Gathering Blue (Worlds of Lois Lowry, Book 2) (original 2000; edition 2006)

The second book in the Giver trilogy, Gathering Blue follows a young girl names Kira with a twisted leg. In her society, those who cannot fend for themselves, or be a “productive member” are taken to the Field to die. However, Kira is a talented weaver, and is recruited by the Council to repair the Singer’s robe. As she learns the art of dying threads, Kira also discovers a secret talent that she has, and learns to trust in her own abilities, even more than she can trust in other people. Readers are brought along on a thoughtful journey in which they are asked to look deep inside themselves and find the true meaning of their lives, and trust themselves and their deepest abilities.

"[The Singer's] ankles were thickly scarred...caked and scabbed with dried blood. Fresh, bright blood trickled in narrow rivulets across his feet. It came from the raw, festering skin...around the metal cuffs with which he was bound. Between the thick ankle cuffs, dragging heavily as he made his way slowly from the stage was a chain"(Gathering Blue, p. 211).

As Kira realizes that the singer is bound, like the canary in a cage, she comes to the realization that she, too, is bound. She is treated well, given food and clothing that are the envy of all in the village, but she is not free to let her art flow - she is as captive in her art as the Singer.

"The guardians with their stern faces had no creative power. But they had strength and cunning, and they had found a way to steal and harness other people's powers for their own needs. They were forcing the children to describe the future they wanted, not the one that could be" (p.212).

In a post apocalyptic world, the village is controlled by fear and power - the common people oppressed by poverty and controlled by the power of the story - the narrative history of their world. And that story is controlled by the guardians. There are numerous implications in Lowry's work - one could infer that the guardians are church elders who control the people through religion and ritual. One could infer that the guardians are the city council who control people through the control of information. It may be both, but Lowry leaves us to infer as we will from the story. Perhaps what we bring to the story shapes it into what we want it to be. This is a powerful argument for freedom for artists and creative minds. It is a powerful argument for the 1st Amendment - for in a world where information is controlled and where there are no voices that are allowed to speak truth, there is oppression. But where truth is suppressed, there is always resistance. Kira finds hope from outside her village, and from within herself. The hope that comes from knowing the truth is the beginning of freedom. ( )

Gathering Blue is a followup novel to Lowry's strong young adult novel, The Giver, which I recently read. It is apparently set in the same timeline as "The Giver" but is not a direct sequel. There is a good premise for the story here, very different from "The Giver", and in my mind not nearly as strong. The story focuses primarily on a disabled young woman, Kira, who has a gift for weaving that lets her survive in a rural society that would otherwise cast her out for her weakness. There are some other well drawn characters within the novel as well, with some peripheral storilines, but this is clearly Kira's story above all.

There are rather obvious messages in this book. The Council of Guardians who oversee the rural society live in the few remaining structures of the old civilization. The main hall is a wonder to young Kira. The guardians at first appear to be very paternalistic benevolent overlords and good custodians but as the story progresses the dark side is revealed. There is clearly a class separation here, with those who live within the guardians area having a much much better standard of living compared to the savagery that appears to exist from the rural surroundings. The novel ends with an unexpected mystery resolved, but leaves open a lot of things from the story. There is another followup novel "The Messenger" which I intend to read shortly to see how this wraps up. As a stand alone story Gathering Blue is not bad. There are some well drawn and interesting characters here, but the story itself never wowed me. It is rather slow paced through almost the entire novel, and Kira is really a very passive person who lets a lot of things happen to her and very few things at all that she makes happen.

Those who are looking for resolution of the story that seemed waiting to be told at the end of "The Giver" will not find it here. This is really a stand-alone book. ( )

Rating 4* (would rate it higher if I were younger!)
A most unusual juvenile alternate future story, after the collapse of civilization as we know it, with the young protagonists having to deal with a lot of death and abuse. Hard topics for young adults.
The characterizations are well done. I got a kick out of how sassy Matt was. The progression of the plot was well developed, with Kira gradually learning more about the true nature of her society and making choices to act positively.
I've been a weaver & have tried dyeing yarns, so liked this story that included those crafts. ( )

