This particular installment wasn't on par with the first two books.

I did, however, still find enjoyment in the storyline and the author's writing style.

Nevertheless, it appeared a bit more haphazard and rushed.

There were numerous aspects that weren't explained thoroughly at all.

For instance, what precisely were the people in the Village trading?

Why couldn't Matty utilize just a part of his gift?

And what occurred when they got back?

The story had far too many loose ends and rather vague plot holes.

Now, I'm moving on to the last book, filled with the hope that it will manage to tie everything together more effectively.

Perhaps the final book will clarify all the mysteries and bring a sense of closure to this series.

Only time will tell if it can live up to my expectations.

After reading books 1 and 2, I was extremely pleased to witness the 2 worlds start to intertwine.

It is truly remarkable how Lowry integrated the 2 stories. Her skills as a great storyteller are on full display here.

The seamless connection between the two worlds adds an extra layer of depth and excitement to the overall narrative.

This has made me incredibly excited to read the final book in the series.

I can't wait to see how the story concludes and how all the loose ends are tied up.

Lowry has created a captivating and engaging world that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

I am confident that the final book will not disappoint and will provide a satisfying conclusion to this amazing series.

I absolutely adored this book. What I particularly loved was how it skillfully pieced together the events of the previous two books and revealed their endings. Matt was an outstanding character. His story truly made me pause and take a second look at my own life, making me reflect on what I was sacrificing in exchange for worldly possessions.

There were several lines in the book that I loved. For example, "Teasing’s part of the fun that comes before kissing." This simple yet profound statement added a touch of lightheartedness and romance to the story.

Another line that stuck with me was, "He knew that there were communities everywhere, sprinkled across the vast landscape of the known world, in which people suffered. Not always from beatings and hunger, the way he had. But from ignorance. From not knowing. From being kept from knowledge." It made me realize the importance of education and the power of knowledge.

The line, "And then everyone laughed a bit, as if they did, too, but it wasn’t a having-fun laugh kind of laughter. It was a knowing kind." This line captured the complexity of human emotions and the unspoken understanding that often exists among people.

I also loved the exchange between the characters about the beets. "Don’t put those beets in. I hate beets. They’re good for you. Not if they’re thrown on the ground. And that’s what they’ll be if you put them in." It was a humorous and relatable moment that added depth to the characters' relationship.

The description of the girl with the stick and twisted leg was also very moving. "He could see, too, that she was accustomed to her stick and twisted leg. A lifetime of walking in that way had made it, as she had pointed out, part of her. It was who she was. To become a fast-striding Kira with two straight legs would have been to become a different person. This was not a journey Matt could undertake with a stranger." It made me appreciate the uniqueness of each individual and the importance of accepting ourselves as we are.

Finally, the line "Our gifts are our weaponry" was a powerful reminder that we all have something special to offer the world, and we should use our talents and abilities to make a positive difference.

Messenger (The Giver Quartet #3) by Lois Lowry is a captivating young adult fiction published in 2004.

It is the third installment of The Giver Quartet, which started with the highly acclaimed 1993 Newbery Medal-winning novel, The Giver. Set about eight years after the events of The Giver and six years after Gathering Blue, Messenger brings back characters from the previous two books, adding a stronger sense of continuity.

Matty, who was introduced in Gathering Blue as an energetic and impatient youth on the verge of adulthood, now lives with Seer, formerly known as Christopher, a blind man rescued by the Village people years ago. Matty yearns for his new name to be "Messenger" as he believes that's what he does best.

In this book, Jonas, Kira, and Kira's father also make appearances. Six years have passed since Matty began living with Seer in a Village that has its doors open to newcomers who have suffered in other communities. However, the Village is no longer the same as before, and the villagers now want to close the doors to new arrivals. Jonas agrees with the villagers' decision but is not happy about it. So, he assigns Matty to deliver a message to those who oppose the Village's plan. Matty embarks on a dangerous journey, different from his previous ones, and discovers something unexpected along the way.

The first reading date was December 15, 2017. The Persian translation of the book was done by Kian Abbidi Ashkiani and edited by Fereiba Dinandar. Published by Cheshmeh Publications in Tehran in 2017, it has 183 pages and is classified as a children's and young adult novel. The ISBN is 9786002297136.

The book Messenger is the third in The Giver Quartet, with the first two books being The Giver and Gathering Blue. It offers an engaging story that continues to explore the themes and characters introduced in the previous installments.

I truly desired to know the reason "why" Forest was turning malevolent. Additionally, having more background information on the operations of Trade Mart would have been extremely beneficial. Moreover, I wondered if it completely vanished after Matty ultimately utilized his gift.

Hopefully, I will uncover the answers in the next installment. If it weren't for these questions lingering in my mind, I would have awarded this book four stars without hesitation, as I am thoroughly enjoying this series.

The mystery surrounding Forest's transformation and the fate of Trade Mart adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story. I can't wait to see how these loose ends are tied up and what new adventures await Matty and the other characters in the upcoming book.

Messenger is the third installment in author Lois Lowry's young adult, dystopian series: The Giver Quartet.

It's truly wonderful to witness how these books are gradually weaving together. For a long time, I was in doubt whether each book was more of a standalone experience or part of an ongoing story. But now, my curiosity has been satisfied!

Messenger has emerged as my favorite in this series so far. I delighted in seeing familiar characters, and it evoked more intense emotions within me compared to the others. The dystopian worlds created by many authors in this genre are no laughing matter, and this one is equally impressive.

Perhaps it lacks the intense action and suspense found in some of the more recent books. However, Messenger's impact lies elsewhere. The members of its society are naïve and blindly follow instructions, even when they shouldn't. It serves as an important reminder for the youth of today's world that while it is crucial to follow instructions and comply with rules and laws, it is equally important to know when to advocate for change.

