Son by Lois Lowry

They called her Water Claire. When she washed up on their shore, no one knew that she came from a society where emotions and colors didn’t exist. That she had become a Vessel at age thirteen. That she had carried a Product at age fourteen. That it had been stolen from her body. Claire had a son. But what became of him she never knew. What was his name? Was he even alive?　 She was supposed to forget him, but that was impossible. Now Claire will stop at nothing to find her child, even if it means making an unimaginable sacrifice. Son thrusts readers once again into the chilling world of the Newbery Medal winning book, The Giver,　as well as Gathering Blue　and　Messenger　where a new hero emerges. In this thrilling series finale, the startling and long-awaited conclusion to Lois Lowry’s epic tale culminates in a final clash between good and evil

The first thing I noticed about Son is that it is huge in comparison to the other books.  In fact, it could have been split into three books, one each the length and location of The Giver, Gathering Blue, and The Messenger.  In many places this book seems to serve as the answers to all the FAQs Lowry has received over the years about those three books.  As a result some things seem a little contrived, a little convenient, a little too carefully placed.  I really enjoyed the first part.  Seeing the events of The Giver from a different perspective was interesting.  It also helped to really get invested in Claire and why she was different from everyone else in the community.  I was not so big on the second part. 

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I think that Claire's memory loss was unnecessary and took up too much time.  Claire could have just as easily skipped to her fight to climb out.  The reintroduction of Trademaster was chilling, but I hate how the point of view and action shifts from Claire to Gabe in the last part of the book.  Claire has been such a proactive, vivacious character that I don't see how something as simple as age can make her give up so easily.  I would have liked to see her take more ownership and more action in the scenes.  I didn't mind that Gabe was the ultimate victor, but him doing it without even talking to his mother made it seem kind of hollow, as if he was fighting for an archetype rather than a person.  In all I found the ending rather unsettling and unsatisfying, and not in the what-happens-next way that The Giver did.


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Overall the book is good but not great, but any fan of The Giver series should read it to see how the story wraps up and to get to know Claire.