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    Gathering Blue
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    Gathering Blue
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    Gathering Blue
    Audiobook5 hours

    Gathering Blue

    Written by Lois Lowry

    Narrated by Katherine Borowitz

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Lois Lowry's Gathering Blue continues the quartet beginning with the quintessential dystopian novel, The Giver, followed by Messenger and Son.

    Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. She fears for her future until she is spared by the all-powerful Council of Guardians. Kira is a gifted weaver and is given a task that no other community member can do. While her talent keeps her alive and brings certain privileges, Kira soon realizes she is surrounded by many mysteries and secrets. No one must know of her plans to uncover the truth about her world and see what places exist beyond.


    From the Paperback edition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 24, 2006
    ISBN9780739379806
    Unavailable
    Gathering Blue
    Author

    Lois Lowry

    Lois Lowry is the author of more than forty books for children and young adults, including the New York Times bestselling Giver Quartet and the popular Anastasia Krupnik series. She has received countless honors, among them the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Mark Twain Award. She received Newbery Medals for two of her novels, Number the Stars and The Giver.

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    Reviews for Gathering Blue

    4/5

    2,033 ratings148 reviews

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    • 2/5
      It was my hope that this book would tell me what happened after the escape in The Giver. It was a completely different scenario.

      Gathering Blue is the story of a young weaver named Kira who lives in a community. The community is somewhat primitive and does not have running water and people live in cotts made out of brambles and sticks. Kira's mother dies and Kira has to sit with her at the field which is the custom way they mourn. When she returns to rebuild her cott on her mother's space, another woman with a scar across her face challenges her for the land area.

      Kira has a foot that drags and has much pain from it. She has to walk with a cane. She would have been put in the field except her mother's father had some degree of power among the elders. Her father was killed by the beasts while on a hunt.

      Kira is brought before the elders and council is appointed for her. She has remarkable abilities as a weaver so she spared. Her land is given to the other woman. Kira moves into a large nice room where she is assigned the task of repairing the singer's robe. The task is very important.

      Kira learns that there is another boy at the place named Thomas who is a gifted Carver. Kira has a friend named Matt, a tyke and his dog, who are from the Fen. The Fen is an area where the poorest live. Unlike others in the community, Matt is kind and friendly and nurtures an injured dog.

      During the night Kira and Thomas hear a child's cry. They learn that a little tyke is locked up in a room. She is a singer with a lot of talent. The two sneak into her room and offer little Jo comfort. Thomas and Kira begin to become suspicious of what is occuring in their lives.

      The day of the gathering when the singer is to sing Kira hears a scraping sound and so does Thomas. They do not know what it is. Matt comes back from a secret trip. He has brought her the secret to making blue thread. He also sneaks in a blind man who is wearing a blue shirt.

      Spoiler follows...

      Kira learns that the blind man is her father. He tells her there never were any beasts only cruel men in the community. It turns out that Jamison had clubbed and cut up her father to prevent him from getting a position as a council member. Her father was left to die in the burial field. People form a far away village had rescued him just as they had done for many others.

      Matt is happy for Kira and tells her many people are broken in the far away village and she could find a husband there. Kira's father wants her to go with him, but she suddenly begins to put everything together. She realizes that the singer had his legs shackled and they had been bleeding. The shackles scraping was the noise she had heard.

      Kira decides to stay and write a better future through her weaving of the ceremonial robe that she is expected to decorate. She is going to take a stand that she hopes will alter and create a better future for the community and the people.
    • 4/5




      A surprisingly gentle story against a brutal background of a village that discards the weak and indentures its artists. I liked it better than the Giver.
    • 2/5
      The Giver would be a hard book to write a follow-up for, so it's not surprising that it took Lowry seven years to do so. It's also not surprising, since The Giver is such an excellent book, that the companion would fall short. I understand that the community in The Giver was dystopian, but overall it seemed to be a positive place to live. The village in Gathering Blue is dark, sad, and depressing, and those tones took over the book for me. It was hard to focus on the story because the sad mood trumped the plot. I didn't really understand the ending until I read Lowry's notes in the Reader's Guide that was thankfully at the back of my edition.

