"The Giver" is a What If Karate Kid was dramatized | Unpopular Opinion

"The Giver" is a What If Karate Kid was dramatized | Unpopular Opinion

Welcome to Unpopular Opinion where I'll be sharing my thoughts on a novel I've read. You could be for it or you could be against it.

"The Giver" is a What If Karate Kid was dramatized | Unpopular Opinion

SPOILER ALERT!

Introduction

I saw the movie before I discovered it was a book. The book immediately made it to my TBR from there, my curiosity as to why the movie was in black and white got me intrigued.

The Giver is a medium-paced novel in a government-controlled environment, centering the life of Jonas. These kinds of setup in anime normally involves an escape plan or some sort of breakout. This novel pulled that stunt rather differently and while there's more than one side character here, they don't feel just as important as Jonas or his mentor, The Giver.

The Book

Who would have thought that in a world where everything is perfectly organized by a carefully managed system to promote sameness, there is a dark truth behind it?

Jonas is a twelve-year old boy who shows us the way of life in their perfect neighborhood. The use of precision in language, which age is allowed to use a bicycle, there can only be four members in a family, etc. Each birthday, something new is introduced in their life. From receiving a type of clothing with buttons (as children of certain age are capable of buttoning for themselves) or being given a bicycle. If they are below the certified age bicycles are given, there would be consequences. From there, I can see how strongly enforced it is to keep everything the same. The kids don't even get a chance to choose what they want to be. It is the neighborhood council who decides.

Each family in the neighborhood can only have four members: A father, a mother, a son and a daughter. As we follow Jonas' life, we meet his parents, one who is a Nurturer and his mother who works in the justice department, and we also meet his sister.

During school and voluntary days, we meet Jonas' friends: Asher (the cheerful one) and Fiona (the sweet one). As the story progresses, we later learn that they are finally ready for a transition in their life (going thirteen years old--if I remember correctly lol). In that age, they will be given their direction in life (like a college course).

Jonas expresses concern as to what Asher's future will be, with his struggles in language precision and performance in school, he is a candidate for Release. When a person is Released, it is said that they will go to Elsewhere. Whether that is another neighborhood or freedom from their sameness-world, no one knows. Thankfully, Asher doesn't get released, instead gets a better position involved in Recreation (forgot if assistant or director itself). Fiona, on the other hand, becomes a Caretaker.

And Jonas, our dear Jonas, gets the highest honor of being The Receiver.

The plot thickens from there, as we meet Jonas' mentor, The Giver, who explains the responsibility they have to carry the memories of their ancestors and the ones before them. And before them. And before them.

Jonas unravels that there is more to his perfect little neighborhood than it seems. What his father really does behind the scenes. What really happens to the old people, where they really go. It's honestly a lot to handle for someone his age, but his journey is just beginning.

Thoughts

One of my favorite characters, Asher, has the most distinct personality among the cast, his position is a nice twist, I believe he deserves it. From there, I thought that he'll be a crucial sidekick later on in the story. I'm surprised, being the person with the most personality in Jonas' neighborhood, he doesn't become what felt like a foreshadowing of his character will be, in the later part of the book.

Fiona feels like a love interest (based on Jonas' thoughts and dreams about her), and oftentimes love interests become crucial to the story's plot or the MC's character development. Yet again, to my surprise, just like Asher, she doesn't feel as important.

The latter half of the book is more focused on Jonas and The Giver. How colors worked, the memories of the past, its relevance to their most honored position to the community.

Ever since The Karate Kid, I'd been finding my own Mr. Miyagi to help me hone my craft in writing. It seems that Jonas found his Mr. Miyagi and that's my favorite part of the book. Their sessions together are very intriguing because I want to know which memory Jonas will learn next. The way happy memories introduced are fantastic, almost as if I'm in that memory with Jonas.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. It's what appealed to me from the beginning and it's the what kept me hooked until the end of the book. I love the unique take on a dystopian story. I even had to reread a few times whenever Jonas is sensing "changes" but couldn't identify what those were, because he couldn't name the colors. Such an interesting twist.

If you are looking for a fun, short read, consider this book. It can be read in one sitting (or a few days if read between breaks). It picks up fast when you hit the middle too, you wouldn't even notice.