Rating: 4 stars
Cover synopsis: Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. When Jonas turns 12, he is singled out to receive special training from the Giver. It's time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.
What an interesting exploration of agency -- that we cannot truly understand joy and love until we've experienced opposition. The world crafted in this book reminds me of what life might have been like if Satan had won in the war in heaven.
This book is set in a homogonized future, where everything is riddled with "samenes:" There is no color, no music, no art, no hills, no sunshine, etc. Everything is bland and controlled. Completely and utterly equal. There is also no choice. Your spouse, children and career are all chosen for you. You are also not allowed to make mistakes.
But we soon find out that, of course, that this controlled environment doesn't make life better. In fact, it makes the experience of living there hardly a life at all.
