Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium

Author: Lauren Oliver

Series: Delirium

Book #: 1

Pages: 441

Reading Level: Young Adult

Book Rating: 

Published: Feb.01st, 2011

by HarperTeen

Lauren Oliver's Official Website

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Taschima's POV:

Now I'm absolutely positive the world is not ending on 2012. Why, well, if it were to end we wouldn't be able to read Lauren Oliver's sequel to Delirium, and I think I've been good enough in my life for this wish of mine to come true. My letter from Hogwarts got lost in the mail, so I at least deserve to read Pandemonium before I die!

In Lena's world love is something to be avoided, never talked about, love is a disease and you better count your lucky stars that your don't catch it. Lena is not like other teens though. Other teens have parents who are cured, parents who haven't showed them what being loved is actually like. Lena isn't as lucky. Her mother always loved her. When Lena fell of her bike, her mother showered her with kisses and told her she would be okay. Her mother used to dance and sing, she was full of life and love. Her mother's last words to Lena were "I love you. Remember. They cannot take it", and then Lena never saw her mother again. After that Lena went to live with her aunt and cousins, even changed her last name. After all no one wants to live with the last name that in a same breath came be combined with words such as suicide. So Lena moves on, but never forgets about the dances behind closed doors, or the kisses that came after the pain.

Lena, like every other teenager, is anxiously waiting for the day that she can be administered the "cure". Maybe if they do it to her she will be able to escape safe from the madness that led her mother to kill herself. One can only hope. But on a day while running out with her friend Hanna, the best friend who isn't afraid to think out of the box and take chances, Lena meets the boy who will change her views, her future, her entire life. Alex. Hanna always said that Lena didn't have it in her, she wasn't a risk taker, she was nice safe Lena, seems like it's time to find out if this is true... Is Lena even remotely capable of experiencing amor deliria nervosa?

I wouldn't compare this story to Romeo and Juliet at all. For one thing I very much dislike the story of Romeo and Juliet, another thing is that in Delirium the characters don't seem to meet up and instantly fall head over heels in love with each other, willing to give their lives away just because of a fling. No, in Delirium the characters grow and get to know each other and support each other and tell each other their deep dark thoughts and secrets, things they couldn't do with anybody else, they learn to trust each other and take comfort and support from each other. Lena grows and develops and learns to stand up for herself with the help of Alex and without the help of Alex. She is strong, a fighter, and I know that no matter whatever happens in her future she knows enough to never give up, not going down so easily, not without a fight.

Love is a many splendored thing,

Love lifts us up where we belong,

All you need is love

-Ewan McGregor, Moulin Rouge

This novel reminded me in so many different little parts of other dystopian novels. The electrically charged fences, used to keep intruders out as much as to keep others in, from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, the slow but ever increasing awareness that the main character is opened to over time, from Matched by Ally Condie. The operation that the people in the novel have to grow through at a certain point of their lives, from Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. Even though it reminds me of other novels Delirium stands all on its own. It's spectacular and incredible, and if you haven't read it yet is because your insane. It's worth the buy 100%.

Also even though I was against the government all the way I could also understand where their argument comes from, and how their solution may in fact help a previously screwed up world. I still don't think that giving up love is worth all the ramifications, but being able to see the other sides view and how it may actually help some people makes the whole thing that much more complex and so much more worth reading.

It's because of this and so many other details that I love Delirium. Page after page I became entranced with the story, captivated by the characters, stupefied by the society, and baffled that anybody would prefer to live a life full of emptiness instead of living a life that although at times its sure to be painful it also holds the key to a world of wonderful possibilities like never before.

I also thought it was so hilarious that this was all happening on the US. It seems like all the other countries weren't on the same program. We who pride ourselves of being progressive and open minded and in the US they are implementing "love" cures. It's ironic really, and I love me some Irony.

My Status Updates from Goodreads:

• 07/17 page 107 24.0%
  "Instantly hoooked, it reminds me a bit of Matched, the protagonist does, it's all good for now."
  
  
• 07/18 page 296 67.0%
  "And now he's a poet, oh gosh, this man is just so sweet and rebellious, and fantastic... I love thee too Alex."
  
  
• 07/18  page 338 77.0%
  "WHAAAT!? Oh well, it isn't that shocking really, but give me a moment while I go like this -> :O"
  
  
• 07/18  page 396 90.0%
  "Now Im scared, everything seems to be working out, but I remember a lot of people saying how much they cried after reading this novel, so now Im really scared of whats going to happen to these characters that I love."
  
  
• 07/18  page 441 100.0%
  "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

The ending was definitely not what I was expecting. I was expecting something to happen, but not what actually happened. It was unexpected, and exquisite. I loved every single second of it. Even the parts that I didn't like, and made me want to scream my head of, I loved. Wanna see how my reading progress went after I hit page 261?

This review may be long, but its worth it. Books you love sometimes need all the words you can give to them.