Delirium

Delirium
By Lauren Oliver
2011
441 pages

“I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.”

Summary: Lena is counting down the days until she can get the surgery that will save her life. She’s afraid of catching amor deliria nervosa, of being in love, an act which is outlawed. Luckily, in a few months she will qualify to have the cure and her life will set into perfect, safe normalcy. But when Lena meets Alex, an uncured, he shows her that the world is full of beautiful things, and without love there is nothing. The lines between what is right and what is better start to fall away and Lena must decide if she will choose safety or love, even though sometimes with love there is unbearable pain and loss.

Review: The writing is exceptional with Delirium. The pacing ebbs and flows, creating a smooth read that is easy to fall into despite the size of the book. Oliver also somehow manages to create a story that doesn’t feel linear, where readers can be lost in a world that feels more encompassing and complex. While the story lacks the grittiness that is found in many dystopias, Oliver does create a world that is poignant and not without sadness and loss. Readers will feel for Lena as she struggles to realize the truths being kept from her and the value of what she’s expected to give up. The relationship between her and Alex is sweet and slow to progress, giving it authenticity. The ending is unexpected and readers will be left salivating for the next book in the series.

Also by Lauren Oliver: Before I Fall

If you liked Delirium, you might also enjoy: The Uglies by Scott Westerfled, The Giver by Lois Lowry and Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Additional Info: Delirium has been optioned (are we really surprised?) and the next two books are going to be called Pandemonium and Requiem.

Author website: http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/

Ratings:
Writing 4/4
Characters 4/4
Plot 3.5/4
Originality 2.5/4 (does feel a little bit like The Uglies)
Popularity 4/4
Cover 3/4
Grade Level: S