I wasn't sure when I'd get around to reading this book. It's been on my list of books to read for a while, on Goodreads and before when I'd see it in the store. I remember reading [b:Number the Stars|47281|Number the Stars|Lois Lowry|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1370917812s/47281.jpg|2677305] when I was in sixth grade. Like all books I read during that time that incited any powerful emotions of injustices and societal discriminations, it had quite an impact on me at the time and it stayed with me for years later. Ultimately, I had my oldest son read it when he was in sixth grade (and he felt the same striking emotions), and will have my younger son read it when he reaches that age.

So, needless to say, I was an uncertain fan of Lowry's—that having been the only book of hers that I had read. But, this had always grabbed my attention: the cover, the title, and the author all having very striking statements to make on the shelf at the store.

The story unfolds in a neat manner, and you get the sense of wrongness from the get go. The utopian future feels off straight away, and you get the currents of the underlying actuality of the dystopian state. Our narrator, Jonas, is rather younger than I would imagine for the roles they play within the Community in the book. But, I enjoyed his point-of-view very much. The newness of his experiences and the knowledge he gains played very nicely off his own inexperience in life (in our world or his). The many things the Community, and the people of, lacks are subtly revealing and were startling realizations at times to imagine. I never felt the story slow to a lull or throw something at me from left field. The entirety of the story felt delicate and balanced, whispery and gentle, even in the more unthinkable revelations.

All in all, a quick and immensely enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series soon.