Dark Places: A Novel by Gillian Flynn; Book-to-Movie Comes to Theaters in U.S. 09-01-14! DEDICATION of this Blog Post is to Robin Williams and His Family.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.
This is the hardcover edition. [1]

Book Review by:
Sharon Powers.
__________________________

DEDICATION: This blog post is dedicated to Robin Williams who passed away today, Monday, August 11, 2014 (as I am drafting this post), at approximately 11:55 a.m.--Please see full dedication below.

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     "The sun was shining when he started, but it was as dark as night in the tunnel. The light from the door, almost closed, soon faded as he went down....'Old Smaug...can't see me and he won't hear me. Cheer up Bilbo!' He had forgotten or had never heard about dragons' sense of smell....Then Smaug spoke. 'Well, thief! I smell you and I feel your air.  

     I hear your breath. Come along!'...[Bilbo thought] if Smaug hoped to get him to come nearer so easily he was disappointed.'No thank you, O Smaug the Tremendous!' he replied...I only wished to have a look at you and see if you were truly as great as tales say. I did not believe them.' 'Do you now?' said the dragon somewhat flattered, even though he did not believe a word of it. 'Truly songs and tales fall utterly short of the reality, O Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities,' replied Bilbo. 'You have nice manners for a thief and a liar,' said the dragon." ([2] pp. 221-222) 

[3]

     Bilbo denied being a burglar, but the truth was, as proclaimed by Smaug, Bilbo really was a thief and a liar. And so is the main protagonist of Gillian Flynn's novel, Dark Places. Libby Day, as the story opens is an adult looking backwards at her younger self. 

     Libby proclaims that she has a "meanness inside" her, that she "was not a lovable child," and that she had grown into a "deeply unlovable adult," that she has been depressed for about 24 years, and, oh, yeah,  that she is a thief and a liar.
____________________________
     One more thing. Before we talk more of Libby and the book, I must place a warning, here.

WARNING: FROM THIS POINT ON, THIS BOOK REVIEW CONTAINS R-RATED MATERIAL. I DISCUSS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, BLOOD, SA- TANIC SACRIFICE, AND MURDER IN THIS REVIEW. ANYONE OF A SENSITIVE NATURE OR YOUNG SHOULD NOT READ THIS BOOK REVIEW.
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SHORT BOOK SYNOPSIS: 

     Libby Day, the main protagonist in Dark Places, was only seven-years-old when she was witness to horrible events in her family's Kinnakee, Kansas home. Libby's mother and two of her sisters were notoriously murdered during "'The Satan Sacrifice' of Kinnakee, Kansas." No one is sure how Libby survived, but she did. The traumatized seven-year-old girl then testifies that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Ben is sent to prison.

In Matrix Morpheus is always saying,
"What if I told you..." and he is act-
ually a thief (steals bodies); and
he does lie to Keanu Reeves.  And,
lastly, what if he then said, "Do
you believe me now?" Funny! [4]

     Flash forward twenty-five years, where Dark Places opens, and Libby Day is now thirty-one-years old. A fund, created from donations for Libby, has run dry, and Libby, still barely functional after all the years (and still afraid of dark places), is desperately trying to think of ways to earn some money on which to live. Admitting to being a thief and a liar, Libby steals things not because of the money; she steals personal things as a way to connect to other people's lives. 

     It is at this point in Libby's life that a secret society contacts her. The "Kill Club," a misnomer since they kill no one, is a society of people obsessed with notorious crimes. The society offers Libby three hundred dollars as an "appearance fee," to come and speak to the group. When she appears in front of the group, Libby is, at first, surprised that each person has a thick file about her family's murders. They aggressively question her trying to obtain any inside information they can or details not yet known, and...they are willing to buy "souvenirs" from the murders. 

Duh...! [5]

     Ultimately, the group is hoping to get sufficient new information to free Ben from prison--where he has been for the last twenty-five-years. Libby agrees to do the investigatory interviews with the people connected to the case back then to see if she can get additional information for the Club--of course, for a fee.

     Libby begins earning money from the group by completing interviews of people to which the Club members do not have access--like her father. Libby's quest becomes more than simply earning money when she begins to want to know the real truth about that night, so long ago. Her journey takes her from some of Missouri's shabbiest strip clubs, to Oklahoma's touristy attractions. She meets and interviews many people, and as the "unimaginable truth" begins to emerge, Libby comes face-to-face with a killer. Just like that night so long ago when her mother and sisters were murdered, Libby is forced to run out into the night to flee her pursuers. What happens to Libby shouldn't happen to anyone....

[6]

     My favorite quote from Gillian Flynn's Book, Dark Places, takes place as she is going to meet Jim Jeffreys, her trust fund manager. She is en route to meet him and, looking into the rearview mirror, observes herself. Here is the quote: 

[7]

Nothing bad can happen to BRAVE BABY DAY, LITTLE GIRL LOST, the pathetic, red-headed seven-year-old with big blue eyes, the only one who survived the PRAIRIE MASSACRE, the KANSAS CRAZE-KILLINGS, the FARMHOUSE SATAN SACRIFICE. My mom, two older sisters, all butchered by Ben. The only one left, I'd fingered him as the murderer. I was the cutie-pie who brought my Devil-worshiping brother to justice. I was big news. The Enquirer put my tearful photo on the front page with the headline ANGEL FACE. I peered into the rearview mirror and could see my baby face even now. My freckles were faded, and my teeth straightened, but my nose was still pug and my eyes kitten round. I dyed my hair now, a white-blonde, but the red roots had grown in. It looked like my scalp was bleeding, especially in the late-day sunlight. It looked gory. (pp. 5-6)

[8]

     Wow! Gillian Flynn wrote a graphic and very surreal description of how Libby looks at herself. Libby paints the picture of a darling baby-faced angel girl with dazzling red hair and big round blue eyes, eyes full of tears. Then Libby layers the present day image of herself over the image of the little girl. Libby sees her own platinum blonde hair with red roots growing out. Her red roots looking like blood and gore. The image harking back to the murders...what would she look like if she had been killed with an axe to the head? Again, we see that juxtaposed image of a murdered little girl overlayed onto Libby's present day image. Libby Day's mind and soul were bleeding--she had been, metaphorically, murdered along with her mom and siblings, after all. 

     Gillian Flynn has crafted such a graphic, poignant, and memorable description of how Libby looks at herself. It is no wonder Libby feels depressed, and sometimes suicidal. Powerful stuff!

[9]

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

     WHAT WORKS FOR ME--
     First, let's start with that great quote. I've already told you it's my favorite quote from the book, so I won't overly belabor the point. The writing just conjures up concrete and at the same time, surreal images for the reader. Just very good writing, that.

     Second, even though I'm not a "Thriller-Suspense" kind of reader, Gillian Flynn has won me over with her novel, Dark Places. Her writing is lovely, and even though graphic violence (to be expected in thrillers and suspense novels) is used, Flynn never uses more violence or gore than is needed to move the plot forward. Pardon the pun, "It's not overkill."

