Journal Entry 1 by Breeze144 from Ajax, Ontario Canada on Saturday, August 27, 2005

By request I'm offering this book as a bookring, as soon as I finish reading it (in a couple weeks)! It is the third book in The Giver series. I have only read the first book so if anyone has the second one I'd like to read it! This book is considered a junior novel for young teens, but I loved them anyway!

Please enjoy this book within a month and send along to the next person as quickly as possible. If this book's travels are delayed for any reason, please update your last journal entry with the situation as a courtesy to everyone else.

Bookring order:
Geegal (Germany)
katayoun (Iran)
Hengameh (Iran)
quico (Portugal)
innae (Colorado, USA)
buffra (USA)
Cowgirl-Up (USA)
firrantello (USA)
back home safely!!!

 

Journal Entry 2 by Breeze144 from Ajax, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, September 06, 2005

I loved the Giver by Lois Lowry SO MUCH; I think I have read it at least 3 times. It touched me and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone of any age. I was so excited when I saw the Messenger was for sale because I expected the same experience as the Giver. Well, I was disappointed. Although the Messenger is a sweet story with a strong message, I didn't feel nearly as close to Matty as I did to Jonah, and I didn't feel as though the Village was real.

I didn't read the book set in between these two, Gathering Blue, so that might be part of my disappointment. Overall, I'd say this was an okay book but doesn't come close to the Giver. I think pre-teen readers might enjoy it and I would use it in a classroom someday becuase it does address valuable lessons.

I'm sending it out to Geegal in Germany today - hope everyone in the ring enjoys it more than I did! 

Journal Entry 3 by Breeze144 at on Saturday, September 10, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (9/6/2005 UTC) at

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Sent this off to Geegal in Germany! Post offices said approximatly 2 weeks until arrival! 

Journal Entry 4 by Geegal on Tuesday, October 11, 2005

It's here! thank you so much Breeze144 for arranging this ring! I just reread "The Giver", which is still an awesome book to me. I'll quickly reread "Gathering Blue" before reading "Messenger".


Comments: (hidden because of SPOILERS)
I finished this book last night.
I do see that it is a different story than The Giver or Gathering Blue, it is Matty's story now. Matty, the little friend or Kira from Gathering Blue, went with Kira's father back to the new community when Kira wouldn't come with him. Since then Matty and The Seer (Kira's father) had been living a life together almost like father and son. The new community is completely different from the two world's of Jonas and Kira. Everyone respects each other, helps each other, and there are no lies.
Marty's task for the community is to be a messenger. He is the one member who isn't afraid to enter the woods which seem to have gained mystical and dark powers. But Matty has a secret in this community without secrets. He has discovered his gift (like Jonas and Kira discovered their's when they turned into adolescence). Matty has healing powers.
Matty also discovers certain changes in his beloved community, vanity, greed selfishness have entered. Some community members have started a trading system. They get their deepest wish but to a price that remains mysterious. This was a very interesting and clever plot device of Lois Lowry. Although she starts out Matty's world as so much more perfect than Kira's or Jonas' she describes how Utopia can quickly destroy itself from within.
I especially liked the debate in which the community voted to be closed to any newcomers. Most members of the community were born in other harsher communities . They fled their homes to seek refuge. The community welcomed everyone with open arms and later everyone had their history restored at the community museum. And now these very members are claiming that they don't want to be helpful to others anymore. That their school is not big enough to teach stranger's children, that the newcomers can't speak right, that they have been helpful long enough. It is so true how communities quickly forget their own past when it isn't useful to their own needs anymore.
In this community we also encounter a grown-up Jonas. He has been the elected Leader of the community which doesn't mean though that he can dictate his will upon the others. We learn a little bit about Jonas' past. After he arrived at the community at the end of "The Giver", he lived in fear of being caught and punished by his old community. But after 2 years ships arrived from them with the whole library of the Receiver. He took that as a sign that they had forgiven him and rebuilt themselves. We never learn though about the baby, Gabe, that Jona took with him. Was he dead at the End of The Giver?
When Matty's community now closes its borders to all newcomers he is sent by the Seer to go back to Kira to convince her this time to come and live in their new community. Matty takes up the harsh journey through the woods He discovers how hostile, dangerous the forest has become but reaches Kira safely. Kira had foreseen his arrival and decides to go with Matty. Since Gathering Blue Kira has moved to the old dyer's hut. Her friend Thomas is married, we learn nothing of the singing girl or Jamison but Kira as a respected person has taught others in community to show more love to their children and each other.
Kira and Jonas although never having met both sense each other somehow. They had both felt that they belong to each other for some time. When Kira and Matty are almost killed by the branches and other traps of the forest Jonas finds them (he saw their near death in a vision). He orders Matty to use his healing powers. So Matty with all his last force, gives his energy the earth. The community is rescued from sickness and greed, Kira regains health but Matty (the Healer) gives his life for this final task.

I did like this last part of The Giver series. Matty's story is fascinating. The book was a bit short though and I didn't like that some questions were left out. I don't want to judge too much on Lois Lowry new portrayal of Jonas and Kira because she clearly intended to write Matty's story. And one is almost always disappointed to read about grown up versions of beloved children/younger characters.>
 

Journal Entry 5 by Geegal at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Released 6 yrs ago (11/2/2005 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

enjoy! 

