After the bleak and repressive society of the Giver, here is a society that is too wild, where one must fight to survive, and those who can claw their way to the top are the victors. Kira was born crippled, so they wanted to toss her into certain death via mauling by Beasts in The Field, but her mother was strong and fought them off. Now her mother is dead, dead of a mysterious illness, and they want her in The Field. They take her to the Council Edifice, where the powerful Council of Guardians decide whether she lives or dies. A powerful figure comes to her aid: it is Jamison, assigned by the Council to be her Protector. He defends her, saying that her incredible talent in weaving more than makes up for her crippled leg. Kira is tasked by the Guardians with an important task: she must repair the robe of the Singer, who retells her village's history annually. She goes with her friend, the scruffy Matt, to her new quarters in the Council Edifice, where she meets the Carver, a boy around her age who carves the Singer's staff. She learns the art of dyeing from Annabella, a wise elder. However, something's not right. She and Thomas soon meet a tyke named Jo, who is gifted with Singing. Unlike them, though, she is not allowed to leave, she is locked in her room. IS there something the Council's not telling them? I found this novel to be good, but not that good. Warning: it ends on a not really cliffhanger per se, but it certainly urges you, practically forces you to read the next book. It was a real pleasure reading about Kira getting saved and trying to protect herself against her enemies, at the beginning. But the book sort of died out in the middle, with unease being introduced slowly, bit by bit, until the semi-explosive resolution. All in all, it would have been much better if the pacing was a little quicker. It was a companion, not a sequel: you won't be seeing Jonas or the others in this book. All in all, I liked how it had a bigger emphasis on teamwork, friendship, etc., especially between Kira and that little boy named Matt, who has a very interesting way of speaking and an optimistic outlook on life. By the end, you will realize that though the societies from this book and The Giver are outwardly different, they have a similar warning: choose who you trust, for they may be lying. A final note: I don't think this book was all that dystopia as The Giver (now that was a masterpiece dystopian novel): it reads more of a novel about overcoming your defects, both physical and mental, by relying on your friends. If you liked The Giver, you really NEED to read this book (and the rest of the books in the series.)
Gathering Blue (Giver Quartet)
By Lois Lowry
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 6 - 8 | Grades 3 - 8 | X | 5 | 47893 |
As she did in THE GIVER, Lowry challenges readers to imagine what our world could become, how people could evolve, and what could be considered valuable. Every reader will be taken by Kira’s plight and will long ponder her haunting world and the hope for the future.
Book Reviews (30)
I love following Kira through her journey to be the Weaver. The arguments placed upon her for her mangled leg are treacherous and cruel. Lois Lowry's details are incredibly vivid and make the book come alive. You should try to read it!
kira is so brave and amazing and thomas is adorable but can we all agree that matt (matty) is the best and funny i love that he's so loyal to kira!
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Deceit is an awful thing, is it not? Kira was deceived her whole life by the only thing she knew. Kira is a girl that has been through quite a bit, and has to face more and more! Kira is faced with the task that reflects on all things alive. She also lives next to a forest and what seems like a “field”. She lacks the right to choose as she only is a two-digit. As Kira continues with her task she finds an unsettling secret that has to be unearthed! What will she do I wonder? Will she make the right choice in all of this? The book Gathering Blue gives an amazing story with amazing characters. I think you should read this book if you enjoy more of a dystopian setting and the previous book The Giver.
Great book! Only problems are a. It has nothing to do with the first book and b. The surprises aren’t even that surprising. But on the positive side, the book has a great plot, and it has great character development. Kira has just suffered from the loss of her mother. Her cott is burned to get rid of the sickness. Her leg is crippled and she has nowhere to go. To top it off, nasty Vandara wants to take her land and send Kira to her death. Vandara brings Kira to the council, where they acknowledge her skill with needle and thread and give her a place to stay. Kira is satisfied until she digs up ugly truths about her community, and she doesn’t know what is real anymore. Most readers will love this sequel to The Giver!
The connection I made was that Kira had a twisted leg, and once my sister had an injury in her arm. This book is about a girl named Kira, who had to watch her mother pass away, with a twisted leg. However, she soon realizes that the Council, and their purposes, are not what they seem to be. I rate this book a five star because I love reading books by Lois Lowry, and this is another great book by her.
Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. She fears for her future until she is spared by the app-powerful Council of Guardians. Kira is a gifted weaver and is assigned a task that no other community members can carry out. Though her talent keeps her alive and brings certain privileges, Kira soon realizes that mysteries and secrets surround her. No one must of her plans to uncover the truth about her world-- and to find out what exists beyond it.
I love how the books in this series intertwine without just being a continuation of the story from the last book. This is about kira who was born disabled and is shunned by her community because of it. Until the counsel finds use for her and she is made to sew and fix a ceremonial robe. She is happy to be accepted finally, but during her time spent so close to the council she fimds out they might not be so good after all.
this has been a very good book so far and I hope to finish it soon I got 3 chapters left to read
A companion book to The Giver, Gathering Blue is about a young girl with a disability in her leg who lives in a dystopian society that shuns the weak or deformed. I highly recommend this book, as well as the companion books by this author.