Charlize Theron has been cast as Libby
Day in the movie, Dark Places, from the
novel by Gillian Flynn. This photo is the
first official still from the upcoming movie. [10]

     Third, I cannot help but like Flynn's decision to make Libby Day a rather unlikeable, unsympathetic character. If Libby were too sympathetic, I think it would feel more like one of those appeals for money and sympathy on behalf of the suffering victim. I don't want to be enticed to have to contribute sympathy for a character because that character is too saccharine or needy. I like that Libby has flaws: Missing finger and toes, kleptomania, lying, fear, inability to function well in society (like holding down a job or paying bills), etc. Flynn really makes this work for Libby.

     Also as regards the other characters, Libby's father, for instance is someone I do not EVER want to meet. Flynn has drawn him so deliciously awful that I get the creeps just thinking about those little girls having to deal with him; and I just don't know where Libby gets the courage to go and interview him about the murders--even if she is now thirty-one years old. Astounding! So...I liked the character development, for the most part.

     WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME--

[11]

     In spite of really liking some elements of the book, I did find a few things that didn't work for me. First, Gillian Flynn starts out the book (Chapter one) in the present and chapter two goes to the past. Flynn alternates between past and present. That's OK as it goes, but then things get more complicated as she also starts alternating among the other characters, as well (Patty and Ben as well as Libby). The chronology, generally, moved forward in time, but the jumping back and forth amongst the characters--Libby, Patty, and Ben--and also discussing other characters in the book felt a bit like whiplash to me. I felt lost a few times and had to go to the table of contents and/or reread part of the previous chapter to reorient myself. I really didn't like this about the book.

I agree with Matthew Macfadyen. I think that is why
I like the way Gillian Flynn created Libby. Although,
I'm not really sure about Libby's father. [12]

     Second, I really believe that Gillian Flynn did a GREAT job in delineating Libby's character development. The problem is that in this story no one seemed even relatively normal. Not the financial advisor who sends a hit man to make a deal with Libby's mother, not Libby's father, not even the aunt who cared for Libby. I can't think of one sympathetic character or one person with whom I could identify. So, while Flynn did really well with Libby's character, I think she went overboard on everyone else making them either psychologically disturbed or criminal. Just too much. The way Flynn writes here makes it appear that no one in society is even half way normal.

A LITTLE BIT MORE:

This cover image plays
an instrumental part in
one scene in the book.
No spoilers here! [13]

     I hope you noticed that no where in my post did I mention what the title of the book signifies, Dark Places. I will not be telling you that here, because it is an integral part of one of the themes of the book. As you read through the book, just pay attention to all the mentions of "dark places." You'll see it before the end.

     Don't forget about the book-to-movie, movie release slated for September 1, 2014. I'm not sure if it is limited release or a general one. Keep an eye out for it.

     Finally, this book is a multi-layered and, obviously multi-faceted, book. Gillian Flynn has done a great job layering all the various characters, themes and motifs throughout the book. I could do one whole blog post just on this topic, alone. And, as far as the quotes go, I have about six that I really love from the book...too many good quotes to use. Ah, me.... And now, to an even more serious matter.
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[14]

DEDICATION: Today, I dedicate this blog post to Robin Williams who died earlier this morning (as I am drafting this post) at about 11:55 a.m. Sadly, preliminary information from the Coroner's Office indicates that the likely cause of death is "suicide by asphyxia."

     Robin Williams was known for many movies and appearances. Among them, just a few are as follows: The World According to Garp; Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poet's Society; The Fisher King; Hook; The Birdcage; Goodwill Hunting; Patch Adams; Night at the Museum; Night at the Museum: Battle of The Smithsonian; Mrs. Doubtfire and What Dreams May Come. 

[16]

     To many people, their sentimental favorite was his television series, Mork and Mindy. He was also adored when he made guest appearances on Happy Days, Eight is Enough, Saturday Night Live, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and American Idol. He also was nominated for Critic's Choice Television Award for Best Actor in A Comedy Series for his work in The Crazy Ones. [15]

      To Robin Williams' family and friends I and my family offer our sincerest sorrow at his passing. We pray for you and send peace and love to you. Also, I wish to offer my condolences to all of Robin William's fans and to those who loved him and his great body of work. I am so very sad tonight as I think about what beauty and light the world has lost. God Bless you, Robin, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the great gift of yourself to the world in your remarkable appearances on film and in person.

[14]

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MY RECOMMENDATIONS:

[17]

     As I indicated at the top of this post, I will caution everyone of a sensitive nature or who is immature against reading this blog post and book. I don't know if I remembered every objectionable thing for these two groups of people (sensitive and immature), but here's what I can recall: The book contained themes of suicidal thoughts, graphic murder, violent acts, illicit sex, alcohol and drunkenness, smoking, kleptomania and lying, fear, anger, Satanism and ritual sacrifice, animal abuse and murder, murder-for-hire, and child sexual abuse. A lot of really heavy-duty themes here, running throughout the book. But for adults who like crime novels, mystery-murder, or thrillers and suspense, this book will be absolutely appropriate--dependent, of course, on your own tastes in reading material.

MY RATING FOR THIS BOOK:

[18]

     I would have given this book one more star if not for the aspects that didn't work for me, as stated, above. I enjoyed this book and am pleased to give it the rating of 4.0 stars out of 5.

[19]

     Thank you for taking time, today, to read this post about Gillian Flynn's novel, Dark Places. Please join me next week as we will be celebrating my one-year BLOGIVERSARY. I will be telling you about many behind the scenes aspects of this blog, renewing and announcing MY top ten favorite reads of all time, and will be awarding the four free prizes in a blogiversary drawing--and more.

     To enter, all you have to do is tell me what (if anything) this blog means to you. That's it. Nothing more--easy. The entry form is on the top right side bar. No information you give me will be given to anyone else. Please enter, I have four nice prizes to give away--take a look at the photos.

     My friends, it has been an honor to write for you; thank you for your attentiveness and time spent reading my blog posts. I hope you have gained something valuable or informative this year. Do something good for yourself this week and read just a bit every day.


Until next time...

This flower is a double white Rose of Sharon. [20]

...many happy pages of reading.

