Gathering Blue: The Giver, Book 2

Book review by Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media
Gathering Blue: The Giver, Book 2 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 11+

Captivating quest tale pits gifted girl against brutal odds.

Lois Lowry Fantasy 2000
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Parents say

age 11+

Based on 14 reviews

Kids say

age 10+

Based on 48 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

Stands out for and .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Gathering Blue is the second book in Lois Lowry's The Giver quartet. While this book could stand alone, as can the others, it makes more sense and is more powerful when read with the other three, in order. Read second, Kira's story adds another dimension to Jonah's dystopian experience and promises more development and adventure. Both take place in the future after some kind of cataclysmic, world-shattering event and seem to fit together somehow, though exactly how is not clear. Kira's world is more savage and disorderly, with the kind of violent brutality that readers might expect in a story set in medieval times: Deformed people are outcasts, parents slap their children, day-to-day life is meager, dirty, and angry, and villagers are fearful and superstitious. However, as in The Giver, a young person with special qualities emerges as the hero, and the overriding message is that kindness, honesty, and a selfless use of talent will create a better future for all.

Community Reviews

Chelsey O.
Chelsey O. Adult
March 31, 2018
age 12+

Great Book but it is important to follow the series

Gathering Blue is the second book in the Giver Series, 4 total, The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger and Son. Gathering Blue is vital to tying them all together, even though it is not something you realize until you start reading the other books. At the end of Gathering Blue the connection to The Giver is revealed and the connections just contiue and all tie together by the end of the last book Son. I especially loved Gathering Blue for Matt. He is such a well written character and you can all but hear his voice coming out of the pages, he is adorable. You just fall in love with him. It is not a hard to follow story. Much like The Giver, it takes place in a post-apocalyptic type society, however the main difference being, instead of an Utopian Society it is a Dystopian Society. Lois Lowery, in the first two books is setting up that pain and compassion are vital to maintain balance, that both must exist in order for society to function. Throughout, The Giver, there is no pain, no hunger, but also no feeling or life. Its all more robotic and controlled. Gathering Blue is the exact opposite; there is a lot of pain, suffering, hunger, and lack of empathy. You have to view The Giver and Gathering Blue as two entirely separate books it isn't until you read Messenger and Son, that they tie them altogether and start to repair the delicate balance in their world. Keep reading, the way they are tied together is so worth it.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
ian V.
ian V. Adult
February 20, 2017
age 11+

A good book

It follows a girl named Kira. In Kira's mind, her damaged leg should have haunted her at birth to exposure in the Field, the place where the dead, deformed or seriously injured are brought. In the story, Kira is starting to realize the horrors of her community. She becomes the Weaver, which is the person who mends the Singer's robe.Never give up is one of the themes because in this book Kira is now left all alone, with a crippled leg and everyone hates her.They were going to kill her and take her home. But, she never gave up and took it to court. Even though everyone in the town except for one person; Matt hated her. Since she never gave up they didn't kill her. On page 14 Kirs says "Stop it,those are mine!"Vamdara,a person who trying to kill her, trys to steel her flowers from the garden that her mom planted and loved. They were the only thing she had left of her moms, so she stood up for herself. She wasnt going to give up yet.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much consumerism
See all 14 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Kira, born with a bad leg in a harsh society that shuns imperfections, is left an orphan when her mother suddenly dies of a mysterious illness. To her surprise, she's taken in by the Council of Guardians, given a comfortable room with food and indoor plumbing, and allowed to pursue the craft for which she has an unusual talent: embroidery. She trains with an old woman in how to make dyes and is given the task of restoring the robe worn by the Singer once a year, when he sings the history of the world to the people of the village. Unfortunately, as she learns along the way, she's only one of the artists whose talents are valued and perhaps exploited. Their elevated status, it seems, comes with a price: They may be pampered and admired, but they're not free.

Also, their unusually kind treatment hides many mysteries. What really happened to her parents? Why have they been taken in? Who is crying on the floor below? What is the nature of her talent that so interests the Council? With Thomas, a boy with a similarly unusual talent for carving, also orphaned and taken in by the Council, and Matt, a cheerful little urchin from the Fens, she begins to explore the nature of the society she has taken for granted.

Is It Any Good?

The parallels with Lois Lowry's Newbery-winning novel The Giver are many. Both take place in ordered villages in a future after worldwide destruction, and both revolve around children who, given the task of preserving cultural memories, discover the secrets upon which their society is built. Although the first book explored a seemingly perfect high-tech future society, here the society is more medieval, both squalid and savage. As with The Giver, Gathering Blue asks readers to think about what sacrifices they would be willing to make to improve the world around them. In both stories, young people have special talents that not only save them but also burden them with responsibility and challenge them to find a way to make things better. That should make any one of us think.

The story is captivatingly simple yet complex, as are the characters. Some readers may wish for more explanation of a few mysterious events, as well as wish for an ending that seems more final. However, most fans of the earlier book will find this a well-written complement and will catch glimpses of a bigger picture yet to come. They will be yearning to read the next two books in the quartet.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about book series. Do you like reading several books that fit together to tell a bigger story? How does this series compare with others you've read?

  • How does Gathering Blue fit with The Giver? What similarities do you see between the two books? What differences?

  • How do you feel about the ending? What do you think author Lois Lowry is trying to say?

Book Details

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