The book, 'Gathering Blue", is an amazing mysterious book. It is made by one of my favorite authors, Lois Lowry. I would completely recommend this book to any mystery reader.
The book is a sequal to the book "Giver" another one of my favorite books. "Gathering Blue" has a lot of breath holding moments in it. Its about a young girl who has a passion to weave. You would think " A weaver!? That must be an extremely boring and dry book." Well its not, it has parts that are like puzzels that you have to actually think about. Like i said before theres a lot of mystery to it too which i enjoy. I'm into mysterious type of things like when robbery's or hidden things interest me. I love getting to actually think about the book then just read it and just read it all plainly. There was also a few creative and funny twists in it that i enjoyed.
Like for example in the book the weavers dad goes away and doesn't come back. Everyone say's how he got killed, but no one knows till the end what truly happens.
Yet at a few parts it got a bit predictible. Which ppersonally i dont like. It would have a easy part to notice and there was one part that was a bit dry when she talks about weaving (Which personally i didn"t really care for).
Overall though I love this book i recommend it any day. There were a few nice twists, a VERY amazing book and had a lot of mysteries i enjoyed. It was another great work from the author Lois Lowry. ( )

This book fits in perfectly with The Giver trilogy. Gathering Blue gives us a strong female character facing difficult life in a difficult place, set apart by an amazing gift. The book also sets up for the final book, Messenger. ( )

Gathering Blue is set in a world of savagery, neglect, abuse and a distinct class system. Hmm, sound familiar? Governing the populace through fear, The Council of Guardians manipulate the ignorant people, hoard knowledge, and attempt to control the future for their own selfish gain. Amidst the chauvinism, cruelty and strife we are delighted in the story of a benevolent and courageous girl who with her talents and strength has a desire to make the world a better place. This is the second book, after The Giver, in a loose trilogy by the very talented Lois Lowry.

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'm reviewing all three of these books (The Giver, Gathering Blue, and The Messenger) because I believe this is a series that really should be read in close succession. Also, it's a series that is strange in that I'm pretty sure everyone has read the first book (it's required reading in most schools) but never heard of the sequels. I think that's sad because the sequels are really great books and they bring some needed closure to the first book.

These books are truly wonderful dystopias. They each pick at a different non-working society, pointing out the problems with personal freedom. In The Giver the society has taken away personal freedom and is highly regulated for sameness. They've taken hardship, pain, loss, and even color from the daily lives of the people. In Gathering Blue the society is full of poverty, and personal freedom is pushed aside in favor of survival. Only a select few leaders have personal freedom, and even that may be an illusion. Messenger is about a society that is built on the flaws of the other societies and offers democracy and personal freedom, and it shows the benefits and the pitfalls of giving people the liberty to do as they please. Although each book follows a new lead character the leads are interconnected and you get to see their growth and reactions to the plot adversities. The characterizations are great, taking into account that the characters are children and yet matured through the problems they have encountered. The plots flow logically, full of suspense but with just enough breadcrumbs along the way to keep the plot flowing and surprising but not illogical. And it has a dynamite cliffhanger ending that gives you just enough information that you can imagine that everyone finally gets their happily-ever-after.

This book is much like "The Giver", it was an alternate future, or a dystopian society. Much different form Jonas' community but there is much emphasis on "survival of the fittest", strong against the weak. It was a really inspiring and eye-opener book. And like "The Giver" it will definitely leave you begging for more. Also like "The Giver", you would definitely love the characters and you would connect to them easily. It think that is Lois Lowry's gift, easily connecting to the readers. Tip: look out for Jonas, he was mentioned subtly. ;p ( )

I liked the book, as it was about something I could relate to. The story progress was a little slow at first, but it built up pretty quickly. Kira seemed like such a strong and independent girl, but near the end that seemed to change a little as the ending surprised me. It's nice to curl up with on a rainy day, but I wouldn't be especially dedicated to it. It's a cute and charming read. ( )

Once again, Lowry shows her respect for what young people can handle in a novel, since this one features child abuse, the deliberate quashing of artistic gifts, and outright murder for power gains and to keep secrets hidden and the population under control, and a disturbing dose of "history is written by the winners" to go along with it.

And, if you look closely, some nice mocking of those who follow religions blindly. In Kira's post-apocalyptic world, there is a remnant of the past called the Worship-Object. It's just two pieces of wood nailed together to create a cross-shape, but people worship it because they're told to, because that's what they've always done. They don't know why. They don't know what it means. But if they don't show respect to it and worship it, then by damn, they're just plain rude and ignorant!

Unlike the society that Lowry set up in The Giver, you can't call this world a dystopia no matter how hard you tilt your head and squint. Things are not perfect. They don't even try to pretend they're perfect. The world is harsh and cruel, with no pity for the weak, where everyone's out for themselves and devil take the hindmost. A scant few days after the main character's mother dies and her home burned to the ground, the women of the village are out to take that land from Kira in order to build a pen where they can hold their chickens and children, to keep them out of the way, and determined enough to get rid of Kira and her crippled leg that they try to petition to have her put to death. This isn't a world that's clean on the surface and rotting underneath. It's messy right from the get-go, disordered and harsh, and the cruelty seen is all too like the cruelty we see every day in our own lives.