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REFERENCES
[1] "Dark Places." [hardcover edition] amazon.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[2] "The Hobbit." [J.R.R. Tolkien] Kindle Ed. Retrieved 08-10-14.
[3] "Conversation with Smaug." pinwords.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[4]  "What if I told you..." [created by Sharon Powers] memegenerator.net. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[5] "Kill Club." [created by Sharon Powers] memegenerator.net. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[6] "My Favorite Quote." [graphic image] myhomepage.org. Retrieved 08-11-12.
[7] "Girl With Red Hair and Blue Eyes Wearing Red." gettyimages.com. Retrieved 08-11-12.
[8] "An Axe Murderer, A Missionary and A Miracle." crosswalk.com. Retrieved 08-11-12.
[9] "Performance Monitoring, What Works and What Doesn't...." usaidlearninglab.org. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[10] "Charlize Theron; First official still from Dark Places." chapter1-take1.blogspot.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[11] "Jump Frog." commentskart.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[12] "Matthew Macfadyen Quote." izquotes.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[13] "Dark Places." [alternate cover image] amazon.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[14] "R.I.P. Robin Williams; Legendary Comic and Actor Dead at 63." collider.com. Retrieved at 08-11-14.
[15] "Robin Williams Filmography." en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[16] "Mork and Mindy Reunite on an Episode of 'The Crazy Ones'; Nanu Nanu" examiner.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[17] "Caution, Be Careful What You Believe." doubletakedebate.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[18] "4 Stars out of 5." [graphic] giantbomb.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[19] "It's Our One Year Blogiversary!" blissedoutbelle.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.
[20] "Pictures From My Garden." sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 08-11-14.

Tomb of the Golden Wolf by D.K. Cowling--This brand new book release is now available to all readers!

Tomb of the Golden Wolf
by D.K. Cowling. [1]

Book Review by:
Sharon Powers.

     Does this sound familiar to you? A young man falls head-over-heels in love with a beautiful girl. Sexual urges prompt the two young people to begin a sexual relationship that causes the girl's family concern, so her father orders the boy to stay away for thirty days--to cool things off.

     The boy, trying to impress the girl's family, sets a fire on the front porch of the family's home, so he can rush in and save everybody--becoming the hero. It was a bad decision, and when confronted, he confesses to starting the fire and is sentenced to a mental hospital.  (Sound familiar, yet?) 

     Here's one last hint. The young man's love is "endless," so when he gets out of the hospital several years later, he violates the stay away order, and goes looking for the girl, who has since moved to New York. 

Endless Love, one of the
many book covers. [2]

     Following the girl to New York, the boy is observed stalking the girl by the girl's father who rushes into traffic in an attempt to chase down and catch the young man. Unfortunately, the girl's father is killed in traffic and when it is discovered theyoung man violated the stay-away order causing the father's death, he is arrested and sent to prison. 

     This is a short synopsis of the plot of the enduring and popular novel, Endless Love by Scott Spencer. I reviewed Scott Spencer's novel earlier this year in anticipation of the remake of the movie, Endless Love. You can see that review, book and movie information, and the trailer by clicking the link, here. 

A few "Coming of Age" books. [3]

     The story of Endless Love is popularly referred to as a "coming-of-age" story. A coming-of-age story is one in which a young man or woman goes on a journey from being a young, naive person to being wiser person, from being an idealist to being a realist, and most importantly from being immature to being a mature adult. [4] The reason I've given you a short break-down is to provide you with an introduction to the coming of age story. But before we talk about how this applies to our book, Tomb of the Golden Wolf, let's take a quick look at the synopsis of that novel.

SHORT BOOK SYNOPSIS:

[5]

     Long, long ago, a young man was coming of age. The boy turned man, discovering that he had been greatly wronged, became angry and sought vengeance. Circumstances shaped the young man's life and soon he found himself leading an army. He sought, also, to help the lives of thousands of people living in the "Three Sister Countries." 

     The book tells the stories of a people, both strong and brave, but also injured and wounded in body and in heart. It is the tale of a young man's quest to get vengeance on those who had injured him and his family.  It is also the tale of a legendary journey over vast oceans, across the wide, frozen ice, and the dauntless task of finding a way across rugged mountains. It is also a story about how even the strongest of men who only believe what they can see with their own eyes, mistrust others, especially those of other races. 

[6]

     The story of one young man and the people of the "Three Sister Countries," is one in which all must face the threat of war and vengeance and is also a story of growth, morality, honesty, integrity, and loyalty. The great story is the story of the struggle for love and freedom and peace. It is also the story of betrayal.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK:

     The "Coming-of-Age" story is one of the most popular story types in all of literature. Many, many wonderful, well-known stories have been published and eagerly devoured. Today, we look at a brand new coming of age story, Tomb of the Golden Wolf. We've already had a look at the synopsis, so let's get right to our discussion.

COMING OF AGE:

     Coming-of-age stories are also called, "Bildungsroman;" a German word that means "novel of education" or "novel of  formation." This class of novels deals with the maturation of the protagonist--how he or she matures and why. The novel, generally shows the development of the protagonist morally and psychologically, as well as, sometimes, physical maturity. 

A simplified graphic of "The Hero's Journey." [7]

     The journey of the protagonist is the hero's journey. It is one such that the young protagonist grows from foolish to wise, from immature to mature, or from making bad or rash choices to informed and thoughtful deci- sions. In the beginning, the protagonist has experienced some terrible loss or traumatic event: Loss of the mother, extreme injustice, experiences of war and death, or some quest that has been thrust upon him or her. And, as in all hero's journeys, the protagonist experi- ences obstacles, pain, suffering and struggle--in any event, the protagonist leaves behind a youthful and naive childhood and experiences that propel the protagonist forward into maturity. [4] Keep in mind that all coming of age stories do not have happy endings--for example, Endless Love, the example in the introduction.

     I've just given you the nutshell version of the hero's journey and the "Coming of age" story. To view an extensive review of the hero's journey in general, see my posting of the book, Ender's Game; to view that book review, click here.

WHAT THE AUTHOR DID WELL, AND WHAT I LIKED:

     The thing I most like about D.K. Cowling's novel is his writing style. It is easy to read and flows along smoothly. No stops or hiccups. The sentence structure is facile and easily read.

     Second, I liked the over arching plot. As I indicated in the introduction, the "Coming-of-age" story is one of the most popular of any literary form, as is the hero's journey. Wherever you look in lit- erature you will shortly find a novel that employs these devices. Many authors of famous novels have employed them--The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (click here to view that book re- view), The Giver by Lois Lowry (click here, to view that book review), and numerous others including the now popular, Hunger Games Tril- ogy by Suzanne Collins.

