Gathering Blue

In this sequel to The Giver, we meet Kira, part of a dystopian society where any malformed or diseased person is left out to die. Kira, who has a club foot, was spared at birth by her mother's political clout, but now that she's dead, Kira must find a way to make herself indispensable or will suffer death by starvation and exposure. Fortunately, she is skilled with needlework, and is recruited by the village elders to refurbish an ancient robe depicting the history of the people. As she learns the art of dyeing thread, Kira uncovers dark secrets about the leadership and her society. While I very much enjoyed this novel, it didn't have quite the impact that The Giver had on me, possibly because the climax wasn't as intense. Recommended for anyone who enjoys dystopian literature.