      As negative as the beginning of my review may sound, I do understand how this book plays into the overall series, and I appreciate what it does to broaden the worlds and allow characters to at least become aware of each other, so that can come into play later. I also loved Matt, and was thrilled to know he was the main character in the third book. He seemed like the most real character in the book, and stood out more than Kira or even Thomas.
    • 4/5
      This is the second of The Giver Quartet. I'm not sure if it is connect to the Giver. This is about Kira who has a twisted leg and after her mother dies she is brought in front of the council to decide if she should be taken to the field and cast away or get to stay. This is an interesting dystopia story where people seem to live in a village where there is the council, a group who seem to have a decent life and a part of the village who are barely getting by. I found this story sad how the little ones were corralled and almost abused and how people were more mean than nice. The twist at the end was kind of a shocker and I was surprised at the outcome. It left me wanting to know more about this village and about the villager's lives. I'm looking forward to the next book since it seems to continue the story.
    • 3/5
      It was interesting, but didn't hold my attention much, especially compared to The Giver. To be completely honest, it felt like half a book, and the first half only. It was unresolved and, to use a pun in line with the subject matter, had several loose threads.

      Besides that, Kira was rather boring as a protagonist. Even when she learned horrible things about her world, she remained content to stay and be a part of the system. I loved Matt and Thomas though.
    • 3/5
      I liked this book alright, but was surprised that Lowry did not continue with the Giver story line. I'm not sure if maybe it is marked incorrectly as a series on Goodreads but this seemed to be it's own stand alone story. It was interesting and I enjoyed the friendship between the four children, but it left a lot unexplained. It would have been nice to know why the leaders lied about there being vicious animals in the woods. I also would have liked to hear more about the plants and paint making. Perhaps the third book will answer some of the questions. I liked hearing about how the village worked, but had a hard time feeling for a lot of the characters. This is definitely a children's book and would probably been better had I read it when I was younger. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked the Giver and doesn't mind that this is a set of a new characters and settings.
    • 4/5
      Most lives are lived in squalor, children are not cherished but treated as an inconvenience and there's constant bickering. Also, beware of the beasts in the woods.
      Kira is a two syllable name and her mother is three. Her father died before she was born while on a hunt by beasts.
      When Kira meets Thomas, who is a special wood carver, she starts learning things about her community that are unsettling. And at the annual Gathering she finds out the Singer has no choice but to stay.
      She's not completely alone though, she has a few friends and one very dear friend gives her a very big giftie.
    • 4/5
      I definitely enjoyed the ending of this one more than the ending of The Giver. great book still :) great "series". quick easy reads that still make you think- about our past, present, and future.
    • 5/5
      Another dystopian novel for ages 10 and up, this one is set in a post-“Ruin” world, where most of the people have regressed to primitive living, and children with physical flaws, like the heroine Kira, are supposed to be left out as babies for “the beasts” to claim. Kira, recently orphaned, is about to lose everything she has—including her life--to fellow villagers. Then the community’s leaders, due to her talent in embroidery, choose her to live in the one building, the Council Edifice (which, from its description, appears to have contained a church) that withstood the Ruin. She is to work on mending and adding to the decorations on the ceremonial robe worn by the "Singer" each year when performing the story of the Ruin at the village “Gathering." In her new home, Kira meets Thomas, the carver a few years older than herself, working on the Singer’s staff, and Jo, the little girl being trained to replace the aging Singer some day. Like the similarly-aged Jonas in Lowry’s Newbery-winning The Giver, Kira, with the help of a rambunctious “tyke” named Matt, discovers the secrets of her society and makes a choice that will change her life, and perhaps those of the villagers.This book has some messages about the role of artists in society. Lowry creates an interesting culture where the number of syllables in a person’s name increases as s/he ages. The Ruin Song has some telling words (pages 170-172 in the hardbound edition): Burn, scourged world,Furious furnace,Inferno impure-…Ravaged all,Bogo tabalTimore toronTotoo now gone…...“I believe it tells the names of lost places.”… and if you look carefully, you can identify them.Actress Katherine Borowitz reads the audiobook quietly and calmly, matching the detached tone of the story, showing emotion only when expressing Kira’s thoughts or memories of her mother, or the rough Fen dialect of Matt.This book is linked to The Giver, but only near the end, and it isn't necessary to have read it before reading Gathering Blue.
    • 4/5
      "Gathering Blue" is the tale of Kira, a young woman in a more-or-less agrarian society whose mother has just died. Born with a twisted leg, Kira faces several challenges, not the least of which is that in her village, crippled children aren't accepted. At all. As in, drag them out to the field and let "the beasts" take them. Without a home or a Mother to defend her, her only friend is a wayward village tyke and his mongrel dog, and the only thing saving her from a one-way trip to the field is her uncanny talent as a weaver, a talent that even mystifies her. When she is given an opportunity to mend a robe for the Village Elders, Kira can't begin to imagine where the task will lead her. Perhaps to her future…and maybe, to her past…