     Third: one of Cowling's techniques I really liked is what is called, "Parallelism of Events." This helps to facilitate a creatively interwoven story. Here are a few examples from the Tomb of the Golden Wolf: (1) Two golden wolves--the first golden wolf was an actual wolf, born a gold color and our young human protagonist, Darien, also called the Golden Wolf;

Dan/Blair and Mark/Juliet parallelism. [8]

(2) Two females who died sacri- ficing themselves for their child- ren by having their necks snapp- ed--the golden wolf's mother to protect her pups, and Darien's mother who shields him from a falling mast; (3) two characters who say goodbye to spouses, never to see them again: Darien's father when he said goodbye to his wife and child, and another I cannot relate because it would give away too much of the story; (4) two tombs; (5) two imprisoned in chains: The Golden Wolf's spirit chained within his tomb, and Darien's father chained in the same tomb; (6) two characters who offer their lives to protect another but fail: Tenderek promises Leopold he will protect Darien and his mother but fails, resulting in the mother's death, and another I cannot relate because it would give away the end of the story; and (7) of course, two deaths, two graves: Darien visits his mother's grave to grieve her loss, and suffering in grief, Kirow who had to bury his beloved hound and friend. Many more exist, but you get the idea. The many parallel events tie things together, nicely.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME:

[9]

     First, even though the legend of the Golden Wolf, Kerman Shan, followed the mythic creation of the world, there was no end to the story; I kept expecting the Golden Wolf to reappear later on in the story. The wolf thinks, "he would never forget his first encounter with man"[location 330]; so, I expect- ed more encounters. I was dis- appointed when I realized that wasn't going to happen--perhaps if Cowling had had the wolf die of old age, or be killed I would have had closure on the actual Golden Wolf and not keep expecting him to appear. It wasn't until very far in the book did I learn that the wolf was dead and wasn't going to get more of the wolf's story.

     Second, many, many places have misuses of words, for example, "stared." At one place, for instance, it is used correctly: "A yard or so in front of the man he stopped and stared into the man's eyes...." [loc. 339]. But then many other times misused: "The rider remained still; unmoving; starring into the darkness..." [loc. 364]. It is like this throughout the book--many misuses. (Note: I added the bold/underlining emphasis on the words within the quotes.)

     Third, in advertising for the book at one part it reads, "It is a tale of man's bond with wolf to fight a common cause." [1] I was looking for a special bond of man with wolf, but was disappointed that I had been misled--none existed. Poor advertising copy can make for unhappy and disappointed readers who may buy no further books from the author or publisher.

This is what the ending of the book felt like. A very
dramatic, abrupt ending. [10]

     Fourth, I was very unhappy with the ending--no, I will not be giving away what happened at the end of the book. But, it was shockingly abrupt. So much so that it made me feel that I was sorry I had read the book. Some might call it good writing, but I call the misdirection, a bum steer. I was very disappointed. Just to let you know, I'm not talking about a "sad" ending; those often work well in novels. To reiterate, I'm not against sad endings, just bad and abrupt ones.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS:
     The book was fairly clean; by that I mean, no profanity or cursing, and no flagrant sex. In a couple of places sex is discussed, but there are no flagrant sexual violations or debauchery. For people who are against smoking or drinking, this book has fairly consistent reports of pipe smoking and ale drinking and a couple scenes of drunkenness. Also, know that themes of vengeance and killing take place in the book--I would give a PG recommendation for this book, maybe even PG-13, if it were coming to movie theaters.

RATING:

[11]

     Even though there were a few things I really liked about the book, I cannot say that I would buy this book as a gift for anyone, nor would I be likely to read it, again. Too many notable flaws exist to give this book a good rating. It is with sadness, and for all the reasons I have listed, above, that I rate the book at 2.0 stars out of 5.

     Thank you for joining me this week as we looked at a new book release, Tomb of the Golden Wolf by D.K. Cowling. Please join me again next time as we take a look at another book of interest. Remember to pick up a book this week and read for a bit--it will help your mind. God bless you, my friends.

Until next time...

A double white Rose of Sharon. [12]

...many happy pages of reading!

My love to you all!

Sharon.




_________________________________________________________
REFERENCES
[1] "Tomb of the Golden Wolf." amazon.com. Retrieved 08-01-14.
[2] "Endless Love." [Scott Spencer] amazon.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[3] "Coming of Age Novels." penuches.rssing.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[4] "Coming of Age Novel...." [education portal] education-portal.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[5] "Synopsis." ntwriters.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[6] "Freedom to Reach our Potential." [graphic chains] theruleoffreedom.wordpress.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[7] "The Hero's Journey." [journey graphic] contentmarketinginstitute.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[8] "Dan/Blair and Mark/Juliet Parallelism." fanpop.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[9] "No Wonder It Didn't Work." explodingdog.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[10] "Abrupt Ending." pixdaus.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[11] "Now You See Me--2 Glitzy, Bloated Stars (Out of 5)" [two-star graphic] cinedork.com. Retrieved 08-06-14.
[12] "Pictures From My Garden." sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 06-18-14.
[*] "Netgalley." netgalley.com. Retrieved 08-05-14.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman Came to Theaters as a Book-to-Movie, 08-22-14!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman. [1]

Book Review by:
Sharon Powers.

     "What would you do if you had to choose?" (2402)

     Fairy Tales begin, "Once upon a time..." and so it did for one special mom, dad, a little boy, and his baby brother. In the fairy tale, once upon a time, "there was a snow day...and a drive in a car." Then, like most fairy tales, an evil King or witch, goblin, or troll appears and story takes on aspects of a horror story. Red Riding Hood's grand- mother is eaten, Hansel and Gretel are abandoned by their parents in a forest, an innocent girl pricks her finger on a spinning wheel and falls into an unwakable slumber. 

[2]

     Then, to everyone's horror, the beautiful, enchanted family are prey to mysterious powers and the family find themselves in a terrible car crash. The mom, the dad, the baby die, but the little boy is alive...hanging on...no one knows why. Why is he hanging on tenaciously? Does he have a choice to make? Will he stay? Will he go? No one knows what happened in the little boy's dream world. We only know the result...in the end, he left the world to be with his mom, his dad, and his little brother. The world mourned. This little fairy tale is actually the true story behind Gayle Forman's story, If I Stay.

     At the end of the book, Gayle Forman tells us what prompted her to write the story, If I Stay. She tells us how she was haunted by the little boy's story and wondered if he had a choice. Wondered if he chose to go with his family. She shares with us the grief of friends from around the country gathering in Oregon for an "ad-hoc wake." And while she admits the grief "cut to the bone," she also tells us of how she felt something else, something of the "divine." 

This beautiful quote is found at the end of the novel,
If I Stay by Gayle Forman at Kindle Location 2412. [3]

     Then after seven years, questions still haunted Gayle Forman. Did the little boy know the rest of his family was dead? Did he choose to go with them? Did he have a choice? It was while she was still thinking of these questions that a "total stranger," seventeen-year-old, cello playing Mia, "popped into [her] consciousness." Forman admits typing through tears, at times, but not because it was difficult, but because she felt a "transcendent grace from the days after the tragedy returned." She intimates that she felt as if her friends were there in the room with her as she wrote. She says that in a way her friends are still with her, as if they never really left. Forman tells us that's how she survived the loss...love "never goes away..." that "[l]ove can make you immortal." (Kindle location 2387-2412).

