Book Review: Messenger

Author: Lois Lowry

Pages: 169

Genre: Fiction/Young Adult

Personal Rating 3.5

From the back cover:

For the past six years, Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man known for his special sight. Once, Village was a place that welcomed newcomers and offered hope and homes to people fleeing poverty and cruelty. But something sinister has seeped into Village, and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. All along, Matty has been invaluable as a messenger between Village and other communities. He hopes someday to earn the name of Messenger. Now he must make one last journey through the increasingly treacherous forest to spread the message of Village’s closing and convince Kira, Seer’s daughter, to return with him. Matty’s only weapon against his dangerous surroundings is a secret power he unexpectedly discovers within himself. He wants to heal the people who have nourished his body and spirit and is willing to offer the greatest gift and pay the ultimate price.

I read Messenger as my third book in the Themed Reading Challenge. My theme is books by the the author Lois Lowry. I've already read The Giver and Gathering Blue. My last book will be Number the Stars.

Messenger is listed as "A companion to the Newbery Award Winner The Giver and to Gathering Blue" and it does incorporate the two together, drawing on characters and experiences from both books. If you haven't read the prior two books I would wait to read Messenger.

I enjoyed Messenger but not nearly as much as The Giver or Gathering Blue. This book was similar to the first two in that the main character Matty exists in a world "similar yet different from ours". It actually seems to be happening simultaneously with the worlds of The Giver and Gathering Blue. While those worlds are (still) existing. When you read The Giver and Gathering Blue it seems that they are there own distinct worlds but you learn in Messenger that they are not.

I guess Lowry has lost a little of her shine for me. Her first two books were so different and surprising. I "sort of" knew what style to expect with Messenger and sure enough I was able to figure out what would be happening. It was still a good book, just not as good as the first two.