      I hope that was properly obscure. I really don't want to give anything away!

      The second book in a quartet that begins with Lowry's Newbery Medal winner, "The Giver", "Gathering Blue" is of a piece with the first book, though you wouldn't guess it from the first fifty pages or so. The setting is completely different, the characters are different, the time frame even seems different. Still, as you read you will feel that the two worlds aren't really all THAT far apart…and that makes the setting very unsettling indeed. I can't say a whole lot more without giving key plot points away, but it should suffice that this is a TERRIFIC piece and really adds to the epic that is the Giver "series". It is dark, it is ominous, and it is totally engrossing.

      To be completely honest, I didn't even know this book existed till I heard of the release of the FOURTH book in the series, and it was actually my son who wanted to read that one. So, though we already had a dog-eared copy of "The Giver", we went ahead and ordered a boxed set of the first three books so we could read them all in sequence…which YOU should do. They're short, fast reads and well worth the day or two each spent in Lowry's sprawling world.

      There are some folks who would tell you that this series is not for everybody. The word "dystopian" definitely applies, and it may not be your cup of tea. In fact, it might even be accurately said that they're offensive. Heaven knows they've been challenged often enough.

      But. I say: EVERYONE ON EARTH SHOULD READ THESE BOOKS. There are lessons to be learned, and you will be better for having experienced them. Go, right now, and get them. Read them. Live them.