SHORT BOOK SYNOPSIS: 

Cello Practice IV by Jenny Armitage. [4]

     If I Stay, by Gayle Forman, originally published in 2009, is a young adult novel inspired by real-life events. In the book, seventeen-year-old Mia and her family live in a warm, comforting house, in a relatively close-knit lifestyle. Mia loves her brother, Teddy, and, of course, her mom and dad. One eventful day, after it snowed, the schools closed for a "snow day."

     The family, opting to go for a car trip, suffer a horrible car accident as a pickup truck T-bones their car. Mia's body is lying in a ditch by the side of the road--she is in a coma; but what the people around her don't realize is that Mia is having an out-of-body experience. Mia leaves her body to see her father and mother dead, and her brother, Teddy being whisked away in an ambulance to a local hospital. Considered to be in critical condition, Mia is life-flighted to a hospital that can get her better care, and more quickly. She decides to get in the helicopter with her body.

     Over the hours that follow the accident, Mia watches as her friends and other family members gather together in the waiting room at the hospital; she sees them crying, hears their concerns. Mia also visualizes events of the past. Moments that were important to her. Mia watches as a nurse who is about to get off duty whispers in her ear that she wants to see Mia in the morning when she comes back to work. Mia realizes that she is the one who has a choice to make about staying or going.

Adam is Mia's boyfriend; he plays
the guitar in a band called,
Shooting Star. [5]

     Through the hours, Mia experiences heartache, and she hears words of love and encouragement. Mia watches as friends and family troop in to visit with her. She sees their tears and hears their pleas. Eventually, Mia sees her boyfriend (who plays guitar in the band, Shooting Star) come into the hospital and must face his words to her, as well. Mia flounders with the decision, eventually, making the one she thinks will be best. She wonders if she can face waking up with no family to return to. She wonders what will happen if she stays.

MY (SECOND) FAVORITE QUOTE: My absolute favorite quote is the one I gave you, above, about love, so I'm also sharing my second favorite quote with you. Here it is:

[6]

Gramps doesn't wipe his face or blow his nose. He just lets the tears fall where they may. And when the well of grief is momen- tarily dry, he steps forward and kisses me on the forehead. He looks like he's about to leave, but then he doubles back to my bedside, bends so his face is level with my ear and whispers into it...'It's okay,' he tells me. 'If you want to go. Everyone wants you to stay. I want you to stay more than I've wanted anything in my life.' His voice cracks with emotion. He stops, clears his throat, takes a breath, and continues. 'But that's what I want and I could see why it might not be what you want. So I just wanted to tell you that I understand if you go. It's okay if you have to leave us. It's okay if you want to stop fighting....' Gramp's recognition, and the permission he just offered me--it feels like a gift.

   Well, doesn't that just pull your heartstrings? It did mine. This quote is also about love, just as is the one at the top of the page. Mia's grandfather loves his granddaughter so much that he will, not willingly, but lovingly, let her go if that is what she really wants. Although I've given you a few small spoilers, here, I won't tell you what Mia chooses for herself. You just have to read the book.

WHAT WORKED FOR ME:

[7]

     The most important thing I have to tell you about what worked for me in the book is that even though the book deals with the loss of Mia's family, I did NOT find the book to be "sad." As I eagerly read the book, knowing it was coming to the big screen in August of 2014, I anticipated some "downer" moments.

     In actuality, I found the book life affirming and hopeful. And, while we see Mia, and some of the supporting cast in tears and sad, those negative feelings are somehow not transmitted to the reader. Perhaps, as Gayle Forman said in the "afterword" portion of the book about what inspired her to write the book, she did feel some sort of divine inspiration or "transcendent grace" of some sort that was transmitted to the pages of the novel. I do believe that Forman still feels the presence of her lost friends with her and, of course, the love that never dies--carried on through to the pages of the book. I even found this book to be oddly inspirational.

For part of the book, Mia sat in her hospital
room observing those who came in
to speak  to her. [8]

     Second, I think that having the disembodied Mia describing for the reader the passing events almost gives it a feeling of being a step removed from emotion. After all, Mia is detached from her body. To me, it is like the sensation of driving in fog where you feel wrapped in cotton or you have some sort of sensory deprivation allowing you to get through the sadness. A feeling of unreality surrounds you and you move slowly through the fog, eventually arriving at the des- tination--and at Mia's decision.

     Third, I really liked the family dynamics. I liked how much Mia loved Teddy, and the wonderful bond they seemed to have together. And, even though the parents seemed to be a bit too permissive, I felt as if they really loved her. Not perfect parents, but loving parents.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME:

A good book, but a
few things didn't
work for me. [9]

     First, I didn't like the name of Adam's band--Shooting Star. Really? Really? Come on Gayle, I think you could have done better than that. What is this? a band for old folks?

     Second, let's talk about Adam. It's not that I dislike Adam, but he was too, two-dimensional. We didn't see enough character development for such an important character--him playing a part in Mia's decision, and all. He didn't seem to have any/many flaws, and I would definitely have liked to see a little more texture to him. Maybe more involvement in getting Mia to actually play a piece with the band--something special that worked like the piece she and Adam played together that one time.

     With music being so (pardon the pun) "instrumental" in the two being together, more should have been done with that aspect of the relationship. Forman could have expanded this aspect in any number of ways. My whole point, here, is just that Adam was a rather flat character. I do realize, that Forman wanted to focus on Mia and her decision, but since Adam was instrumental in helping her to decide, more should have been done with Adam's character development.

IF I STAY, THE MOVIE:
     Gayle Forman may justifiably be proud of her book, If I Stay, coming to theaters on Friday, August 22, 2014. I'm always happy when a book I like comes to the big screen; to see what this new book-to-movie looks like in this Official Trailer 2 in [HD], let's take a quick look at it from YouTube. [10]


     Directing this movie is R.J. Cutler, known for (among other film productions): (2005), Flip That House, his 2009 film, The September Issue, and his 2012 film, Nashville. Starring in If I Stay is Chloe Grace Moretz as Mia, Jamie Blackley as Adam, Stacey Keach as Grandpa, Gabrielle Rose as Grandma, Jakob Davies as Teddy, Lauren Lee Smith as Willow, Aisha Hinds as Nurse Ramirez, and Mirelle Enos as Kat. [11]

MY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATING:
     Since the movie, If I Stay, MPAA rating is PG-13, for thematic elements and some sexual material, I would, likewise rate the book similarly. Those persons who are of a sensitive nature or below the suggested reading age, should consider the MPAA movie rating. All of those, especially young adults, who are within the target age range, should consider reading this lovely book. [11]

A good rating for a good book:
4.0 stars out of 5. [12]

     For all the reasons I have given, above, I give this poignant book 4.0 stars out of 5. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to young adults, and heartily do so.

     Thank you for joining me this week as we looked at a very popular YA novel, If I Stay. I really enjoyed this book and hope you will enjoy it as well. I give it a thumbs up. Until next week, don't forget to pick a book or some other good reading material and read for just a bit each day. Your wonderful mind will be the better for it. God bless and keep you all. I send everyone my love.

