DRC Review: Building 903 by Lois Lowry

Release date: 29 September 2026

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis: In the tradition of her bestselling, award-winning phenomenon, The Giver, Lois Lowry delivers a story about censorship, comfort, complicity, and the radical power of books to open portals and unlock our humanity through our most powerful the imagination.

Twins Tessa and Theo live in a world ruled by the tyrannical Koziris, where there are no dangers or rebels... or so they've been told. In this world, citizens live long lives, and while many hate Koziris, they are comfortable and safe. So, when Tessa's brother disappears, nobody wants to discuss it. But then Miriam, their 135-year-old neighbor bound for the retirement community, slips Tessa a key—not only to her brother's disappearance, but to the source of all real magic . . . books. As Tessa and her parents begin their search for Theo, Tessa learns that books not only tell us stories—they open portals and unlock our humanity through our most powerful the imagination. Once that truth has been revealed, Tessa won't be able to rest until she has retrieved her twin and society itself has been transformed.

Two-time Newbery-winner Lois Lowry has crafted a narrative that feels at once prescient and in this world, the imagination is the revolution. Not only does Building 903 sit in the same resonant space as The Giver Quartet, but it is also a profound addition to Lois's enduring body of work—and a testament to the strength and value of her voice, vision, and legacy.

Review

Not what I was expecting from Lowry, but interesting all the same. Building 903 read a bit like Frequency but without the grip and context to build rapport with the characters. 

I was more than a bit surprised at my disappointment in this book. Lowry's Giver Quartet is a masterpiece, in my opinion, and I expected a bit of nuance and depth paired with simplicity to match in Building 903. The plot felt superficial and generic, with the typical suppressed literature and well-known neighbors who harbor secrets. I didn't connect with the characters like I'd hoped, either. 

As with many Lowry books, there is an element of the magical, and it was both a saving grace and point of confusion. It adds a degree of propulsion to the plot via mystery and intrigue, but I wish it had even a vague explanation or even cursory foundation for its existence and mechanics.

Most disappointing for me in the book is the lack of subtlety. The villain was very on the nose, and for juvenile fiction, I feel such a degree of heavy-handedness is lost on the intended audience. 

Overall, 3 stars out of 5. I really looked forward to an awesome story, but this one felt a bit slapdash to me. I did enjoy the fantastical elements, though.

My thanks to Clarion and HarperCollins via NetGalley for the DRC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

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