Hardcover, 394 pages
English language
Published April 4, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin.
Unlike the other Birthmothers in her utopian community, teenaged Claire forms an attachment to her baby, feeling a great loss when he is taken to the Nurturing Center to be adopted by a family unit.
Give the readers some credit Lowry… Watching The Giver devolve into this was truly disappointing. This story feels beyond forced, and it spoon feeds every single detail. We don’t need every metaphor and simile spelled out for us.
I’d recommend giving this a pass. Definitely read The Giver; and even Gathering Blue—but only as a separate work, not a sequel. Skip Messenger and Son, they aren’t worth your time.
"Son" depicts sacrifice and longing in the context of a mother and son separated by the community from The Giver. Languid and urgent in turns, it brings the quartet together in a very satisfying way, giving the feeling that everyone will continue after.
The mixed feelings I'd had about the second installment (Gathering Blue) are completely wiped away with this one. I wanted more from that book and here I got a whole lot more. The characters grow and change through time in ways that feel consistent with how we met them, while also allowing for change that feels genuine.
Claire's story is very well handled. I'm someone who has never had the desire to have kids, but the emotional beats felt genuine and still made sense to someone with my perspective on this issue.
Overall I've enjoyed the whole quartet and would recommend them as a gentle introduction to …
"Son" depicts sacrifice and longing in the context of a mother and son separated by the community from The Giver. Languid and urgent in turns, it brings the quartet together in a very satisfying way, giving the feeling that everyone will continue after.
The mixed feelings I'd had about the second installment (Gathering Blue) are completely wiped away with this one. I wanted more from that book and here I got a whole lot more. The characters grow and change through time in ways that feel consistent with how we met them, while also allowing for change that feels genuine.
Claire's story is very well handled. I'm someone who has never had the desire to have kids, but the emotional beats felt genuine and still made sense to someone with my perspective on this issue.
Overall I've enjoyed the whole quartet and would recommend them as a gentle introduction to dystopian fiction, or as a very good entry in that genre for those who have delved a bit more.
