Messenger
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Messenger 〰️
Finally, we have a true connection to the first novel, making this a true companion/sequel to The Giver in my eyes. Also, this book was a vast improvement over the second one. I loved the first, but the second fell a little flat for me. This third novel wasn't as good as the first, but I enjoyed it more than Gathering Blue.
It's nice to see a grown-up Jonas (now the Leader) and a mention of Gabe. It's good to know they survived. I'm also glad to see Matty (previously named Matt in book two) has learned to speak correctly, as he was a bit hard to read. Being the new MC of the third book in this series, it would have been extremely annoying and difficult to read his previous speech patterns.
Speaking of POVs, Lowry switched POV to the Leader near the end, and it felt off. It worked with the story, and I see why she did it, but this was the first time in three books (and right at the end of the book, too) that she did this. It kind of throws the style of the books out the window for a bit.
Also, does Lowry not know how to end her books? Or maybe I don't understand her style very well. This is the third book where the plot thickens, only to end with an ambiguous ending abruptly. (Did Matty die? I think he died, and that sucks). I hope the final book answers this series's previously unanswered questions.
While not my favourite of the series (it's the second), this was still an enjoyable book. Probably because it was the first to be a companion/continuation, I'm curious to see how this ends.