forced to read this book because I enjoyed it. This is actually one of the only books read in school that I enjoyed. It was a quick read, you could probably finish it in a couple of hours if you wanted to. I personally really love dystopian novels they always make me think about the future and gasp "this is how it could be in like 50 years" except probably not. 
 Let's see the Giver follows Jonas, Jonas lives in a world where one does not know fear, hate, or war, this is because of sameness. Sameness eliminates all colours, music, feelings. they have eliminated all choices for you, and are given everything, a spouse, job, home and children. Each year in the community the ceremonies are held in December. In these ceremonies they celebrate all the children up to 12 and have a specific ceremony for each year. These ceremonies signify that you are now a year older and are given an object or a new responsibility on this day to show that. The ceremonies of the 12 are the most important, at this age you are no longer considered a child anymore and are given an assessment (a job) that you must train for. Jonas however is given an assignment that not many are given, he has been chosen to be the next receiver of memory. 
 ", "Jonas has been selected to be our next Receiver of Memory." 
 Then he heard the gasp--the sudden intake of breath, drawn sharply in astonishment, by each of the seated citizens. He saw their faces; the eyes widened in awe." 
 The receiver gains all the memories of the past that have been forgotten by everyone else, it is his responsibility to take the burden of these memories. The receiver helps the counsel of elders and advises them when they see something they've never seen before. It is a lot of work being the receiver because it is a lot for one to do by himself. Jonas soon learns all memories of the past, before sameness. But was it better before the sameness? Jonas begins to wonder and should they go back to the ways of before? As Jonas learns more of the past he also learns more about the present and what the elders not telling the community. 
 Oooo I really enjoyed this book I was hesitant to read it (even though I didn't really have a choice) but I'm glad I had, I gave it 3 stars, because I did have some problems with it. This book was obviously written for a younger audience and Jonas was only 12 so it was hard for me to relate much with him and I feel as if I'd be so much better if the author made him older, but ah well! That was just a minor little smidgit of a detail right. 
 To be honest the reason it didn't get a better rating is because I'm used to high fantasy books fast paced loads going on all at once and the dystopians I read all have violence in them which makes dystopian books for me soo much better. This book just seemed bland in comparison to them. But eh, if you don't mind bland then this is your book! I liked the world that the author created with the sameness and the receiver of memory but I wanted more action(and violence) that I didn't get. Like I said though it's because it's for a younger audience but since I myself am not in that group, I didn't enjoy it as much, but if you are around 12 then you'll probably appreciate this book more than I. 
 The other main reason this book didn't get better marks was because of the ending, it didn't satisfy me at all. I know it's a series so you might be saying "well maybe Daniela you should finish the series and then judge it". But it felt incomplete as the first book I'm not saying they should add 10 more chapters but it should have continued a bit longer and maybe explained some things a little bit better. As I write now I seem to realize all that I didn't like about this book. To be honest now nothing really happened, there's a fucked up world and then the main character realizes how fucked it is so he try's to fix. THATS IT! 
 There was nothing else weaved into the plot. It was very straight forward and lacked in a lot of areas. 
 You are probably really confused with this review right now. Did I like it or not? You may be wondering. Both. Do you know when you read a book and you enjoy it then you realize that it wasn't actually that good when you think of it and actually write a review? Maybe not but I'm like that. It was different for me because I only had to read a couple of chapters a day so when the chapters are bad you don't really realize it and forget about all the bad parts. I also feel like because I read it in such a long period of time it seemed as if more happened than it actually did. I have to apologize for this jumbled review because I'm kind of confused how I did feel about it. But while reading I enjoyed it and it was much better than what I usually do in language so it's one of those I'm happy I read it because all books are worth reading and it's better than the alternative kind of books even though under normal circumstances I would probably give this a lower review. 
 I watched the movie before reading the book which I know is cheating, don't judge. And I know this is a book review and not movie review so I'm just going to say that I liked the movie a lot more than the book, which usually doesn't happen so props for that movie director! 
 Ok those are all or at least most of my thought on the book in all it was just ok, I wouldn't suggest reading this book unless you 12 like I said. It's not the type of book you'll get hooked to it the type of book where you read when you bored shitless out of your mind.(wow this review now sounds like I hated it when at the beginning I said I liked it I'm a very confusing person) 
 "No. It was only me and Fiona, alone in the room, standing beside the tub. She was laughing. But I wasn't. I was almost a little angry at her, in the dream, because she wasn't taking me seriously" 
 "I think I was trying to convince her that she should get into the tub of water." 
 "I wanted her to take off her clothes and get into the tub," he explained quickly. "I wanted to bathe her. I had the sponge in my hand. But she wouldn't. She kept laughing and saying no." 
 Haha nothing like a 12 year old explaining the dreams he has on his crushes