But when it's discovered that Kira has an artistic gift for embroidery, she's granted a reprieve and taken to live in the Edifice, where she's given food and lodgings and care in exchange for making repairs and alternations to the robe that contains the entire world's history in its designs.

But as so many artists who try to make a living with their art have learned, there's a big difference between art for art's sake, or your own sake, and pretty things you have to make because somebody else tells you to. While Kira's skill is there, the magic goes out of her embroidery and it isn't as enjoyable anymore.

A particularly striking scene in Gathering Blue is toward the end, when Kira is offered a chance to escape and find a better life elsewhere, in a place that seems almost like paradise compared to what she's going through... and she turns it down. Not because she's afraid, but because she sees that other people, even the much-lauded artists, have it even worse than she does, and she wants to stay behind to help them change that and to get better. It's a powerful moment of self-sacrifice, especially for somebody who's barely into their teens, and it's quite moving.

Though I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as The Giver, the previous book in the series has nostalgia value behind it, which I think boosted its rating in my eyes. Also, I have a greater attraction to dystopias than post-apocalyptic worlds. But those things are purely personal, and the skill at telling a story that's thought-provoking and disturbing remains just as strong in Gathering Blue as what came before. If you enjoyed The Giver, you're very likely to enjoy this one too. ( )

I loved this book. Was a class assignment for my mini-me and she asked me for some help. I stole the book and greatly enjoyed the read. Looking forward to The Giver and The Messenger ( )

This companion book for the Newberry winner, The Giver, transports us to a future free of modern technology. This brief novel is build by potentially interesting characters but soon underdeveloped by the author. I can’t deny how easy anyone can abandon the reading. Sadly, if you persevere on your reading, you will find a plot that gets really good when the story ends. ( )

A great book to the Giver series. Show true friendship. ( )

A fantastic book. Although it was confusing at first, since it seemed to take place after the end of time or something. But, you grew used to it, and started to just pay attention to the amazing story of love, wonder, and huge plot twists. It was a charming read. ( )

The council of Guardians rule of society. Kira a deforemd girl and THomas have speical gifts that are needed by the council and are brought to live in the Edifice. When they move in they discover truths about their society. This bookis not my particular taste but I think that kids like sci-fi tpes of books. THis would be a great book for discussing people differences and minorities. ( )

This is a nice companion volume for the phenomenal The Giver, presenting a society that's outwardly Dystopic, rather than Utopic. The character of Kira, as well as most of her companions (Matty, Thomas, Annabella) are very realistically and sympathetically rendered. However, the last third of the book feels hastily written. We are never given a full explanation as to why the society's elders so strictly control information. They have the technology for running water, for example, but only use it in one building; we're never told why. More importantly, it's difficult to understand Kira's desire to stay in her society rather than find a safe-haven in her father's community. Lowry certainly doesn't give us any indication. ( )

In this book, Lowry delivers a follow up to her famous novel The Giver, although not exactly a sequel as it features neither the original town nor the original characters, but it does occur in the same world. This time we have Kira as our main character, a girl born with a defective leg, who should therefore be dead, according her culture's norms. Her mother saved her; now her mother is dead, and Kira must defend herself against the merciless villagers. Luckily, the Council of Guardians have heard of Kira's skill with the thread, and spare her life so that she will work on the Singer's robe, a great honor.

Kira's new existence is shockingly different, suddenly full of luxury and wealth. Befriended by Thomas the carver, and aided by the always impetuous Matt, Kira begins to settle in to her strange world. As she works, she begins to learn things that make her suspect everything is not as she has been told. Relying on her friends and herself, Kira is determined to find the truth of her world, and the right path to take.

