Gathering Blue

[plutogrl03]

Has anyone read this book by Lois Lowry? I think it is supposed to complement The Giver. I think it was a good read but I like the Giver more (I've read it four times which is saying something since I almost never reread the same book). I think that Lowry is writing one more book to complement these two. Anyone here knows what the title of it is or when it comes out?


I'm trying to expand my horizons by checking out other forums on this site. Indulge me please.

[plutogrl03]

Hmmm...no one wants to answer. Feel the love.

[Ssjjvash]

I haven't heard of her. what kind of books does she write?

[plutogrl03]

Yay! Someone posted! Anyway, Lois Lowry writes young adult and children's books. I would say that the reading level for her books hovers between 5th to 8th grade. But don't let that turn you off. Her stories are very creative and engaging. I stink at summarizing, but I will post a summary of The Giver later. gtg

[SwordSkill]

I remember Lowry's The Giver. I can't recall the details because it's been a long time, but I do know that it had quite a lot of depth for a children's book. Kind of like a Paulo-Coehlo-for-kids sort of thing, in hindsight. It was a pretty refreshing change.

[Kireihana]

I read both books and didn't know that Gathering Blue was a sequel (or a prequel?) to The Giver until somebody told me. I liked it, but I liked The Giver much more. I've read that book at least 7 times ^^

[Esoteric]

An intriuging title. Never heard of Lowry, but that shouldn't be surprising: I haven't kept up with my reading very well since highschool. Someone care to give a brief summary of the book(s) for us ignorant unfortunates?

[Spencer]

I have to admit I enjoyed the Giver a lot more than Gathering Blue. I read the Giver about 8 times. I loved it. Gathering Blue...It wass good, but I didn't see the relatioon to The Giver at all. I mean, the blue eyed boy at the end, okay (that's not a spoiler or anything), but still. They just seem so different.

[plutogrl03]

The third book, Messenger, is supposed to tie The Giver and Gathering Blue together. The main character of Messenger is Matty who was introduced in Gathering Blue. I haven't read it yet, but I plan to.

As for The Giver, I tried to make up my own summary to post here, but it never sounded right. So, here is the one from Amazon:

In a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy. With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newbery Medal winner, Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price.

Here is the one for Gathering Blue:
This eagerly awaited companion volume, by contrast, takes place in a village with only the most rudimentary technology, where anger, greed, envy, and casual cruelty make ordinary people's lives short and brutish. This society, like the one portrayed in The Giver, is controlled by merciless authorities with their own complex agendas and secrets. And at the center of both stories there is a young person who is given the responsibility of preserving the memory of the culture--and who finds the vision to transform it.
Kira, newly orphaned and lame from birth, is taken from the turmoil of the village to live in the grand Council Edifice because of her skill at embroidery. There she is given the task of restoring the historical pictures sewn on the robe worn at the annual Ruin Song Gathering, a solemn day-long performance of the story of their world's past. Down the hall lives Thomas the Carver, a young boy who works on the intricate symbols carved on the Singer's staff, and a tiny girl who is being trained as the next Singer. Over the three artists hovers the menace of authority, seemingly kind but suffocating to their creativity, and the dark secret at the heart of the Ruin Song.

With the help of a cheerful waif called Matt and his little dog, Kira at last finds the way to the plant that will allow her to create the missing color--blue--and, symbolically, to find the courage to shape the future by following her art wherever it may lead. With astonishing originality, Lowry has again created a vivid and unforgettable setting for this thrilling story that raises profound questions about the mystery of art, the importance of memory, and the centrality of love.

I hope that clarifies some things. If not let me know.

[Esoteric]

Ah, thanks! I may have to find a copy of The Giver. it sounds quite intruiging, to say the least...

[plutogrl03]

Glad I could be of service.

[blue whisper]

I have read both The Giver and The Messenger. They are extremely well written. I cannot wait to read The Messenger.