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How do I write a 1-2 page book review based on the book The Giver and in the book review describe the books strengths and weaknesses?

A book review presents more than just your opinion of the book. Good book reviews do not give away too much of the plot, but provide specific examples. The review should analyze setting, characterization, style, and author’s message. You can provide an analysis of the book in which you share your opinion of its merits, but generally the book review is designed to give a person information that will help the person decide whether or not to read the book.

No book review of The Giver would be complete without mentioning that it is a dystopian novel. A dystopia is a perfect world that has gone horribly wrong. You will want to describe the setting so that people understand why the setting of the book is a dystopia. For example, the community embraces the concept of Sameness and is very restrictive. All aspects of a person’s life are controlled by the community. The community stores its collective memory in the Receiver of Memory, but no one in the community has any sense of or knowledge of history past a generation.


This setting might be interpreted as a weakness for some people who are tired of dystopian fiction. However, the book is also science fiction. The community has climate control and has eliminated color. The fact that it is never very specific about how these things are done could also be a weakness.


A good book review describes the audience the book is most appropriate for. This book has complex and sometimes mature themes, but it is not too specific. Therefore, it is solidly in the young adult genre. It is best for children ages 12 and up. Adults will also enjoy the book because they will see that it has a lot of symbolism. You might also want to mention that this book was actually one of the first dystopian novels designed for young adults.


Book reviews often quote a book. This gives the reader a sense of the way language is used. A good place to quote this book might be the description of release.


For a contributing citizen to be released from the community was a final decision, a terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure. (Ch. 1)


It is best not to give away the ending, but you might want to mention that the book has a very unusual ending. The reader will be in suspense right up until the last page. This might frustrate some readers, but it generally creates interest and makes a person want to keep reading. Thus, this ending is a strength.

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