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The Giver

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The Giver

By: Lois Lowry
Narrated by: Ron Rifkin
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About this listen

 December is the time of the annual Ceremony at which each twelve-year-old receives a life assignment determined by the Elders. Jonas watches his friend Fiona named Caretaker of the Old and his cheerful pal Asher labeled the Assistant Director of Recreation. But Jonas has been chosen for something special. When his selection leads him to an unnamed man, the man called only the Giver, he begins to sense the dark secrets that underlie the fragile perfection of his world.

Told with deceptive simplicity, this is the provocative story of a boy who experiences something incredible and undertakes something impossible. In the telling it questions every value we have taken for granted and reexamines our most deeply held beliefs.

©1993 Lois Lowry (P)1993 Random House, Inc., Listening Library, An Imprint Of Random House Audio Publishing Group Difficult Situations Dystopian Fiction Literature & Fiction Science Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Fantasy Middle Grade

Critic Reviews

Newbery Medal Winner, 1994

"This is a compelling prospect for family listening. Initially Rifkin's voice seems too regional to portray the characters of this utopian/dystopian world, but he convincingly conveys the anticipation of the coming-of-age ceremony of Jonas and his friends. As the meaning of Jonas’ selection as “Receiver of Memory” unfolds, Rifkin’s characterizations become more powerful. Although the story drives the presentation, Rifkin’s juxtaposition of the young boy and the old Giver has tremendous effect. His voice for the Giver becomes increasingly weary and strained while Jonas' gains strength. Sharing this audiobook in a family or a classroom offers a valuable opportunity to respond to and discuss Lowry’s moving novel." (AudioFile magazine)

"A powerful and provocative novel." (The New York Times)
"Lowry is once again in top form...unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers." (Publishers Weekly)
"The author makes real abstract concepts, such as the meaning of a life in which there are virtually no choices to be made and no experiences with deep feelings. This tightly plotted story and its believable characters will stay with readers for a long time." (School Library Journal)

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The Giver begins as normal as a life and by the end leaves you desirous for more.

Sameness leaves much to be desired but ignorance is bliss. I

What a future could be

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This is a great listen for lovers of dystopian fiction. It is enhanced by an engaging performance.

Dystopian Fiction

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I thought that the giver was a different storyline to an average book. The giver had slot of key events that made it a enjoyable book.

Review for the giver

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This book is so impactful, it makes me appreciate everything I have in life, the good and the bad. I cried when Jonas deceived the elephant memory, I cried when he learned what releasing means, I cried when he looked down and saw the little one he rescued isn’t doing well anymore. It’s so hard to hear his parents say that love was too strong a word, that it was an obsolete word.
The narrator smacks his lips a bit, but it never pulled me out of the story.

I cried multiple times.

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I listened to this book with my 13 year old son as part of his English literature study for school. I wasn’t, at first keen on the narrators voice which at times was a little whiny, however, the story and subject is so good and well written, I actually forget the voice.
The story is thought provoking. It gave us lots to think about. As an adult I could see where it was leading and I literally sobbed several times.
I absolutely loved this book.

Thought provoking

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A great short story based on a dystopian work, were a community has chosen "sameness" in an attempt to eliminate chance and pain. Interesting and read well.

Great dystopian..

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.