Son by Lois Lowry

Title: Son (The Giver Quartet #4)

Author: Lois Lowry

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

Published: September 1, 2012

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 393

Source: Library

Read: October 27-29th 2012

In A Few Words: Heartwarming, yet full of sacrifice

My Rating: 5 Stars

Goodreads: Add this book to your TBR shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

They called her Water Claire. When she washed up on their shore, no one knew that she came from a society where emotions and colors didn’t exist. That she had become a Vessel at age thirteen. That she had carried a Product at age fourteen. That it had been stolen from her body. Claire had a son. But what became of him she never knew. What was his name? Was he even alive?　 She was supposed to forget him, but that was impossible. Now Claire will stop at nothing to find her child, even if it means making an unimaginable sacrifice. Son thrusts readers once again into the chilling world of the Newbery Medal winning book, The Giver,　as well as Gathering Blue　and　Messenger　where a new hero emerges. In this thrilling series finale, the startling and long-awaited conclusion to Lois Lowry’s epic tale culminates in a final clash between good and evil.

Melissa's Musings:

This was such an excellent book. I first read The Giver when I was in 7th grade (too long ago) and was so curious about the story. I didn't understand the concepts on the same level that I understand them at now as an adult, but it made a big impact nonetheless. I didn't know there were sequels to The Giver until I took a class on YA Literature when I was in college. I read Messenger and The Gathering Blue for a project in that class and was enthralled by those as well. So, once I heard that Son was coming out, I knew there was no way I wouldn't read it.  And I'm so very glad I did.

Honestly, I'm surprised that I got this from the library as quickly as I did, because I assumed a lot of people would want to read it. And obviously, they do because there are over 1000 ratings and the book hasn't been out more than a few months yet. 

Even though it's been a while since I read the first three books, I had no trouble falling right back into that world again. The beginning of the book goes back into the past, when Jonas is still in The Community. It gives more background about Gabe, and particularly about his origins, which I know that I was curious about, even in The Giver.

There's so much to say and yet, I don't want to ruin anything by giving spoilers. This quartet has been so long in the making I would feel horrible spoiling anything, so this review is going to be very general and to the point.

Claire is a strong, determined character. She gives up a lot, for someone that she loves, and it's hard to watch her struggle through the effects of the choices she's made. In addition to her struggles she also sacrifices a  great deal personally. As I read, I found myself wishing and hoping that, in the end, her struggle and sacrifices would be worth it. I'm glad to say that they were.

Jonas is no longer the leader in his community. He now has a family of his own, with Kira, and it is nice to see him happy and more relaxed. He has become wise and sure of himself, similar to the Giver in the original story. It's obvious to see how much he loves Gabe, and cares for him, and the community as a whole.

Although this book is meant to be the conclusion to the series, there is still so much more I want to know. I have so many questions, so many details I'm wondering about. I gave away my copies of the other books in this series a few months ago, but I'm thinking that at some point I'll check out all four books from the library and do a read-through of the whole series.

This is an excellent novel. I would recommend it to fans of Lois Lowry, and for anyone looking for a unique twist on dystopias.

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins *May Contain Some Spoilers*

Title: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic Inc

Published: August 24 2010

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 390

Source: Received as a gift

Read: June 5-6th

My Rating: 5 Stars

In a Few Words: Emotional,  Vengeful,  intense

Goodreads: Add it to your shelf

Goodreads Synopsis:

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.

Melissa's Musings:


My initial reaction on finishing this was just a huge sigh, and then "Wow." I have to say, I didn't quite expect it but the epilogue did make me tear up a little. It's not too surprising I suppose, since I was at the point of goosebumps several times reading this.  I went tearing through the first 300 pages and then wanted to slow down and savor it.

There are so many twists and turns, it's a constant ride of action, with very little downtime. Poor Katniss seems destroyed by all that's she's been through, and yet there's more damage coming.

There were a few things that I felt kind of...I don't quite know the word I'm looking for, disappointed maybe?

Kat and her family are relatively safe, living in District 13 now that she's been rescued. And at first, it looks like life might start to get better, but then you realize that District 13 uses Katniss in their own agendas as much, if not more than President Snow does. The manipulation by District 13 is very thinly veiled, and angering to those of us who just wanted to see Katniss be free from all of the chaos.

I was angry that they didn't rescue Peeta right away as well, but I understand to a point why they didn't. I don't like it, because they did it to use Katniss, to make them do what they wanted, to get her to become their Mockingjay.

Where I was lamenting in my review of Hunger Games that Kat didn't feel enough of what had happened to her, here it almost seems like too much. You can tell that everything that's happened has gotten to her, that something inside has snapped. Especially when you read about her hiding in places like dark closets and laundry chutes. I think this breakdown is part of what makes me feel so much for her at the end of the book. She's survived the games twice and now this extra game playing with District 13 just doesn't seem fair anymore.

