I’ve waited for this novel to come out and was then reluctant to read it since I did not want the story to end. The Giver is one of my favorite books and the other books in the series make Son by Lois Lowry come together to give the series its final closure. I really believe to get the true depth of the book you need to read all the books in the series or at least read the reviews so you understand the connections and the characters as Son, wraps up everything tight and completes the package. It was exciting to bring closure to Claire’s journey which started in Lowry’s writings and to read more about Jonas and Gabe. It was like reading the ending of each of Lowry’s previous books yet opening the beginning of a new journey for each of the characters involved. The determination of Claire and the relationship with Einar added to the character of Claire and I felt myself liking her more as the book progressed. The concept of the Trademaster brought before me the image of a wicked Rumpelstilskin with his deceiving ways and his mysterious ability to help people. I loved how Lowry grabbed details out of the previous books in the series and runs with it. The last book in the series was Messenger and this book does not just start there but adds parts of her previous books and weaves these into this novel so the reader can see how all the books are related. People, events and relationship are mentioned and intertwined which added to the depth of this great story. I am glad that I read the previous books in the series before reading Son, as I felt it made more sense and I could follow the characters and understand more. The only thing that was a drawback for me and I will eventually get over (ha) is the Trademaster. This type of individual into Lowry’s series was just something that I was not expecting. His talent was not what I anticipated to find in their village – it just seemed out of place. Yes, it added to the drama and yes, it added to my questioning but what can I say, he was my little Rumpelstilskin in the middle of a calm community.
