She saw Vandara lean down and pick up a rock the size of a tyke’s fist. “We don’t want you here,” the woman said. “You don’t belong in the village anymore. You’re worthless, with that leg. Your mother always protected you but she’s gone now. You should go too. Why didn’t you just stay in the Field?”
Kira saw that she was surrounded by hostile women who had come from their cotts and were watching Vandara for instructions and leadership. Several, she noticed, had rocks in their hands. If one rock were thrown, others would follow, she knew.
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry is the second book in the Giver Quartet. It explores a society that, at least in appearance, is the polar opposite of the community from The Giver. But it still delivers an insightful, thought-provoking look at both human nature and the dangers of a strong government.
Table of Contents
Plot
In a world that abandons the weak and disabled, it was only a matter of time until someone wanted Kira gone. Her deformed leg makes her useless in most of the village’s jobs. And now that her mother is dead, she’s left to trudge forward into her uncertain future, her only friends a young raggedy boy and his dog.
When Kira is called before the village’s leaders, the Council of Guardians, she fears her time has come; but things do not go as expected. Instead of being condemned to death, she’s given a special assignment and luxurious living conditions. She goes from an insignificant cripple to restoring one of the village’s most important artifacts.
As she adapts to her new life, Kira grows increasingly concerned with the secrets she’s discovering. Just what is the Council hiding?
After the technologically advanced world of The Giver, Gather Blue is a dramatic change of scenery. The village is primitive, with the people living in mud and stick huts; the men go on hunts to collect food. Jonas’ sanitized community gives way to Kira’s filthy, chaotic hamlet. They both contain the similarity of strong government, but the types of government are different.
This plot’s suspense kept me engaged the whole time, always wondering about the subtle questions raised and developed chapter by chapter. It also contains some well-crafted twists that really spice up the story.
Characters
Kira is a strong female protagonist, but not in the action movie kind of way. A lifetime of dealing with the pain of her misshapen leg has made her resilient, unwilling to cower before danger. She’s an excellent role model and an example of a female protagonist that isn’t beating up all the men.
Matt, her young friend, is probably my favorite character of the book. He’s the comic relief, but there’s much more to him than that. The book shows glimpses of his big heart and boyish courage. And his strange way of speaking makes him stand out.
Theme & Content Warnings
Gathering Blue touches on a couple of themes, though I didn’t feel they were quite the same kind of themes as the central message of The Giver.
Kira repeatedly shows her strength despite hardships, recalling her mother’s words that pain strengthens her. It seems to be this strength that allows her to accomplish what she does. Thus, the author encourages those with current or past trials not to let those trials ruin them.
The book also comments a few times on what happens when artists are forced to create work, compelled by duty instead of creativity. Kira, with her natural aptitude for weaving, as well as some other gifted children she befriends, used to enjoy their talents. Kira felt more alive than ever when letting her fingers take over, creating beautiful, spontaneous patterns. But now, repairing the pictures weaved into an ancient robe for hours a day, the gift is more like a burden.
To me, the prominence of this idea is odd. It’s not extraordinarily practical for anyone but artists. However, I’ve experienced it firsthand and agree with its conclusions.
Some vague mentions of Christianity (or perhaps Catholicism) come up. Important gatherings are held in an ancient cathedral that contains an image of a cross. The people bow before this “Worship-object” as they pass. During a yearly ceremony, the people’s entire history is sung, and the song’s beginning alludes to the Genesis account in a few ways.
Content warnings are like those in The Giver. When Kira thinks over all the activities people will perform in the coming evening, she notes that some will be “coupling,” creating new people. A few injuries and deaths are recounted secondhand without description. One of these involves a character getting attacked and blinded by someone with a knife. Another character uses a crude word for urine.
Overall
Before getting to the summary, I want to mention the worldbuilding. Lowry crafts an entire culture that is both unfamiliar and familiar. For example, the length of names indicates age. One-syllable names are given to children, then more syllables are added at different stages of life. Many other such details give this world life.
The second book in the Giver Quartet is much like the first, and yet not at all like the first. A completely new cast of characters comes in, and it could almost operate as a standalone novel (though I wouldn’t recommend reading the books out of order). The plot is exceptional, the characters are vibrant, and the world feels alive. The end promises much more to come in the next two books.
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