Book Review: The Giver

After finishing "The Giver" last week, I immediately wanted to march into my middle school and tell them what a mistake they made not having us read it!

Disclaimer: I have not seen the movie, so going into this book, I really had no idea what to expect.

A quick preview:

Jonas lives in a society that strives for its people to live a life of no fear, pain, or worry. At a special ceremony, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the future Receiver, one of the most revered jobs in his community. But as he spends more time with The Giver, Jonas learns things that change him forever.

I'm a sucker for a good plot, so I can pretty much read any book and enjoy it. However, this book contained a philosophical component that I couldn't get over. Maybe the philosophy class I'm currently in inspired me, but while reading I kept thinking about Aristotle and his belief in accepting an intelligent superhuman to save society from our flaws (I swear Lowry must have known about those beliefs Aristotle held).

While there are many dystopian novels out there, this one takes a unique perspective on the concept. Instead of the main character trying to "save" his/her society, Lowry's character learns about the community he lives in and how it became like that. He only takes action at the very end, but his decisions don't exactly affect everyone else.

I've only ever heard great things about this novel, and I'm so glad I read it! Even though middle school children are reading this throughout the country, I believe adults can actually get more out of "The Giver" and understand the philosophical aspects beyond the plot.

Gina

P.S. I'm already 100 pages through "The Book Thief" and have really enjoyed the unique writing style; I can't wait to get further into Liesel's adventures! (Again, haven't seen this movie either)

Bookworm

As I previously mentioned, I got a few books for Christmas that I'm very excited to delve into! I also finished a few more recently, so all will be shared with you!

Books Read Last Semester:

The Seasons of Rome - Paul Hofmann

If you have ever visited, lived in, or fallen in love with Rome, this book is definitely for you! Hofmann writes about his daily life in Rome during the 1990s, describing incidents scarily similar to ones that still occur today (even though it's been 20 years, there is still no Roman bus schedule).

The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion

Combine a socially inept genetics professor with a wild young woman named Rosie who's on the hunt for her biological father, and you've got yourself quite a story. I was recommended this book because Don (the professor) expresses behavioral oddities commonly seen in those on the autism spectrum; since I'm pre-occupational therapy, this book really sparked my interest early on. The way the relationships develop in this book are pretty weird, but that just made it even more hilarious!

What Alice Forgot - Liane Moriarty

After a fictional woman named Alice takes a fall at the gym, she forgets the last decade of her life and doesn't understand anything that seems to be going on in her current 39-year-old life. As Alice begins to remember things, her personality continually flip-flops. Not only did I find this book interesting due to Alice's amnesia (another OT thing), but it was also mind-opening to see how ten years can change someone's personality and view on life.

Books Received for Christmas:

The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks

Leaving Time - Jodi Picoult

Me Before You - Jojo Moyes

The Giver - Lois Lowry

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

I can't wait to dive into my new collections! The last two have short chapters and are perfectly laid out for reading before bed this coming spring semester.

Have you read and loved any of my new books?

Gina

May's Monthly Musings

Yes, I do realize that there are only two more days left of this month, but that's not going to stop me from posting about the things I've been mulling over in my mind this May!

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Is there really anyone out there who hasn't heard of Divergent? It has not even hit the one month mark of summer, yet I've managed to read the whole series, read Divergent again, and see the movie in theaters (I swear I saw one of the last showings; it's May for crying out loud). I got the first book for Christmas, but just didn't have time to read it over break. While the writing is far from eloquent, the storyline will keep you reading on until you realize it's 2am and you should probably get to bed. It's a great read I'd recommend to anyone!

Here's my favorite line, which comes from the Dauntless manifesto: "We believe in shouting for those who can only whisper, in defending those who cannot defend themselves."

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Since getting back from Rome, I can't stop listening to the song "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit, my program's theme song. It took a few days before I could bear to hear the tune without breaking down in sobs, but now I enjoy listening to it since it reminds me of the past four months. I swear, it's going to take the US by storm before you know it.

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The recent weather in Dallas has truly been unbelievable. So, I've taken advantage of the unnaturally cool temperatures and have been exercising outside. After a run through my neighborhood, I love doing this Victoria's Secret Angel Workout in my backyard. It's great to do once you have your blood pumping! Plus, I know everyone's trying to get that perfect bikini bod.

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Continuing on with the weather trend, I love restaurants with outdoor seating, but the Texas heat usually makes dining outside unbearable. However, this low pressure system has allowed me to enjoy my favorite taco joint Torchy's Tacos while sitting outside twice in the last week. I usually frequent the Preston and Forest location, but I've discovered that the SMU and Garland Road locations have a very Austin-like vibe (in addition to a full bar) with a plethora of outdoor seating.

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In Texas, May means summer, which also means bringing my cute summer sandals out of hibernation. I'm completely obsessed with my new Lucky Brand Kyndra wedges (shop for them here)! Not only do they draw together multiple materials, but they're not too tall and incredibly comfortable. Plus, you can wear them with a summer dress or shorts, dressing an outfit up or down.

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May has been fantastic, but I can't wait to see what June will bring and what I'll find myself obsessing over next.

Gina

P.S. Nordstrom is currently having its Half-Yearly Sale and Lilly Pulitzer just released their 2014-15 agendas for pre-order. Shop away!