Book Review: Gathering Blue

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Dystopian. 5 Stars. 240 pages.

Synopsis:

In her strongest work to date, Lois Lowry once again creates a mysterious but plausible future world. It is a society ruled by savagery and deceit that shuns and discards the weak. Left orphaned and physically flawed, young Kira faces a frightening, uncertain future. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, she struggles with ever broadening responsibilities in her quest for truth, discovering things that will change her life forever.

As she did in The Giver, Lowry challenges readers to imagine what our world could become, and what will 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.

My Review:

Gathering Blue gets a bad rap, I think, because who can follow up The Giver? Like, seriously? And Messenger is so incredibly powerful in a completely different way. Gathering Blue is the middle between two phenomenal reads, and often, people just don’t believe it holds up.

I love Gathering Blue! I really do! I understand why it isn’t as well loved as the other two, but I can’t bring myself to feel negatively toward it at all. It’s a softer story, ironically. But it is sweet and shows great courage and willingness to do what is right. I have always admired Kira. Her strength and kindness give her great character. And her journey of discovery fascinates me.

This story shows us yet another unique community, though one much different than the Community of The Giver. This one is harsh and not sanitized, but it is no less controlling. I love the rich depth of history and culture here and the dynamic interactions and societal structure. The opening is gripping and Lowry is a master craftsman. This story tugs you gently deeper and deeper, much the same as The Giver does, but almost like a gentle lullaby.

I think Lowry does juxtaposition very well. The rough, survival nature of this community contrasts beautifully with the gentle, firm generosity of Kira and Thomas and Matty. These characters have beautiful gifts that their community either despises and rejects or seeks to harness and abuse. The artistic element and the attention to colors contrasts sharply with the black and white reality of The Giver and yet we still find the rot of corruption and the decay of society.

This story feels like a mystery gently unfolding, but it’s as if Lowry is luring us into an inescapable trap. She’s baited the hook and once we’ve followed her, we’re doomed to see behind the veil. I love her genius ability to first present and then dismantle facades. This community, though it handles the mysterious cataclysmic event of “back and back and back” so differently, is no less in dire need of change. And just as Jonas so bravely fought for truth, Kira’s journey takes us to her own unique discovery and purpose for change.

I propose that Gathering Blue is every bit as beautiful and masterful as the other two books in the trilogy, even if it isn’t as abrasive. It is misleading to admit that this is my least favorite of the three because the margin between them is so minute.

Also, as a sidenote, the title. The title is so perfect for this. I love all of it! I have no complaints. It’s fabulous. They’re all fabulous. Go read them! Read them for the first time or reread them. I can assure you you’re overdue, no matter how long it’s been!

Content: there is no swearing and no romantic elements, but there is some brief violence. The culture is a harsh, cruel one, but Lowry writes in a way that is still suitable for middle grade readers. She explores themes of control, imprisonment, deception, murder, and human worth. I’d be fine giving the book to a preteen.

More:

Book 1 in the Giver Quartet is The Giver (5 Stars)

Book 2 in the Giver Quartet is Gathering Blue (5 Stars)

Book 3 is The Messenger (5 Stars)

Book 4 is Son (4 Stars)

Learn more about these books on Goodreads with the links above. Although these stories are each independent of one another, I would highly recommend reading them in order. I originally read them out of order (cause I didn’t know there was an order and that they were related). Son should definitely be read last. The order of the first three matter less.

On GraceBought

See my thoughts on the first book in the series:

The Giver