      There. I've done my good deed for the day.
    • 3/5
      I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as The Giver. If i didn't read quickly and know it was part of a quartet where I'd really enjoyed the first book, I may have not even finished it. The book didn't tie in to the first book of the series until the last page or so (hard to tell when reading on an iPhone and I finished it in the Kindle app). I didn't care about the characters as much in this book of the series. Near the end, I started to get interested in the book. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything ties together in books 3 and 4.
    • 4/5
      I liked this one better than The Giver. It has more emotional depth without being as dark. I think it would also speak more clearly to children, and the child in all of us.
    • 3/5
      I read this because I've become slightly obsessed with "The Giver" and I found out that this is part of The Giver Series. The connection to "The Giver" doesn't actually become clear until the next book. I was surprised just how barbaric the society pictured here is- how full of hate and lacking joy but also how very primitive. It was strange to link it to "The Giver," but it makes us question what kind of society would emerge after destruction (especially thinking about all the preppers who focus only on creating and guarding their own hoards and stockpiling guns).
    • 5/5
      This was one of my favorite books when I was younger. Lois Lowry writes a story set in the distant future, where the diseased or different are exiled or killed. Kira, the main protagonist is a girl who was born with a crippled leg. She preserves her life through her skill at embroidery in which she maintains the town's coveted robe that preserves their knowledge of history. Lowry weaves a tale where you are witness to the less desirable aspects of human nature. Kira's courage through hardship and adversity shines throughout this novel, making her an extremely admirable character. This is a really great read and I would recommend it to anyone young or old. In fact, I loved this book so much as a young teenager, that my own daughter is named after the main character.
    • 3/5
      This book was an interesting contrast to the previous work, The Giver. The world described in its pages is just as rich, however, and presents a more interesting culture. I felt that the ending was a little rushed.
    • 4/5
      I liked The Giver, but it felt incomplete. I started Gathering Blue and was completely confused. I liked this also and could see the parallels in theme. Both interested me; I like dystopian fiction. But the last chapter got me! Now I'm really looking forward to continuing the series!
    • 4/5
      Even though it might be considered as the second novel in the 'Giver' trilogy, this is a standalone one, independant from the first, but having in common life in a society in which rules and social classes are means to control the population. As in the 'Giver', a young girl finds herself with a gift that changes her life. But is it for the better? This is not so certain an outcome. Without giving any spoiler, I just want to say that this novel is good, but rather low-key in terms of technology, as opposed to the 'Giver'. It feels medieval, instead of futuristic. The character's mindset is rather basic, given that she doesn't have an education and can't read. She only knows what her mother and an old woman gave her in terms of wisdom and knowledge. To me, the characterisation felt less defined than in the 'Giver', but maybe that was the intention, since she lives in a pseudo medieval society. Anyway, this is a good read, but less so than the previous book - the ending is left pending an outcome, so we are left wanting to know more. As a standalone book, this is also a weak point, knowing that there won't be a next book to see how the character is doing. So I'd say read the book, but don't expect more out of it.
    • 4/5
      Fairly short book. Disturbing on some levels but nothing shocking if your a fan of dystopian novels.
    • 5/5
      After reading this one and The Giver, I am wondering what will be twisted and wrong about the community in the next book in this quartet, and what happened to leave humanity in such ugly, evil, degenerate societies. This book ends on a slightly more hopeful note than The Giver, but not by much of a margin. This is a lovely book, well written and with some great characters. I especially like the theme of embroidery and dyes that is central to the story, and the subtle hint of magic that adds a level of mystery.
    • 5/5
      Before Kira was born her father was taken by beasts. Now she lives alone with her twisted leg and mother. Her mother makes a living by weaving and mending clothes. She has been teaching kira, but kira has a special ''power''. She can create beautiful scenes with the threads. One day kira's mother catches ill. now motherless kira is being held for trial. The village finds her useless because of her twisted leg. At trial though she is saved by her power with the threads. She is then given a place to live. kira is then given a big task, she has to repair the singers robe. The robe tells the story of the village people. Soon the day of the singers ceremony arrives. After the ceremony Kira sees someone she never thought she would see, her father. Kira then learns the truth of her father's supposed death. Her father tells her of a village filled with people of disabilitys of all types. She soon makes the decision that soon she will travel to her fathers village and be free. Gathering Blue, by Lois Lowry, was a great book. I loved how the story flowed along. It had me captivated from beginning to end. I also loved Kira's character. She was a great strong heroine. Her twisted leg just added to the effect that she was strong enough to get through it all, even with a bad leg. The only thing bad I would have to say about it is how much information was provided. like some things went unsolved in the book. but even so that's why I gave it 4.5 RATING.
    • 4/5
      I really cannot give this book five stars, and I really want to. And it makes me sad. The Giver is my favorite dispotian (& young adult distopian) novel in existence. It literally framed the many things I would read later. Gathering Blue was another look at this world, another satellite location of how life had gone on.