We all possess our own unique gifts for this very purpose, and I adored how Messenger incorporated this concept. I am eagerly anticipating how this series will conclude!

My favorite quote:

“Our gifts are our weaponry.”

The Giver Quartet includes the following installments:

  

  

  

  

So if Matty is Matt, and the blind man is Kira's father, then is the leader Jonas?

But if that's the case, where is Gabe? It's all so confusing.

However, at least there were some connections or strings there.

It's not like in "Gathering Blue" where everything just suddenly seemed new and there was no clear thread or connection.

In this situation, we are left with more questions than answers, trying to piece together the puzzle of who is who and what is going on.

The relationships between the characters are complex and somewhat mysterious, adding to the intrigue and making it difficult to determine the true nature of the story.

We can only hope that as we continue to explore, more details will emerge and the confusion will start to clear.

Until then, we are left to wonder and speculate about the identities and roles of Matty, the blind man, Jonas, and Gabe.

Well, Jonas is finally back, and he has a new name. Interestingly, even Gabe gets a name drop. However, this book is not about the community from "The Giver." Instead, it is set in the idealistic "Village," not to be confused with the "Village" in "Gathering Blue." Kira and Jonas are side characters in this one, and Matty from "Gathering Blue" is the narrator. He is 8 years older and living with Kira's Dad in "Village."

Everything in the Village is changing. People are trading their innermost selves for material things, and this is turning everything hostile, even the surrounding world. That's today's lesson - how a peaceful ideal village can be tainted by material greed. Sadly, the story ends before anything is really resolved or explained.

This book has a true undercurrent of mysticism. While the other two books only have slight hints of magic, this is the biggest difference in "Messenger." The shift in realism is jarring, and that's why this book lost a star from me. Jonas's "seeing beyond" now extends from just colors to far away places and the future. Kira's talented weaving has become self-guiding fortune weaving. And Matty has a special power as well, which becomes the main plot of the story. Does Lowry really need characters that can tell the future? Her books are already so predictable. Even a Butcher from Georgia can see the ending coming.

Also, the fact that Jonas and Gabe arrived in the Village on an actual sled, not as a metaphor or memory, was kind of lame. That's the downside of Lowry's simple writing style - you put more ideas in than you get out of it. And sometimes, it's not as interesting as you thought. Overall, this book was more frustrating than entertaining.

This book was initially set to be my absolute favourite in the series up until this point.

Despite the fact that there were political undercurrents running throughout the story and the sudden appearance of magic without any proper explanation, I was still quite intrigued and looking forward to how it would all unfold.

However, then the ending occurred and it was simply stupid. It completely ruined the entire experience for me and I'm extremely angry about it.

The way the story was wrapped up felt rushed and ill-conceived. It didn't do justice to the build-up and the potential that the book had shown earlier on.

I had high hopes for this book, especially considering it was part of a series that I had been enjoying. But now, I'm left feeling disappointed and let down.

I really hope that the author will consider revising the ending or at least provide some sort of explanation in a future installment to make up for this letdown.

Until then, I'll be hesitant to recommend this book to others.

Messenger is the third installment in Lowry's Giver quartet. This quartet consists of four books that are loosely connected by theme and by being set in a future post-civilization world.

Among the first three allegorical tales, Messenger is the weakest. Characters from the first two books, such as Jonas (now known as "Leader"), Matty, and Kira, play significant roles in this book, thereby linking the first two books. However, there is less world-building in Messenger, and the story feels a bit flat.

The story mainly takes place in the Village where Matty discovered the blind seer. Traditionally, this village has been a place that接纳 the broken and unwanted. But now, things are changing. It turns out that special powers are not exclusive to Kira, as Matty's power has also emerged. And the Forest is, of course, like a living entity. Most importantly, when attending the trade fair, one must hold onto one's soul tightly and not trade it away.

In conclusion, while Messenger has its interesting aspects, it falls short compared to the previous books in the quartet in terms of world-building and story depth.

Matty has left and gone to live with Kira's father in Village, a place that is known for being all accepting, peace loving, and healing. It is located on the other side of the forest. In Village, everyone is given a new name when they reach a certain age. Matty hopes that when his time comes, he will be named "Messenger" as he has always been good at traversing the Forest, which can often be inhospitable, adding an element of fantasy to the story.

However, something strange is happening in Village. Matty must now return to his home "town" to get Kira and bring her back to live with her father. Sadly, the evil that is spreading through Village is also affecting the Forest, and for the first time in his life, Matty finds the journey difficult.

This book was a huge disappointment. Although it is well written, Lowry seems to have tried too hard with this one. While "The Giver" and "Gathering Blue" are not necessarily directly related, this book blatantly ties the two together, which alters the ending of "The Giver". There are also several gaps in the story that really should have been addressed, even if just briefly. The cover of the book is cool, and it reads quickly, but overall, I regret reading it.

While the plot issues presented in Gathering Blue remained unresolved in Messenger, this story managed to hold its own more effectively.

I had a great affection for Matty in this installment, as well as all the other characters. Seer, Leader (who is unmistakably Jonas), Jean, and Kira from Gathering Blue all added depth and interest to the narrative.

The themes of immigration and acceptance, along with the reflection of social ills in nature, were expertly crafted and highly relevant. Although I wished for a bit more development in certain areas, I found myself completely engrossed from start to finish and read the entire book in one sitting. However, it should be noted that the book is quite short, so this isn't necessarily a remarkable feat.

Now, I'm eagerly anticipating reading Son, which is significantly longer than both Gathering Blue and Messenger, perhaps even longer than the two combined. I'm excited to see where Lois Lowry takes the story next and how she further explores the complex themes and characters that have already been introduced.