Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry is the second book in the dystopia Giver series. Kira was born with a twisted leg, but she and her mother have always had each other to depend on. Now that her mother is dead, Kira finds herself as a flawed orphan in a society that discards the weak. Kira, however, isn't as defenseless as everyone thinks, for she has a special gift that is able to keep her alive. Her gift is that she can make, tell, and learn incredible stories just with a needle and thread. This gift also has some unforeseen costs on Kira. Her gift requires her to search for some of her community's truths, and she soon learns things that will have a permanent impact on her life. I read this book because I wanted to complete the Giver series. As a stand-alone book, it was good. I enjoyed reading about Kira’s struggle for survival, and I liked how the events of the story were presented. However, I was incredibly disappointed when this book did not seem to contribute to book one in the series.