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When I started my 20-pages-a-day reading habit this year, I said The Priory of the Orange Tree was my first book. But technically, it wasn’t. The first book I actually finished under this new habit was Son by Lois Lowry.
It had been sitting unfinished for over a year. I picked it up because I’ve always been curious about how The Giver universe continued. Back in school, I read The Giver, and it left me with so many questions, about the dystopian world, about what it meant to be a "birthmother", and about the lives hidden behind that society’s rules. Son is the fourth and final book in the series, and while I hadn’t read all the middle installments (Gathering Blue and Messenger), I didn’t feel lost at all. The perspective was new, but the setting was familiar, it brought me right back to the world of The Giver.
The Reading Experience
This book was an easy read. The story flowed without confusion, and the characters felt very honest and straightforward. There was an innocence to the writing that made it almost childlike at times, not in a bad way, just in a way that reminded me of the simple truths children’s books often carry.
The ending felt a little childish as well, but it was undeniably sweet. It tied things up in a heartwarming way, even if it wasn’t the most powerful conclusion I’ve ever read.
My Honest Take
Son isn’t my favorite book I’ve ever read, and it isn’t one I’d personally revisit. Still, I don’t regret finishing it. The story had moments that were both heartbreaking and heartwarming, and overall it left me with a sense of appreciation for what it was.
I’d give it a 6.2/10. Not life-changing, but not a waste of time either. If you’ve ever read The Giver and felt like there were unanswered questions about that world, I think you’d enjoy the closure that Son provides.
Final Thoughts
For me, Son ended up being a meaningful first step into my reading habit, finishing something I had once set aside. That alone made it worth it. Even though it’s not a repeat read for me, I still recommend it to anyone curious about Lois Lowry’s world.