Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry is a companion novel to The Giver, although one does not have to read The Giver to read Gathering Blue. In fact, besides the fact that both are set in worlds very different from our own, I didn’t see much connection between the two. I think I’m correct in saying that both worlds come together in the third book, Messenger. Right? I’ll find out soon enough.
We meet Kira tending her mother’s body out in the field waiting for the last of her spirit to drift away. Now orphaned and with a limp leg, Kira is afraid that the village will also send her to the fields and to the mercy of the beasts. Being a cripple, she was never supposed to be allowed to live in the first place. The Council of the Guardians takes Kira in because of her great talent with embroidery and they put her to task at repairing the Singer’s Robe, in preparation for the annual Gathering, in which for a full day he sings of their history. It’s on his robe that the whole history of their world is illustrated. As she is brought in closer to the inner-workings of their society, Kira realizes that she has more questions than answers.
I have to admit that I liked The Giver (read my book review) more than Gathering Blue but am looking forward to reading the final installment, Messenger.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Young Adult
Tags: banned, dystopian, E-H Title, I-L Author
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I read the Giver and liked it alot. I had no idea that it had companion novels. So next I read the Messenger.OOPS. She retells alot of Kira’s story in Messenger so from your review I think I dont need to read it. My friend (has not read The Giver) was even more confused and read Messenger FIRST. I hate when that happens. We both really liked Messenger anyways.
on September 15th, 2008 at 1:32 amI haven’t read The Giver, but I am surprised to see this because I thought it was a stand alone. This sounds interesting even though I haven’t been swayed to read The Giver yet.
on September 15th, 2008 at 5:03 amI was kind of disappointed in Gathering Blue; I felt like the book ended right when things were getting interesting. Kira figures out that things need to change, but we don’t ever get to see what she does about it, or what the repercussions on society are. It was such a cool set up and then (I felt) such a blah ending.
on September 15th, 2008 at 7:13 amI didn’t realize The Giver, which I really enjoyed, had an companion books. I guess I’ll have to add those to my wishlist.
on September 15th, 2008 at 7:55 amGathering Blue has been on my TBR list for years and years. Hopefully I’ll get to it in 2009.
on September 15th, 2008 at 8:53 amI loved The Giver and I really look forward to reading the other two. Several people have told me they’re not as good, but they still sound very much worth reading.
on September 15th, 2008 at 10:15 ami’m not positive but i think the giver is on my list so this one will be too. if it isn’t …it’s going there =]
on September 15th, 2008 at 2:34 pmI enjoyed the Giver most too. And the first and second books do come together in the third. I couldn’t imagine reading the third book first though. That would be quite weird
on September 15th, 2008 at 6:08 pmI LOVE this book!! Its been one of my all time favorites for AGES! I’ve reread it countless times. I actually liked this one better than the giver. Might have something to do with me having read gathering blue first. Still haven’t read the messenger, you’ll have to let me know if its worth a read.
Abbi
on September 15th, 2008 at 9:30 pmOoooooooooh I didn’t know The Giver has a companion novel…..my ‘to read’ list gets longer and longer.
on September 16th, 2008 at 8:54 pmLaura H. – The Messenger first? I’m sure you probably could if there’s enough background but yeah, I’m sure it’s better with the others first.
Nicole – You should read The Giver. My neighborhood book club is reading it this month. I’m excited for the discussion.
Nikki – I was surprised with the ending as well. I wish Kira would have chosen differently.
Traci – Yep! Thank goodness for bloggers otherwise I wouldn’t have known that either.
Joy – It’s so funny that we are already planning out next years reading. I already have books that I know I won’t be able to get to this year.
Nymeth – The Giver is better. I’ve just gotten Messenger from the library. Hope to get to it this week.
Ginger – You’re TBR list must be getting huge! I hope you’re flying through it.
Becky – Glad to know that they do come together. I wasn’t a 100% positive.
Abbi – I’ll let you know about Messenger. I’ve just picked it up.
Jenn M. – He, he.
on September 17th, 2008 at 8:05 pmI hate to say that Messenger didn’t live up to the other two books, at least for me. The Giver really is the very best, though, and this one was good too.
on September 18th, 2008 at 8:17 pmI’ve read The Giver at least 3 times but have not gotten around to The Gathering Blue or Messenger. Shame on me!
on September 19th, 2008 at 11:10 amhere’s another series that goes on my wish list! i should really stop collecting book names and start trying to read books from the list!:)
on September 19th, 2008 at 1:40 pmI agree with the other comments that The Giver was definitely the best of the three, but the other two books tied up some loose ends for me.
on September 20th, 2008 at 4:57 amI agree with several others here – The Giver CAN stand alone, and I think it was meant to, however, Gathering Blue and Messenger do continue the story in oblique (not direct) ways.
Definitely read them in order.
on September 20th, 2008 at 8:32 amNatasha, I too was disappointed with Gathering Blue. I thought it wasn’t even close to as powerful or thought- and emotion-provoking as The Giver. I’ll wait to read your reaction to Messenger. Sometimes related books take a dip with the 2nd, a sophomore slump, and get better with the third. But the above comments make it sound like The Giver, the first, is the best.
on September 20th, 2008 at 3:15 pmI never knew that there was a companion book, hmm, must check it out. I loved the Giver.
on September 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pmI just finished reading the giver – I loved it. I want to read Gathering Blue and the Messenger now that I've read this.
on October 9th, 2008 at 2:37 pmthis is an excellent book. I read it in my 5th grade class and i still am. i am smarter than all of you.
on November 16th, 2008 at 11:34 amawsome book best ever should totaly read it if you havn’t!
on November 17th, 2008 at 3:10 pmcheese you are really dumb
on November 17th, 2008 at 3:11 pmi loved the giver, it was really different then other books i have read, and i just finished gathering blue now i want to read the messenger. i am only 14 and we read the in class when i was in 7th grade i am now in 8th grade. it was a really good book so was gathering blue and i hope the messenger is as good as these books are, if you havent read these books you really should
on December 10th, 2008 at 9:01 pmCourt – I have read and reviewed Gathering Blue and The Messenger here:
http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/15/gathering-blue-by-lois-lowry/
http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/09/24/messenger-by-lois-lowry/
on December 14th, 2008 at 10:17 pmi need some good quotes from Gathering Blue for my Honors English class paper. I you could please include the page Numbers
on September 22nd, 2009 at 1:30 pm