Book Review of Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Goodreads Summary: Lois Lowry's magnificent novel of the distant future, The Giver, is set in a highly technical and emotionally repressed society. This eagerly awaited companion volume, by contrast, takes place in a village with only the most rudimentary technology, where anger, greed, envy and casual cruelty make ordinary people's lives short and brutish. This society, like the one portrayed in The Giver, is controlled by merciless authorities with their own complex agendas and secrets. And at the center of both stories, there is a young person who is given the responsibility of preserving the memory of the culture--and who finds the vision to transform it.

Kira, newly orphaned and lame from birth, is taken from the turmoil of the village to live in the grand Council Edifice because of her skill at embroidery. There she is given the task of restoring the historical pictures sewn on the robe worn at the annual Ruin Song Gathering, a solemn day-long performance of the story of their world's past. Down the hall lives Thomas the Carver, a young boy who works on the intricate symbols carved on the Singer's staff, and a tiny girl who is being trained as the next Singer. Over the three artists hovers the menace of authority, seemingly kind but suffocating to their creativity, and the dark secret at the heart of the Ruin Song.

With the help of a cheerful waif called Matt and his little dog, Kira, at last, finds the way to the plant that will allow her to create the missing color--blue--and, symbolically, to finds the courage to shape the future by following her art wherever it may lead. With astonishing originality, Lowry has again created a vivid and unforgettable setting for this thrilling story that raises profound questions about the mystery of art, the importance of memory, and the centrality of love.
Goodreads Rating: 3.79 stars with over 100,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, Fantasy, Children's books, Post-Apocalyptic: Amazon, Book Depository
My other reviews on Lois Lowry's books: Son, Messenger

Review:

Edited 12/1/2016

I went back to using Kindle Unlimited this week, and I've discovered that even though it takes me hours to find something I want to read, it's excellent for my binge-reading habit. I completely forgot that The Giver was a part of a Quartet, until searching for a book today.

I found Gathering Blue delightful. I liked the primitive vibe that it had going on. It reminded me of a game I use to play called Virtual Villagers (I'm not sure why exactly, but it did.)  The book was fast-paced and fascinating to read about.

Matt was by far my favorite character in the story. I thought I'd be annoyed by the way he talks, but I found it cute and endearing. I found him to be a sweet character, and I wish I could have read more about him.  I found Thomas fairly dull and didn't feel like he added a whole lot to the story other than to give Kira someone else to talk to. I didn't feel like Kira was all that remarkable either. That being said, I still liked the story and found it interesting to read.

The ending was a big let down to me, and I could kind of feel that it was going to happen. When the book ended I found myself saying "Wait, that was it?" and "Shouldn't more have happened, the book did just end." If I recall correctly, I think I felt similar when I read the Giver as well. I haven't  read the summaries for the remaining books, so I'm hoping that it all ties in together somehow. If the rest of the quartet is on KU, I'll probably start reading the third book tomorrow. I hope it is on there, because if not I'm just going to be confused until I can finish this quartet.