Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium

Series: Delirium #1

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publication Date: February 1, 2011

Rating: 4.5 Stars

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Book Blurb

Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.

I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.

I want to get it over with.

It’s hard to be patient.

It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.

Still, I worry.

They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.

The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

My Thoughts

I can't believe it took me this long to finally read this. I actually joined a read-a-long to push myself to begin this. Crazy right? Once I finally started it had my complete attention.

At first Lena was too much of a goody-two-shoe. She follows all the rules, and is ruled by fear (perfectly understandable seeing as what happened to her mom). I still didn't like it anyway, but I figured she would change obviously. And hell did she! She becomes this incredibly brave girl. She may still have her insecurity and panic attacks but she grows so much. Leaves Hana completely in the dust.

What was hard for me to accept was how everyone, specially Lena at first, could think of love, emotions, as a disease. Like it's a different entity from you. Emotions is part of who you are, taking that away just leaves you as a shell made of skin, blood, and bones. I just could never really accept that, as well done as the world building was, I could never truly go along with it.

Speaking of world building, it was excellent. How every chapter had a little piece of the Book of Shhh, or the kids games, and the quotes and poetry that dealt with love were classified as dangerous words. It really brought home how everything is and how people were brainwashed taught to think about love. How they nit and picked and changed texts to suit their needs. I actually would have liked to know more about the new order, I thought it was pretty interesting how apparently god and science were going together now.

All the relationships here were beautifully done. I loved the connection between Lena and Gracie. Gracie totally kicks ass. She may not talk, but she can think for herself and is so loyal and caring. I was kinda disappointed with Hana towards the end. So much talk but then nothing. I'm hoping she turns into an awesome inside woman later on or something.

I can't wait to find out what happens to Lena and Alex now. This is a must read for dystopian lovers! ;)

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