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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Giver in Books

Sep 7, 2017  
The Giver
The Giver
Lois Lowry | 2012 | Children
5
8.5 (84 Ratings)
Book Rating
A strange book.
So, I know The Giver has been out for a long time, and I know they made a movie, but somehow I’d never read or watched it. But on the recommendation of a friend, I finally have. What a strange little book! It definitely belongs in the same realm as Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, and The Handmaid’s Tale – which are among my favorite books – but the ending was tremendously unsatisfying. It’s the first book in a quartet, though, so I’m hoping the other three, which I have requested from the library, will tie up the loose ends. It definitely feels like it’s only the first installment of a story.

The dystopian society in this book has effectively banished most feelings. But to get rid of hate and war and prejudice, they also had to banish the memories and feelings of individuality and difference. With everyone and everything the same, they’re mostly incapable of feeling true love or happiness. So they all live in peace – but it’s a complacent, uncaring peace. It’s not peace because of love, it’s peace because of the absence of passionate feelings. Whether this is good or not, well, that’s up to the reader to decide for themselves. The actions of the main character, who aims to disrupt that peace, could be seen as good or bad.

I’m not actually entirely sure how I feel about this book. After reading the next three – Gathering Blue (2000), Messenger (2004), and Son (2012), I'm still at a bit of a loss. These were just...odd.


You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
  
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Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Storm Of The Gods: An Areios Brothers Novel #1 in Books

Sep 1, 2018  
Storm Of The Gods: An Areios Brothers Novel #1
Storm Of The Gods: An Areios Brothers Novel #1
Amy Braun | 2018 | History & Politics, Religion
6
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
a good solid 3 stars
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

30 years ago, the Greek gods re-emerged into the modern world from their enforced sleep. Since then, scions, direct descendants of those gods, have been doing their bidding and keeping the human population safe from the mythical beats of old. Derek and his 18 year old brother Liam, are war scions, doing the bidding of Ares, the god of war. Ares orders Derek to find and kill four rogue scions, by threatening Liam and Derek will do anything to keep his brother safe. But not all is as it seems, and Derek, Liam and the four scions find themselves in a battle to keep the mighty Titans at sleep.

**insert sigh**

For the most part,I did enjoy this. It took a while for me to get into it. There are several HUGE info dumps near the beginning and I didn't like that., It came at you all in one go, and I did not process all of that information, there was so much. It meant I got lost a little in places later on.

But it's all the history of the gods that dumps on you. You don't get all of Derek and Liam's history in that dump. That comes out in dribs and drabs, slow enough for you to process their history, before the next bit is thrown at you. And I think there may be more to come, I really do.

It is HEAVY on the fighting. Derek, Liam and the scions do a lot of fighting and it is described in all its detail. A bit too much for me.

Only Derek has his say, in the first person. I think if Liam, and maybe one of the scions, Selena, had their say too, even in the first, I might have enjoyed this one a little more.

I DID like the story itself, info dump and fighting aside, I did not see a lot coming at me, kept me on my toes.

There is something brewing between Derek and Selena, and I hope that plays out how I see playing out! But Derek has more secrets to reveal, some I don't think he even knows about yet. And he still has to get out of the war pact made with Ares, but to do that, Derek has to do what Ares asked him to. Derek does not want to do that now.

Will I read the next book?? Yes, I'd like to, if only to see how this all goes down.

So, because of the massive info dump, and because only Derek has a say....

3 solid good stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**