Gathering Blue - The Giver #2

Okay. I'm going to make a great big confession here. (Too bad none of my former students are following me. They'd love this!) When I read Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry in 2000, I saw no direct connection between The Giver and its sequel. It wasn't actually a sequel. It was called a companion book.

There were similarities. The societies in each book were tightly controlled. In The Giver, the population was generally content, well-fed, and clean whereas in Gathering Blue, the population was generally miserable, hungry, and dirty. Sounds opposite but in both cases a small group of people ruled the masses and all they did in each of the communities. The connection was ever so slight and if I hadn't just read Son I might have missed it again. Or... maybe I would have realized it rereading The Giver quickly followed by a reread of Gathering Blue. I'd like to think that the latter is true.

When I read it the first time, I loved Gathering Blue but in a standalone kind of way. I loved that even with Kira's miserable life she was still kind, caring, strong, as well as being braver than she gave herself credit for. I loved reading about her gift. I loved the spunk of Matt. Now I love it on a totally different level. It's a much grittier book than The Giver. The writing is concise yet still affords the reader the ability to visualize most of what is being read.

To say too much more will ruin not only Gathering Blue but The Giver as well. I don't want to do that. If you read The Giver and enjoy it, then I suggest following it up with Gathering Blue. And pay attention! You don't want to miss the connection!