Until next time...

A double white Rose of Sharon. [13]

...many happy pages of reading!

All my love,

Sharon.



_________________________________________________________
REFERENCES
[1] "If I Stay." amazon.com. Retrieved 07-22-14.
[2] "Your Very Own Adoption Story." margiemintz.com. Retrieved 07-30-14.
[3] "Best Quotes and Sayings...." meetville.com. Retrieved 07-30-14.
[4] "Cello Painting Originals: Cello Practice IV." [Jenny Armitage] fineartamerica.com. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[5] "Re: FoFiX logo ideas [MAKE A CHOICE]." fretsonfire.net. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[6] "It's okay! Go on without me!" [sad cat graphic] cheezburger.com. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[7] "Get Nerdy." [graphic "Praise...worked!"] getservekeep.com. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[8] "Out of Body Experiences." [graphic OBE] world-of-lucid-dreaming.com. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[9] "This Isn't Happiness." [graphic "It didn't work out."] thisisnthappiness.com. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[10] "If I Stay." [trailer] youtube.com. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[11] "If I Stay." [movie info.] imdb.com. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[12] "Archos 5 Review." [4 Stars out of 5] gadgethelpline.com. Retrieved 07-31-14.
[13] "Pictures From My Garden." sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 06-18-14.

The Giver by Lois Lowry--Book-to-Movie Now Available on Blu-ray and DVD!

Lois Lowry's, The Giver. [1]

Book Review by:
Sharon Powers.

     No sooner had my daughter arrived home from sixth grade telling me that her teacher was very mad at her because the book she had taken to read during the "free reading period," wasn't acceptable, then the phone rang. Answering it, I was surprised that my daughter's teacher was the one calling. She expressed great disapproval at my daughter's book saying it was inappropriate for a sixth grader to be reading a book that was beyond her grade level. 

     I asked her to please hold for a minute and then spoke to my daughter asking her to show me the book she was reading. I was somewhat surprised when she showed me the book and again asked her if she was sure this was the book the teacher was unhappy with her having. She assured me that it was the book. Going back to the phone the teacher again asked why I let her read a book inappropriate for her grade level. For a moment, I was dumbfounded at her disapproval of my daughter's book and my parenting. I composed myself, and told her I approved of the book. 

The book of which the tea-
cher disapproved because
of the dystopian themes.[2]

     I also told her that I had read the book when I had been in high school as part of my school curriculum. She said that it wasn't the book but my daughter's age that she was just too young. I told her that I know my daughter, and that though in sixth grade, she had been tested and was reading at high school level speed and comprehension. I told her that I permit my daughter to read whatever book she was capable of and interested in reading (of course, barring those which were sexually explicit). I told her my daughter didn't have to secretly check out books from the library and that she always showed me what she was reading. The teacher, in fury, hung up the phone. My daughter ran and threw her arms around me squeezing me tight. I told her not to worry, that her book was a good book and that I supported her reading choices.

The Newbery Medal. [3]

     Society and its views of dystopian society have moved forward since my daughter was in grade school. Young Adult novels abound with dystopian settings and themes; in fact, in 1993, Lois Lowry's book, The Giver was published and subsequently received the Newbery Medal (1994 by the Association for Library Service to Children)" In addition to the prestigious Newbery Medal, the book also receiv- ed the Regina Medal (1994), and the William Allen White Award (1996). [fn.1] [4]

At first blush, Jonas' community
appears idyllic with no pain,
war, or disease.  [5]

SHORT BOOK SYNOPSIS: Eleven-year-old Jonas lives in an idyllic community with his mother, father and sister. In this idyllic world, no suffering exists, no war, no disease, no pain. Jonas waits in anticipation for the December celebration where he would, with the other eleven-year-olds, celebrate the "Ceremony of Twelve." 

     Jonas will officially become an adult and receive his assignment in the work he will do as he grows into adulthood, and the training that will begin immediately after the ceremony. When the day arrives, Jonas--and everyone else--is shocked to learn he has been selected as the next "Receiver of Memory."

During his training, The Giver shows
Jonas a shocking recording of
an injection given to an infant. [6]

     When Jonas begins his training from a man who calls himself "The Giver," Jonas begins to see things in a different way than he did before his selection. Jonas begins learning the shocking and troublesome truths about the idyllic world in which he lives. He is confused and at first doesn't understand, but as time goes on and Jonas receives more and more memories from "The Giver," he tries to come to terms with his life and what it all means in this false community. Who really pays for the pain-free society in which he lives? Is it "The Giver?" "The Receiver?" or is the cost really laid upon the community at large?

MY FAVORITE QUOTE: [This quote is taken from the "Ceremony of Twelve," just before Jonas receives his selection as, the "Receiver of Memory."]

The quote I have selected as my favorite quote in the
book is a dramatic one that utilizes foreshadowing as
a literary technique. The reader is subtly appraised of
a potentially important part of the plot or story. Here,
the selection is also ironic in that everyone in the com-
munity strives to be the same, yet at the ceremony they
celebrate and "honor" their differences. Hmmmm! [7]

The initial speech at the Ceremony of Twelve was made by the Chief Elder, the leader of the com- munity who was elected every ten years. The speech was much the same each year: recol- lection of the time of childhood and the period of preparation, the com- ing responsibilities of adult life, the profound import- ance of Assignment, the seriousness of training to come...'This is the time,' she began, looking directly at them, 'when we acknowledge differences. You Elevens have spent all your years till now learning to fit in, to standardize your behavior, to curb any impulse that might set you apart from the group...But today we honor your differences. They have determined your futures.' [p.51]

     I really enjoyed this quote, and loved that the differences in the elevens-turned-twelves was what determined their futures--a wonderful foreshadowing of the changes to come! Jonas had something uniquely different about him, something that, in the end, would set him apart, entirely, from even the community. 

[8]

I like this idea. From a struggle to be "a part" of the community to a struggle to be "apart" from the community. Just reciprocally beautiful.

Everyone in the community struggled to
obey all the precepts of their age groups.
The struggle to conform was ongoing.[9]

ABOUT THE DYSTOPIAN NOVEL: First, a word or two about Dystopian novels, in general. At the beginning of the book, The Giver, it appeared too good to be true. A community where no pain existed, no unemployment, no war, no crime, just peace and sameness. However, we soon began to see a community in which people were controlled to the extent they had little individuality, were given pills to prevent passionate emotions, and "released" if they didn't fit into the community [...a euphemism for death.]. 

    DYSTOPIAN SOCIETIES are those societies that have qualities of being somewhat undesirable, harmful or perhaps unpleasant. The unpleasantness is usually due to a dramatic decline in society, for example, an apocalypse. In our book, The Giver, the decline had come before the present time, war, death, fighting, disease, etc. prompted people to give up their uniqueness and individual liberties to attain peace, and oneness. However, harmful or unpleasant side-effects of the dystopian society usually result.

