Loved this one... a fantastic finale to the stories. ( )

Now that I am finally done with the giver series, I am both satisfied and dissatisfied with the ending. It broke my heart everytime they mentioned Matty and his death though it was nice that Kira named her son after him, it was also sad that Seer also died and was buried right next to Matty’s grave years later as well. Though that gave reason to have Jonas who was leader at the time to banish Trade Master for good. It’s also nice to see Jonas being a loving father to his kids as well. And that Gabe had a close bond with Jonas and even describing him as “the man who is the closest thing as a father to him” despite the fact that he gets embarrassed whenever the red sled which is in the museum is often showcased.

Also I find it weird that we finally got a “true” villain in the story after “Messenger” came out this late in the game but to each it’s own I guess.
I’m also confused about the gifts thing that is going on because I was under the assumption that the gifts stay with them ? Regardless I am sad that Jonas lost his in the story.

I also find it kinda funny that Jonas’s parents are STILL not named in the storyline and that Claire did not ask him (Jonas’s fathers) his name. He was either called the Nurturer or the man in the storyline when Claire’s story was being named. Also I’m not gonna lie, seeing an outsiders point of view during the giver storyline was trippy and intriguing thing to read and I found myself amused that Jonas’s father played a small role of connecting these two people (Claire and Jonas) together unintentionally. ( )

I thought it wrapped up the series well. Great read once again. ( )

Well...what a strange, uncertain journey it has been through this series. In some ways, it seems like Son decently ties up the three books that come before it. In other ways, it seems like Lowry had no idea where she was going and took a rambling route to the end. I tend to assume that Lowry wrote The Giver without intending any follow-up. Then, considering how many years passed between each successive that sequel came out, I wonder if she had an ultimate plan in mind for this series, or if she just wrote each book as it came to her and tried to build on the previous. It would make more sense to me if the latter were true. Either way, though, I do appreciate being able to see more of the escapees from the first book. On the other hand, the existence of innate magical powers in quite a few people, in a series that started more as sci-fi than fantasy, is rather confusing.

I felt there were some weak areas in the book, even outside of the broader questions of simply what on earth is going on in this world. For example, I have a difficult time believing that Einar could really memorize so well the climb up the cliff that he had done only once, and an even more difficult time believing that the path up had not changed since the years before that Einar climbed it (plants should have grown, rocks might have crumbled, etc.). For that matter, since Claire's reason for not leaving the seaside town by boat was her fear of the water, what was Einar's? Why would he not just sail away, rather than attempt such a long, arduous, dangerous climb?

While I appreciate the storylines that Lowry does tie up in this book, I really wonder if we would have been better off left with The Giver as a standalone novel. On the other hand, many people like the series overall. It seems like the kind of thing you either love or hate. Though I'm personally in the middle somewhere, so maybe not. My final recommendation, though, is to read The Giver, if you haven't already, and maybe just leave it at that, unless you're really curious. ( )

After reading this entire four-book series, I must say that I enjoyed the first more than those that followed. This final book did a decent job of connecting characters from all four unique stories. The entire series does a fine job of creating unusual societies that encourage the reader to think about how certain losses would effect humanity. The series as a whole makes evident how humanity craves freedom, love, and intimacy. This final book has a warm, satisfying ending. ( )