The Messenger:

By; Lois Lowry

Page number: 169

Originally published: 2004

"Something was different." (pg. 64)

Summary:

The Messenger follows the story of Matt from Gathering Blue and his adventures in the new village. After leaving Kira and Thomas at the Guardians building in the old village, Matt goes on a long journey to move to the village where Seer, the blind man who is Kira’s father, welcomes him into his house.

The book begins six years after where Gathering Blue ended. Matty, who has lived in the village in peace for the past six years begins to feel a change in the general atmosphere. “Trade Mart” is an event that allows anyone to trade their goods with one another, however, Matty realizes that something more sinister is going on behind the surface. As he attends his first Trade Mart, he begins to see that people not only trade the goods they possess but also give something of their actual being; their good character. He notices his neighbor, who has been a welcoming lady to the refugees of the village, begin to show characteristics that were formerly against her nature. She starts to accuse the incoming refugees, begins to show anger in aggressive ways, and does not seem to have any patience for anyone. The mentor, who was the school teacher of the entire village, begins to appear younger and fitter with time after the Trade, however, loses his admirable traits, like being affectionate and kind to those around him. In a way, the Trade Mart raises the question of “What is truly valuable to a person? Is it what they have, how they look like, or their character?”

There is more than Trade Mart that awakens suspicion for Matty: the forest that had been friendly to him for many years begins to get hostile to him. When he goes on a journey to bring Kira from the old village, he faces the true brutality of the forest. In the midst of the chaos, he notices something different about his power, for the first time Matty discovers the extent to which his powers can go.

The book is an easy read that is best fit for middle school students. The shift of the friendly village turning into a dystopian society is an interesting plot line that will intrigue the reader.

Personal rating of the book: 7/10