There is a lot of death in Mockingjay. It's to be expected in the middle of a war, but there's just so much. And many of the characters I really grew to love. Particularly Cinna. I don't know exactly what it was about him but the first second I read about Cinna I liked him. And the way that they beat him right in front of Kat to rattle her before her second entrance into the Games, was just unfair. Expected, by the very nature of the Capitol, but still unfair. There are many other deaths that I could talk about, but I don't want to put in any spoilers.

There's so much I could say about this series. I'll just say that I'm glad that I read them, because they are really life changing. They truly do stop and make you think. I should hope to think that our current society will never end up like Panem. What a scary place that would be.

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins *May Contain Some Spoilers*

Title:  Catching Fire

Author:  Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic  Press

Published: September 1 2009

Format: Hardcover

Pages:  391

How I Received This Book: Got it as a gift

Read: June 3rd-4th

My Rating: 5 Stars

In  A Few Words: Gripping and intense

Goodreads: Add it to your shelf

Goodreads Synopsis

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol-- a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before... and surprising readers at every turn.

Melissa's Musings:


I devoured Catching Fire. Collins really pulls through and keeps the high paced, action packed energy going. There's a slight calm in the action at the beginning, since Kat and Peeta have now returned home and are seemingly safe after their victory in The Hunger Games. Though they get to live a more privileged life in the comfort of Victor's Village, they are far from safe.

Katniss (and everyone else) knows that she defied the Capitol with her actions in The Hunger Games. That simple act of picking up the berries does not sit well with those in power. President Snow is none too happy with her and makes certain to tell her so. The action just gets better and better from there with sharp twists and turns that left me guessing and gasping all the way through.

The plot is so strong, so intricately woven and full of detail. Each new twist leaves you wondering what could possibly happen next.

 I love the way that Peeta develops even more in this story. You can tell the depth of his feelings for Kat in his actions (or lack thereof in some instances, ) and that her spurning him has hurt him. Although for the sake of appearances, he will keep up their charade. Collins explores his painting/design talents and his descriptions of colors in certain  scenes are breathtaking and really add to the emotion of the overall scene. I also enjoyed the fact that it's through his talent that Peeta makes his own act of defiance against the Capitol.

Gale's feelings for Kat are more thoroughly revealed in this novel as well, which I was pleased about, since I was disappointed that they got cut off previously.

There is a bit of a struggle for Kat's attention/love triangle element, but I have to say, I'm really glad that it's done in a subtle way. It makes it much more palatable and realistic.

Another character that I was thrilled to see more of was Cinna. Oddly, every time I read his name, I kept wanting to call Cinna "Cinnamon". I'm not sure why, it just came automatically.  I love the simple complexity  of his relationship with Katniss. They have a sort of unspoken  bond that is extremely powerful. Cinna's beautiful dresses are powerful statements by themselves, and with Katniss wearing them, as symbolic as certain ones are, even more so. I think I enjoy Cinna because he is the one who seems the most removed from the Capitol way of life even though he is smack in the middle of it. He's the least marked of any of Kat's prep team, the most down to earth I suppose. I was shocked when they beat him in front of Kat before the Quell, and I could feel for her when she saw it, feel part of what she must have felt.

Another thing that I was relieved to see was the obvious struggle both Peeta and Kat go through in dealing with what has occurred in The Hunger Games. I was rather concerned about the fact that they didn't seem to be affected by having to kill their peers, but those concerns  were put to rest once I read the inner demons that both Kat and Peeta were having to deal with as a result of the games. And after being thrown back in a second time for the Quarter Quell, it's obvious just how much it really affects them.

Along with the Quarter Quell there are also instances of uprisings among the districts and all of the problems that those create. Though the majority of Catching Fire focuses on the Quarter Quelll games, I have a feeling that Mockingjay will focus more on the uprisings, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with that.

I'd again recommend this for anyone who likes a fast paced adventure.

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins * May Contain Spoilers*

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Published: October 31st, 2008

Format: Hardcover

Pages:  374

How I received this book: Got it as a gift

Read: May 23-25

My Rating: 5 stars

In  a Few Words: Powerful, poignant, brutal

Goodreads: Add it to Your Shelf

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.(less)


Melissa's Musings:


I realize that there are already thousands of reviews on The Hunger games out there in the blogosphere, but I've finally gotten around to reading it. (I jump on the bandwagon of books that get really popular really late in the game.) So, I figured I'd add my two cents as well.

I was immediately hooked and glued to the story right down to the last page. Not just the first line, but the whole first paragraph, speaks volumes. I immediately wanted to know more.  There were very few things that I didn't like about this novel. While not perfect, this is an excellent read. I can't wait to get started on reading the rest of the series.

The Hunger Games is so immensely popular that I don't think there's anything I can say about it that hasn't already been said. Regardless, I'll still tell you all what I thought of it.

Collins does an extremely good job of hooking the reader in and keeping them engaged throughout the story. The pacing is perfect. I didn't find any spots that were too slow, and it also wasn't so fast that you'd get overwhelmed. Just enough to keep you turning pages and not wanting to put it down.