     Characteristics of a Dystopian Society: Propaganda is used to control citizens; Information, independent thought, feelings and/or freedom are restricted; a "figurehead" or concept is worshipped by the citizens; Citizens are under constant surveillance (just like in our novel, today, The Giver), Citizens have a fear of the outside world; sometimes citizens live in a dehumanized state; the natural world is banished and distrusted; Citizens conform to uniform expectations--individuality and dissent are bad--again, just like in today's novel, The Giver; and the society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world--or wants to appear so.
   

Not just Social Class and Race,
though--it can be by ability, gender,or
anything else that divides people; in
The Giver it is age and aptitude [10].

     Stratification of Society: Hallmarks of literature utilizing dystopian structure in a book's plot usually includes the stratification of society. In Brave New World, Aldus Huxley created groups called Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons); in Divergent the groups were called Amity, Erudite, Dauntless, Abnegation, and Candor.

     In this book, The Giver, Lois Lowry creates groups based on a person's age: ones, twos, threes, fours, fives, sixes, sevens, eights, nines, tens, elevens, and twelves (who are considered to be adult) and finally the elderly or old (and retired persons). Every year the rules change for each age group, for example, at one year old you get your name and a family, at eight, like Jonas's sister, Lily, the child gets an "identifying jacket" with pockets and smaller buttons as well as being required to start doing volunteer hours; nine-year-old girls can remove their "childish" hair ribbons and put them aside, and all nine-year-olds got their bicycle. Moreover, once assigned a place in society after the Ceremony of Twelve, your career is yours permanently, supposedly assigned to your best abilities--like fish hatchery attendant, recreation assistant, birth mother or "Receiver of Memories," like Jonas.

Gattaca is a dystopian novel centering on controlling
population through the citizen's identity. The
small print at the top of this graphic says,
"There is no gene for the human spirit." [11]

     Family is also a critical piece of dystopian society. The government seeks to destroy or control social interaction by exerting rigid controls on the family. In The Giver, you must apply to be married, and even if approved, your spouse is selected for you; you are only allowed two children; moreover, birth mothers never see their children. The children are taken away and assigned to a family requesting a child. Individuals must report their dreams every morning, and when old enough to develop "stirrings," you must begin taking a daily pill to suppress the "stirrings" that you are feeling.

[12]

     Other hallmarks of dystopian novels (and movies) which use PROPAGANDA TO CONTROL CITIZENS of society through use of the following: Politics and Government (The Hunger Games); Economics (see, V For Ven- detta), Psychology (Brave New World) Religion (see, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, The Handmaid's Tale and A Canticle for Liebowitz), issues of Identity (see, Gattica), Violence of fighting, war, or other oppression (see, Judge Dredd, Mad Maxx, or The Running Man), Corporate Control (Minority Report and Running Man); Bureaucratic Control (Brazil), Science (Blade Runner), Technology (R.U.R.; I, Robot; The Matrix; and Terminator), and finally, Environmental issues [concerning pollution, not enough food, etc.] (see, Logan's Run, Avatar, Soylent Green, and Wall-E). It can be seen in other famous dystopian novels as follows: Nineteen Eighty-Four, and Farenheit 451 (of course, there are many, many more. This is just a small sampling.). [13]

The Book of Eli, starring Denzel

Washington, utilizes a 

dystopian setting. [14]

     Undoubtedly, since novels (and movies) following dystopian themes are so popular and prevalent in society, right now, we will visit this issue again in the future. Because dystopian themes are seen in everything from television shows (like The Walking Dead), to video games (Fallout) (as well as novels and movies), I'm sure we will be looking at dystopian themes in new novels as they are written and come into the publishing and reading world. Until then, I hope this quick little nutshell version of dystopian society helps you to appreciate this genre of literature more.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK:  

[16]

THE YA CONTROVERSY:     Some reviewers and bloggers are totally against YA (young adult) novels, in general, as reading material for adults. Apparently, the view is held that adults should be "embarrassed when what you're reading was written for children." [15] I feel quite differently about the matter. I have loudly proclaimed from day one of my blog posting that any kind of reading is wonderful. 

     I want to encourage everyone to read, not just children. Personally, since I'm beyond my YA years, I choose YA books every now and again to keep my spirit young. And...parents especially, should know what their children are reading--parents NEED to stay abreast of the most current trends in literature for their own children's sake. For other adults, if your tastes don't run to YA literature, don't read it--find something to read that you enjoy! That's what you should do in any event. 

[17]

     Personally, I choose to mix it up; I read YA, but I also read comics and graphic novels, I read classical literature, romance, Pulitzer-Prize-winning novels, non-fiction and historical, militaristic sci-fi, fantasy, biography, self-help, spirituality, psychology, horror, non-fiction, etc. I read them all. I think it makes me a more well-rounded person with a more flexible and agile mind. I simply find all this looking down one's nose at any given genre to be both snobbish and short-sighted. I am not embarrassed in the least. 'Nuff said.

     Second, YA books are, indeed, written for the teens. The difference in YA versus adult books is that the story is all about the teenage perspective. Teenagers are not adults and have not learned the critical thinking skills that mark adulthood, nor should they be expected to try and read from an adult perspective. Teen readers plunge themselves into the emotional life of the protagonists--in part, teens are learning empathy and gaining understanding of how to handle problems, deal with life situations, and what mistakes to avoid (among other things). I know some adults who might benefit from reading YA fiction. 

I deeply admire teens for how
they live passionately! [18]

     Even adults that have grown into an adult mind and experience a more critical perspective and analysis of reading material can learn new things and, as I mentioned, above, keep their spirits young at heart. To learn that teens, while they may not read with the adult critical mind, are people, too, with cares, desires, and a willingness to learn about life and grow into the people they are becoming. That teenagers deserve to be admired and applauded for their interest in reading, growing, and becoming more, is something they truly deserve. 

JONAS AND THE GIVER: Told entirely from third-person narrative, we are put into the perspective of the 11/12 year-old-boy, Jonas. We have no others injecting thoughts or information into the story. This tends to help make the experience of reading the story immediate, present, and intimate. Lowry's us of simple language helps us to regress down to Jonas's age to see things simply, and uncritically--choosing, instead, to trust the adults in his life, namely, his parents, and the elders, until he learns that he should not trust them. The language is instrumental in conveying the powerful concepts contained in the novel.

The climax is the pivotal point in the book, followed
by falling action and resolution. [19]

     The Climax of the book is a heartbreaking scene when disillusionment is complete for Jonas as The Giver plays a video of a newborn child being euthanized by Jonas's father--whose role in the community is that of a nurturer. Jonas realizes that all the people whom he has known who have been "released," have been killed, not transferred to other communities; their bodies then dumped down a chute like so much refuse. Jonas and the Giver then resolve to change the situation.

