I raced through this one, as I was eager to find out what happened with Matty and Kira. I'm not sure I liked the ending, it felt a bit rushed, but liked the book overall. ( )

Really enjoying this series. Looking forward to number 4. ( )

(2.5 / 5)

I do not know where Lois Lowry is going with this series at this point. I don't understand much of anything after reading this third book in the series. And since, at the time of this book's release, it seemed to be considered the end of a trilogy, I can understand why a lot of people were quite unhappy with it at the time that it came out. It sort of gives us a little continuation of the first book in the series, but it heaps on new questions and confusions, and puts absolutely none of them to rest. Why did Forest begin to become corrupted in the first place? Where did the Trade Mart come from, and how was it connected to Forest? What happened to the Trade Mart leader at the end of the book? I guess the book is meant to be one huge allegory about people giving up parts of themselves for something superficial, but it's pretty subtle, so I really doubt kids of the age it's meant for will pick up on that at all. And maybe that's even what already happened in the village that Matty, the Seer, and Kira came from, considering that they're pretty much just terrible people there, but it's definitely not stated to be such.

I'm not necessarily against a story that leaves some questions unanswered, though I generally don't prefer it, but this took that to a whole new level. There was really no resolution to anything but what I can only assume is a symptom of something greater. Will things just start to get bad again eventually? I hope not, because the fix in this book can't really be applied again, not that the fix really makes sense to me in the light of the allegory the author may or may not have been intending. I still have the final book in the tetralogy to read, so maybe answers will come there, but at this point, I'd have a difficult time recommending that fans of The Giver continue the series. ( )

Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man known for his special sight. Village once welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must risk everything to make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.

Questa serie continua a non appassionarmi particolarmente.
Ho trovato questo terzo volume allo stesso livello del secondo, La rivincita. Gathering blue. Cioè, con qualche elemento buono, ma nel complesso poco convincente.
Qui ritroviamo Jonas, Kira, Christopher e Matt (diventato Matty).
Jonas è diventato il Capo di una comunità fondata sull'uguaglianza e sull'aiuto reciproco. Ma qualcosa sta incrinando l'equilibrio e la solidarietà degli abitanti del Villaggio. Il misterioso baratto pare corrompere le persone. E come? Be', non lo sappiamo per certo, come al solito in questa serie, l'autrice si limita a «farci intuire» cosa accada.
Kira è sostanzialmente sempre la stessa. Tesse le storie che «vede» nel futuro ed è fiera di zoppicare. Ha solo migliorato questo suo dono, che è diventato più preciso.
Christopher, amico di Jonas, è il Veggente, cioè a causa della sua cecità ha affinato l'altra vista e sembra non rimpiangere affatto i suoi occhi. I suoi dialoghi con Matty sono molto carini e sono una delle parti che ho maggiormente apprezzato in questo romanzo.
Infine, Matty è stato un po' una delusione. Principalmente per la fine, che ho trovato a dir poco sconcertante. Anche la simbologia utilizzata mi è sembrata forzata per far convergere la storia nella direzione stabilita dall'autrice. Poco naturale, troppo affrettata.
I cattivi? Pessimi. Più lontani che mai e senza nerbo. Difficile pensare che abbiano potuto far prevalere il loro punto di vista sulla popolazione del Villaggio. E la Foresta? Mi ha ricordato tantissimo la Foresta di Barbalbero ne Il Signore degli Anelli di Tolkien. Solo che Tolkien l'ha resa indimenticabile. ( )