This book is breath-taking. Lowry creates a world that is savage and intense, with a keen mystery that keeps those pages turning. The sense of impending disaster hangs heavy, and although the expected great tragedy is not actually realized, it nonetheless sustains the tension and fear that is integral to Kira's society. Even more importantly, Lowry gives us Kira, and other wondrous persons like Thomas and Matt. Their hope and beauty shine out in this primitive world, and end the novel with a promise of rebirth. The potential of good humans transcending their limitations is a central theme in this great book. ( )

Absolutely my favorite Lois Lowry book! Unforgettable!!! I think it's 10 times better than "The Giver". ( )

Subject Area: Language Arts
Genre: Fantasy
Critique/Summary:
This book is in the fantasy genre because the author had made up the time and place. They storyline and setting are unbelievable in our world, yet the author makes them seem believable. For example, it is difficult to imagine people being held captive for their creative gifts, yet Lowry makes this seem very believable in her story.
(Stars for Setting.)
Age: Middle School ( )

In the same vein as The Giver, Gathering Blue chronicles the life of a young, orphaned girl named Kyra. When her mother dies and her home is burned to prevent the spread of disease, Kyra has nothing and no where to turn. Even worse, she is crippled, and in a society that values usefulness over all else, she has no future at all....Until the Guardians agree to let her stay as the mender-weaver of the all-precious Singer's coat. ( )

Lowry, L. (2000). Gathering blue. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

When Kira was born with a twisted leg, members of the village wanted to take her away to the Fields. Her mother and father fought to keep her. Soon after, her father died supposedly while hunting, and her mother died four years ago because of an illness. Now as an orphan, Kira has no one to protect her.

Vandara, a strong, fierce woman in the village, wants to banish Kira from the village. She claims that Kira is worthless, because she cannot contribute to the community. Kira cannot dig or plant crops; she is slow; and she eats a lot. They take their case to the Council of Guardians. The Council decides that Kira can stay, but on one condition: she must restore the sacred robe of the Singer. The Singer recounts the history of the community at The Gathering.

Although Kira is allowed to remain in the village because of her new role as an embroiderer, she discovers that her community is a dystopia. Kira then has a choice: Should she stay and try to change the community? Or should she escape to another world that is more humane and compassionate?

Gathering Blue is not a sequel to Lowry’s The Giver, but it makes a nice companion novel. Similar to The Giver, Gathering Blue deals with the theme of the individual versus the community. However, here is my warning: If you read The Giver, you might be somewhat disappointed with Gathering Blue. This book definitely lacks the intensity of The Giver. While there are some suspenseful moments, such as when the Council of Guardians decides Kira’s fate, the plot sometimes unfolds slowly.

Kira’s character though is believable. She is both vulnerable, yet courageous. Kira is fearful when Vandara tries to kick her out of the community. Yet at the same time, she is strong because she fends for herself.

Although Gathering Blue is not The Giver, I still recommend it for a middle school library. The book is interesting and thought provoking. Appropriate for upper elementary to middle school students. ( )

The novel, The Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry encompasses how friendship is a powerful thing in life. In the beginning, Kira, the protagonist struggles with her twisted leg and the new atmosphere that she has been put in, after her mother's death. Throughout the middle, she perserveres by making new friends and solving the mysteries in her new home. By the end, she has learned that no matter what kind of trouble you're in, your friends will help you through thick and thin.
Pages read : 215/215 ( )

A companion to The Giver, Gathering Blue follows the story of a young girl in a futuristic society bound for banishment. Kira, a young girl declared disabled due to a defective leg, if faced with the prospect of leaving her home and life behind if she cannot prove her worth. ( )

This companion novel to The Giver describes an altogether different society than that of The Giver but equally intolerant of people who don't meet its criteria. Unlike The Giver where society had at least the pretense of compassion, not so in Gathering Blue. Unless people can work, they are worthless. Children are burdens to be punished or locked up. Physical defects are not tolerated. There is no compassion, no show of affection.

As the protagonist Kira returns to her village after mourning the death of her mother, she wonders if she will be allowed to live or dragged to the field to be food for the beasts because she her leg is crippled. She is soon accused and on trial, but the Guardians recognize her unique ability to weave--it's as if a spirit moves her fingers to create miraculous designs. She is moved into the Council Edifice where she is to work on the Singer's Robe, part of an annual scared ritual. There also is Thomas, another orphan who is a gifted woodcutter. Kira and Thomas begin to suspect there is a third orphan as well when they hear a child's cry at night. Kira comes to understand the Guardians can be even more cruel than the society they rule. She also comes to understand a larger role that she and the other artist-orphans must play to transform cruelty into compassion.

This post-apocalyptic society the novel describes is completely believable. The rules that structure the society are consistent and a believable reaction to scarce resources in a harsh environment. The spiritual traits of the Kira and the others are tangibly portrayed and consistent within the framework of the novel.

The characters in this book are well-developed and compelling, particularly Kira. The plot is also compelling. As with The Giver, Lowry places a young child in jeopardy, heightening the tension. The book has a rather open-ended conclusion. Some readers may find this unsatisfying. i found it believable. I would recommend this book to upper elementary and middle school students. ( )