One of the best parts of this book is the imagery. I'm a complete stickler for details in novels, particularly the use of color as I've mentioned in some of my previous reviews. Collins' descriptions of Katniss in her opening  ceremonies outfits really stayed with me. The images of her and Peeta being on fire in their matching outfits  struck a chord in my mind, I could see it as I read.

There's also really great contrast between the stark, bleak environment of the districts and the rich, luxury of the Capitol.  In the districts you can just see that Katniss and the others don't have the luxury of a hot bath and yet in the Capitol Katniss has a shower with 100 different bubble bath types/scents at her fingertips.

I think Collins might have used some of these smaller details to make the brutality of the Games themselves more potent. At least that's what it did for me. As a reader it took me to a place in my mind where I thought about how there's a lot I take for granted. While I may not have a shower with 100 different kinds of bubble bath I do have the luxury of some basics that many other people in the world have never had, so it did cause me to think twice and be more grateful for what I do have.

One of the more scary descriptions that stuck with me both in terms of imagery and in terms of an interesting plot twist is the description of the mutts that are attacking Cato, Katniss and Peeta on the cornucopia. I won't explain who they are so I don't ruin it for anyone who hasn't read it, but just the idea of wolf like beasts with 4 inch claws chasing after someone  is creepy enough to give you the shivers. It certainly threw me for a loop when I read it.

The relationships in this book are intricate, even the brief ones. Even though the conditions are mostly brutal, there is a real opportunity for relationships to form. Some of them are underdeveloped but still powerful. Some are formed out of necessity.

Katniss and Gale's relationship feels to me  like it's still forming. I think they're floundering around with their feelings for one another. Over the course of the Games it seems like Katniss comes to realize that she has feelings for Gale because she is so concerned about getting home to him. I have to say I felt cheated when Gale's thoughts get cut off as he is saying his goodbye to Katniss before she leaves for the Capitol. Another way to keep us sucked in.

Katniss and Peeta's relationship at first is out of requirement, as a strategy for the games. It really works in their favor too. They become the favorites of the Games and the rule change that their relationship results in (and the subsequent twists and turns with the ending of the games because of that rule change) really drive the plot forward. The sad thing is, Peeta's feelings for Kat are real, and she's just playing along. I really felt for Peeta. Especially with his history with Kat and the things he's done for her. It doesn't seem like much but in the scheme of things it's a lot, and it's clear that he cares for her a great deal.

The one thing I don't like, is that I know, or at least I think I know where one set of relationships is heading. I have a feeling that there will be some sort of love triangle situation between Kat, Gale and Peeta in the next two books. Call me bitter, or cynical if you want, but love triangles just seem so cliche to me right now. I think that's just a sign that I've been reading too many stories with love triangles in them.

*****SPOILER ALERT******

The relationship that I thought was the most powerful, however brief, was the one between Katniss and Rue.    Rue and Katniss really look out for each other, regardless of the fact that they're supposed to be fighting against each other for their lives. Kat feels strongly for Rue, she becomes a surrogate little sister. You can tell how much she cares for Rue in the scenes immediately before and  after Ru"e's death.  Rue asks Katniss to sing for her, and Katniss doesn't want to but then she thinks,

...But if this is Prim's, I mean Rue's last request, I have to at least try."

Katniss has transposed her sister, the very person she sought to protect in taking her place as a tribute in the Games with Rue. In this scene, they are one in the same, and the love that Kat feels for Rue is obvious in the song as well as her thought to cover Rue in flowers. I particularly enjoyed this scene for it's poignancy both in the relationship between Kat and Rue and also for the slight against Capitol in that seemingly innocent yet blatantly defiant acts.

*****END SPOILER ALERT****


As powerful and moving as that scene is, it brings up another point which is one of the other negatives of this book and that is the horrible prospect of children killing each other. Story or not, the whole prospect of this is brutal and harsh. It's shocking, which is a good way to draw readers in, I 'll give it that. I just wish that there were more explanation of the background of why Panem has to be this way. I wish there were more reflection from the characters as to the brutality of it, even though somewhere in my head I know that numbness to it is how they have to be to survive it.

It's this element of the story that kept me from getting the book for my nephew as a birthday present. He really wants to read it, but I just didn't feel comfortable giving him a book where the majority of the plot revolves around kids killing one another. I just wasn't sure if at 10 years old he should really be reading that kind of a story, or if he would fully understand the implications of it.

I'm hoping that in the next books there will be more explanation for the reasoning behind the Games and how Panem came to be the way that it is.

One of the fun little details that I truly liked, just because I tend to pay attention to these sorts of things were the variety in the characters names. Katniss especially, although I hope that many people don't start naming their daughters Katniss as a result of the popularity of The Hunger Games. (I'm sure there have been some already)

I also really hope that Cinna plays a part in the next book because I really enjoyed his character and his connection with Katniss as well.

Although there were a few elements that I didn't care for in this novel I would recommend it to anyone looking for an excellent dystopian story.