      I liked the characters. I like the storyline. I like how it didn't interweave. And then I was deeply unhappy about how it ended just when I felt the real story of how Kira and Thomas and Jo turn their world around would have begun. Instead it just ended. I felt so confused and disjointed by this.
    • 4/5
      Described as a companion to The Giver but not featuring any of the characters or society of that book. Kira is a gifted embroiderer whose skill saves her from being driven out of the village after the death of her mother. The alternative world Lowry creates is convincing and frightening. It's a story about responsibility to fulfil your destiny. Excellent for the young adult audience and older readers alike.
    • 4/5
      Decent book, yet never felt like much was happening until the last 40-50 pages. I think many readers would give up on the book before the 100 page mark, unless they were huge fans of the Giver. The book cannot stand on its' own; it must have the Giver support it. Despite this, still looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
    • 4/5
      As a companion to The Giver, this story centers around Kira, an orphan with a deformed leg who has an extraordinary, almost magical, talent for weaving and needlework. Because of this talent, Kira is taken under the protection of the Council of Guardians. Kira soon realizes that her protected, privileged life has many mysteries and secrets.A recommended read for those who enjoy dystopian fiction.
    • 3/5
      Here's the problem with reading Newberry Award winners: if I like the book, and the author has written other books, then I'm likely to want to read those other books, so that adds more on. OR if I like the book, and there are sequels to the book, then I'm even more likely to want to read them. Also, what is this strange phenomenon of authors who wrote Newberry Medal winners years and years ago suddenly churning out multiple sequels (this one, Sarah Plain and Tall). Weird. Anywho, while this book isn't as disturbing as The Giver, it shows an interesting society that is of the same time period, that doesn't have it quite as together as The Giver's society (together = stranglehold on the people). If you want to know more about this world, read on. If you want to leave The Giver as it is, a stand alone piece, this book isn't sooooo crazy amazing that you have to continue lest I berate you.
    • 4/5
      It was so good! It was amazing.
    • 5/5
      This book offers students a look into a very different world than their own. I personally feel the world is more similar to that found in The Hunger Games than that of The Giver. Mr. Parks
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in the "Giver" trilogy. Most trilogies have a very specific connection through every single book, but this book seems like it does not connect to the original book "The Giver", but that does not make it a bad book. In my opinion this book is actually in many ways superior to the other because this has more approachable characters. The characters here seem to be genuinely nicer and not as melancholy as the characters in "The Giver", but this is largely due to the differences between the two cities that are the focus points of each. In this one we are in a more wooded, secluded type of town than what is in the other.

      Lowry is able to create a world of secrets, intrigue, lies, and hope that seldom is fully expressed by lesser authors. Here she is able to make us believe every single moment and we feel we are taken on the journey with Kira into becoming the caretaker of the robe. I also love the character of Matt in this book. He is a fun character and one that is full of heart. I admire him in the story because he is obviously someone that shows a lot of love and concern for his friends. He is something that I hope to be in all of my encounters with people.

      Gathering Blue is a book about discovering your true talents and how you can change the world. It is also about learning that not everyone that you think tells you the truth does and that sometimes you have to look under the surface to discover what someone truly is. This book truly showcases the human experience and would be a great read for anyone that takes it on.
    • 4/5
      I found it very easy to rate this and The Giver four stars and may eventually come back and give them the fifth. I'm finding it harder to make a comment on either one. Ms. Lowry paints very good pictures with her stories. There's a very interesting combination of simplicity and complexity. I found the same thing to be true in Number The Stars. I feel like I want to read The Messenger and then right a whole essay on these. They really have affected me and will stick in my mind.
    • 3/5
      The second in the 4-book series of "The Giver", I had read this one before. Because of a discussion on my Bibliophile reading group site, I picked it up again and gave it a re-read. It must have been a long time since I read it because, while there was a bit of deja vu, it read like a fresh novel for me.

      It is a standalone story, so don't worry if you haven't read "The Giver". While it deals with the same type of dystopian society, "Gathering Blue" tells of a different set of characters with different issues, struggles and lives.

      I liked this one so much that I have already started the next book, "The Messenger" and look forward to the combining of all of the main characters in the series finale, "The Son".

      Recommended