Journal Entry 6 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Monday, December 05, 2005

it's here thanks so much breeze144 and geegal, i've had rings attack and currently have 2 others before this, so will start this a bit later than i like, can't wait to read this lowry. also since i know that hengameh is swamped in rings (i gave her 4 perosnally!! :)) i know that lingering here would only help her to catch up. will update and let you know how it's going, though it would probably be here for a month. 

Journal Entry 7 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Monday, December 19, 2005

the week is still here and i think i am going to use the one month grace and hand this over to hengameh sometime in janruary.
the reason for the delay can be attributed a bit to tehran's air pollution, these past weeks tehran's air (pollution-wise!) was unbearable and it affected everything, even the amount one was able to read! :) but really not joking, we are a bit better now and they say that the amount of carbon mono-oxide is three times more than the allowed amount, so you can see that with that amount of unhealthy things going in, we were all in semi-poisoned state; lethargic, groggy and with a constant headache!!!!! 

Journal Entry 8 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Monday, December 26, 2005

ooh it's so good to get to read something sooner that you anticipated, so i am starting this today and it looks fun and also a quick read. will be back!
p.s. can't wait to finish the book to read geegal's spoiler!! :) 

Journal Entry 9 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Tuesday, January 10, 2006

handed over to hengameh 

Journal Entry 10 by Hengameh from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Tuesday, January 10, 2006

got it from katayoun. 

Journal Entry 11 by Hengameh from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Saturday, May 27, 2006

i enjoyed the book. thanks for sharing and it's on its way to the next BXer. 

Journal Entry 12 by Hengameh from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Monday, November 06, 2006

sorry for the delay and inconvenience. the book is on it's way to quico. 

Journal Entry 13 by quico from Coimbra (cidade), Coimbra Portugal on Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Safely arrived. Thanks a lot, Hengameh and Breeze144. 

Journal Entry 14 by quico from Coimbra (cidade), Coimbra Portugal on Monday, December 04, 2006

I always want to know more about the caracters of my favorite books and I enjoyed to read again about Jonas (from The Giver) and Kira (from Gathering Blue). But I agree with Breeze144: Messenger (like Gathering Blue) doesn't came close to the Giver.
It's a good book, but not a masterpice.
 

Journal Entry 15 by quico from Coimbra (cidade), Coimbra Portugal on Monday, January 08, 2007

Here it goes to innae! 

Journal Entry 16 by innae from Aurora, Colorado USA on Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Arrived safe with me!! I have another book I am finishing, and then I think I will read Gathering Blue (and send it on with this one for the rest of its journey) before I get to this. I will read fast tho :-)

 

Journal Entry 17 by innae from Aurora, Colorado USA on Sunday, January 28, 2007

A QUICK READ. I finished it while on vacation visiting the soon to be inlaws in New England. I agree with most everyone...While this book was good I enjoyed the tale of The Giver more so. I am glad we got to hear more from Matty from Gathering Blue -- he was one of the best parts of that book.

I will get an address and send this on (along with Gathering Blue) soon! 

Journal Entry 18 by buffra from Columbus, Ohio USA on Sunday, February 18, 2007

Oooh! I got it. And, having gotten it and Gathering Blue yesterday, I read them both this afternoon.

I think I'll try to write more journal stuff later. Just wanted to check in and let folks know that the books are well and already ready to move again! 

Journal Entry 19 by cowgirl-up from Springfield, Ohio USA on Friday, March 09, 2007

Received yesterday in the mail along with Gathering Blue. I've already read Gathering Blue, but I'll put Messenger next on my TBR list and pass both books along ASAP. 

Journal Entry 20 by cowgirl-up from Springfield, Ohio USA on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

This book just reminded me how much I love Lois Lowry. I was a bit disappointed when I read Gathering Blue, but Messenger was equally as good as The Giver in my opinion. Thanks so much to Breeze144 for sharing this as a ray!

Mailed today (along with Gathering Blue) to firrantello. Happy reading! 

Journal Entry 21 by firrantello from Morganton, North Carolina USA on Monday, March 26, 2007

This arrived today. I'll try to get on it soon. 

Journal Entry 22 by firrantello from Morganton, North Carolina USA on Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Wow, a much quicker read than I had anticipated! I sat down last night to read a little and when I picked it back up today and finished it I realized I'd read more than half of it last night without realizing it.
Geegal, your description is wonderful.

I enjoyed this one more than Gathering Blue but less than The Giver. I liked that Jonas was back in this one, as I had expected him to appear in the last one and was a little disappointed.
I think the overall story of Matty's sacrifice to recreate what he holds dear is a very different message than The Giver. It's recreating from within instead of creating something new. It's interesting to get a peek at what it might be like for these very common human events to occur within a utopia.

All in all, I'm glad I read it. Thanks for sharing Breeze144. 

Journal Entry 23 by Breeze144 from Ajax, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Can you believe it?!?! This book made it home! Just over a year and a half of traveling...amazing! Thank you to everyone who made this a successful ring!