Although I am rating this book the same as the Messenger, I do think it is better, but I can't go as high as a 3 star rating. In general, the book is okay. The series as a whole is somewhat disappointing. I really think that the Giver should be a stand-alone book. The Giver is one of my favorite books and none in the series comes close to being as good. 
 Regarding Son, the entire first section was a retelling of the Giver from a different perspective. I will admit that I was fascinated by her character and liked seeing the story play out through her eyes, but to me that would have been a better companion piece or a short story as opposed to 1/3 of this book. I thought the middle section (book 2), was really well done and I probably was thinking that I would give the book 4 stars at that point. 
 However, the last section (book 3), really is what ruined it for me. The main thing I hated about the Messenger was the "Trademaster". It never really connected him with what was going on in the woods or explained what he was really doing to people and how. It felt so disconnected. I really think that the author was trying to tie up that mess with this book, but in my oppinion she didn't succeed.