The rules are drummed into the children,
year after year. Jonas soon learns that
he must break some rules to effect
the change that's needed. [20]

 Rule Breaking: In this strictly-run com- munity full of laws and expectations, we also see rules broken: (1) When Jonas's father gets permission as an exception to the rules to bring home the baby (Gabriel) for additional nurturing; (2) when the nines (9-year-old children) teach their younger siblings to ride a bicycle--everyone turns their head in blindness at their violation of that law; (3) Jonas's father breaking a rule to obtain the name of the baby (Gabriel); (4) Jonas's father permitting the family to break the rule of calling the baby by its name before it had officially been named, such; (5) Jonas's father admitted knowing his assignment (Nurturer) before it was given at his Ceremony of Twelve.

     Children who see adults condone rule-breaking are subtly influenced to believe that they, too, may break the rules and get away with it. It may be one way adults, unknowingly, are fostering a rebellious child.

The first splash of color for Jonas, the
red apple, puts me in mind of the
movie, Pleasantville, where the first
splash of color was a red rose. [21]

     After Jonas begins receiving memories from the kindly Giver, he learns to see colors, feel joy, and even love for the first time--and also pain. He experiences sledding in the snow, death on a battlefield, and the physical pain of broken bones and injury. He also is shocked to learn that he has been given permission to break certain rules, like lying and rudeness. Jonas's "mind reeled" as he realized that other Twelves, other adults, could have received the exemption from lying--how often had he been lied to?

[22]

     Symbolically, Jonas's father, The Nurturer, seems to nurture a son conditioned to break rules. Jonas cannot live in the oppressive and feelingless society. Moreover, the society doesn't seem to recognize that the "Releasing" of the elderly, young, misfits, or failures, as a horror that harkens back to Nazi-like practices (e.g. youth camps, extermination of undesirables, etc.).

     Finally, to save Gabriel (an angelic little child from death), Jonas steals him and leaves the community, fleeing into the unknown. Jonas must draw upon his own courage and resourcefulness to evade search planes with heat seeking devices, face the cold and freezing weather with the small boy he carries as a symbol of the welfare of his whole community.

[23]

     Jonas places Gabriel next to his skin to warm him, becomes a Giver and gives Gabriel warm memories to help him survive. Like the first Giver (the old man whom he has grown to love), Jonas has moved from being a Receiver to a Giver. His hope is to save the child and the community by giving (releasing) back the memories he received from the Giver so that the community members can once more have feelings. The ambiguous ending does not reveal how this is to be accomplished.

THE MOVIE: As I indicated in the title of this post, the book-to-movie is coming to theaters on 08-15-14, so if you are reading the blog post the two weeks before the movie, you still have time to read the book before the movie comes out. For your pleasure, check out the trailer from YouTube. [24]

     Directing the movie is Philip Noyce; cast as Jonas is Brenton Thwaites, Jonas's father is Alexander Skarsgard, Katie Holmes as Jonas's mother, Emma Tremblay as Lily (Jonas's sister), Jeff Bridges has been cast as The Giver, Taylor Swift as Rosemary, Meryl Streep as the Chief Elder, Odeya Rush as Fiona, and Cameron Monaghan as Asher. Writing Credits go to Lois Lowry (Book), Michael Mitnick (screenplay) and Robert B. Weide (screenplay).

     I sincerely hope the adaptation of the book to movie is successful. This wonderful books deserves nothing less than to be successful.

[25]

MY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATING: The movie's MPAA rating is PG-13; I would, likewise, rate the book the same--as the book's target audience is for those students of middle school. For all the above reasons, I rate this wonderful book 4.5 Stars out of 5. 

     Thank you for joining me this week as we looked at Lois Lowry's wonderful novel, The Giver. Please join me next time as I review another new book. Pick up any book this week (or e-reader) and read for a while. Please don't forget to share, post, tweet or pin this blog post so others will be able to have access to the information about Lois Lowry's wonderful book. My love to you all!

Until next time...

A double white Rose of Sharon. [26]

...many happy pages of reading!

Sharon.

     

________________________________________________________

fn. 1:  In addition to the above-listed awards, the American Library Association listed it in the "Best Book for Young Adults," the "ALA Notable Children's Book," and as "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000." It also garnered attention as a "Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book," as a "Booklist Editors' Choice," and a "School Library Journal" Best Book of the Year. Additionally, the National Education Association named The Giver one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children," as well as being named one of the "Top 100 Chapter Books" of all time [2012 poll by School Library Journal.]" [for sources, see #4, below, in REFERENCES.]

REFERENCES
[1] "The Giver." amazon.com. Retrieved 07-25-14.
[2] "Farenheit 451." amazon.com. Retrieved 07-26-14.
[3] "Awards and Prizes: The Newbery Medal." fergusonlibrary.org. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[4] "The Giver: Awards, Nominations and Recognition." wikipedia.org. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[5] "Idyllic-Under Development." [graphic image] forum.unity3d.com. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[6] "Australian expert...on...drug." hearldsun.com. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[7] "Foreshadowing." amazon.com. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[8] "When to use A Part." writingexplained.com. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[9] "Dystopia." ["Do Not Disobey" graphic] behance.net. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[10] "Stratification." ["Stratification" graphic] docstoc.com. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[11]"Gattica." [poster graphic] transcriptions-2008.english.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[12] "Word of the Week: Propaganda." [graphic image] mrcollinsclassblog.wordpress.com. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[13] "Dystopia." [Examples of Dystopian novels/movies] en.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[14] "The Ultimate [Lightweight] Bug Out Kit." [The Book of Eli] familystorehouse.com. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[15] "Against YA." slate.com. Retrieved 07-28-14.
[16] "The Literary Exploration Challenge." [graphic genre image] literary-exploration.com. Retrieved 07-28-14.
[17] "Callous Snob Are the Words That Come to Mind." [quote image] pokerheadrush.com. Retrieved 07-27-14.
[18] "Keep Calm Because You Rock." keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk. Retrieved 07-28-14.
[19] "What Was the Climax of The Giver?" mapsandmemories.edublogs.org. Retrieved 07-28-14. 
[20] "Style Architectz." [learn the rules...graphic] stylearchitectz.blogspot.com. Retrieved 07-28-14.
[21] "First Splash of Color." [Pleasantville] clydestuff.com. Retrieved 07-28-14.
[22] "Lies, Damned Lies, and Newspaper Reports." rogerhelmermep.wordpress.com. Retrieved 07-28-14.
[23] "Check out these powerful character posters for The Giver." scifimafia.com. Retrieved 07-28-14.
[24] "The Giver Official Trailer #2 (2014)." youtube.com. Retrieved 07-28-14.
[25] "My Final Rating for Healthy Affiliate." passionequalssuccess.com. Retrieved 07-09-14.
[26] "Pictures From my Garden." sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 06-18-14.