For the past six years, Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man, known for his special sight. Village was a place that welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.
Matty came to Village years ago when it was a safe haven. However, sinister changes are taking place. At Trade Mart, the citizens begin trading away their souls for their hearts' desires, and a wall is planned to keep out immigrants. Matty must journey into hostile, malevolent Forest to fetch his friend, Kira, before Village closes its borders. David Morse's smart narration and whispery voice never become overly dramatic. He doesn't attempt to add personality to the characters nor intensity to their plight. This quiet, understated delivery insists the material speak for itself. Happily, Newbery Award-winning author Lois Lowry's storytelling is more than up to the task. Matty's story is as strange as the fantastical Forest and as engrossing as its companion pieces, THE GIVER and GATHERING BLUE. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine
