Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: Harper Teen/Hachette Australia
Release Date: February 1st, 2011
Format: Paperback

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 government 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.

Holy crap. I NEED THE SECOND BOOK NOW! Like, quite literally NOW. I don’t know how I’m going to survive until MARCH for the release of Pandemonium; that killer ending has taken control of all my thoughts now. If I don’t get Pandemonium soon, I’m seriously considering flying all the way over to Canada (where bloggers already have copies of Pandemonium...I think..?), and kidnapping the first copy I  find. I don’t care if I’m arrested, killed or somehow die in the process, I JUST NEED TO READ THAT FREAKING BOOK!!!

Ranting aside, Delirium is definitely a delightfully unique book. Imagine a world where love is considered a disease (in this case, Amor Deliria Amosa)¸ and everyone, once they reach adulthood, must undergo an operation (or several, depending on whether the first operation works) to cure this ‘disease’. Once cured, these people will feel no more love, anger, pain, and basically no more emotions in general. Their life is then considered safe and happy. Their 18 years of life will all seem like a faraway dream, and so many siginificant and happy times will just be forgotten. They’re supposedly happy yet, from the way these people are described through the eyes of Lena, our main characters, they may as well be walking zombies. Imagine living in a world like that!

As with many dystopian novels, we have our main character who is brought up to believe the government is God, and what they’re doing is for the benefit of the society. Lena, has accepted that she will graduate high school, attend the compulsory evaluation where she’ll be tested and then paired with her future husband. When she turns 18, she’ll go through the treatment and become one of the cureds. However, with only 95 days left till her treatment, she meets Alex; gorgeous, wild and different. From then on, she realises everything she’s been led to believe may not be the truth after all, and perhaps, just perhaps, she’ll be able to create her own future without the government’s intervention.

Excuse my fangirling, but ALEX <3 I don’t know how anyone can NOT like him! He’s charming, a tad mysterious and completely faithful to Lena. He’s able to urge her, a little bit at a time, to start seeing the society objectively. He’s so patient, and just such an incredible character! What he did at the end of the book is so noble and heroic, it totally broke my heart! His romance with Lena is so incredibly sweet and heartwarming! They’re definitely a match made in heaven. (Yes, I know I'm being cliched) 

My final thoughts? That killer ending will be the death of me, for sure! Other than that, this is truly a spectacular novel set in an imaginative dytopian world, filled with intense action and both heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes. Beautifully written, this story will stay with you long after you finish the last page.  

Oh, and before I go, there’s one last thing I have to say; even though I’m eagerly awaiting the release of PANDEMONIUM, if there is a LOVE TRIANGLE ( which, according to the blurb, is quite possible) , I will be so, very, INCREDIBLY disappointed.
Okay, I’m done. Adios!