Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pub. Date: February 1, 2011
Length: 441 Pages
Length: 441 Pages
Series: Delirium #1
Summary (from goodreads):
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.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.
My Thoughts: There are some books that are just absolutely beautiful. They crawl into your heart and stay there, captivate you past the last page. Lauren Oliver's debut, Before I Fall did this for me. I read the whole 470 page book in less than a day. So naturally, I expected the same thing from Delirium. Unfortunately, it wasn't like that for me. It started with a bang and ended with a bang, but the rest was kind of blah.
In Delirium, love is a disease. Known as amor deliria nervosa, everyone is cured from it at the time they turn eighteen. This treatment takes away practically all emotions. After the procedure, you may not like doing your favorite things anymore, you'll no longer like your friends, have no empathy for your children, and basically lose your individuality. Lena is a seventeen year old, ninety-five days away from her cure. She's excited for it, because she'll be the only one in her direct family who wasn't affected by the disease. But soon, she too falls in love.
The characters. Oh, the characters. The minor characters (her aunt, etc.), and really all the cured people, were excellent. They were spot on portrayals of how cured and "disease free" citizens would act in this civilization. The main character Lena was likable (other than being a little annoying at times), but I wasn't able to connect with her. I actually liked her best friend Hana more than I liked her. There where times when I wanted to slap Lena for being so stupid, and her change from a supporter of the procedure to, well not, felt way too smooth and simple. It was like she had no problem accepting that the only world she had ever known was wrong.
Lauren Oliver is a writing genius. She was born to write. Her writing is beautiful. Need I say more? Her writing still shined in Delirium, but it didn't seem as strong or emotional as it was in Before I Fall. It seemed to me that she wasn't writing from her heart, just writing for the sake of finishing the book. Delirium was a good read, but wasn't really what I would call dystopian, and doesn't rank among those like Unwind. There were certain futuristic parts I loved, like the epigraphs (is that the right word?) at the beginning of each chapter. I think (and hope) that because Delirium is the first book in a trilogy, that the next books will be a step up, and all around better than this one.
In Delirium, love is a disease. Known as amor deliria nervosa, everyone is cured from it at the time they turn eighteen. This treatment takes away practically all emotions. After the procedure, you may not like doing your favorite things anymore, you'll no longer like your friends, have no empathy for your children, and basically lose your individuality. Lena is a seventeen year old, ninety-five days away from her cure. She's excited for it, because she'll be the only one in her direct family who wasn't affected by the disease. But soon, she too falls in love.
The characters. Oh, the characters. The minor characters (her aunt, etc.), and really all the cured people, were excellent. They were spot on portrayals of how cured and "disease free" citizens would act in this civilization. The main character Lena was likable (other than being a little annoying at times), but I wasn't able to connect with her. I actually liked her best friend Hana more than I liked her. There where times when I wanted to slap Lena for being so stupid, and her change from a supporter of the procedure to, well not, felt way too smooth and simple. It was like she had no problem accepting that the only world she had ever known was wrong.
Lauren Oliver is a writing genius. She was born to write. Her writing is beautiful. Need I say more? Her writing still shined in Delirium, but it didn't seem as strong or emotional as it was in Before I Fall. It seemed to me that she wasn't writing from her heart, just writing for the sake of finishing the book. Delirium was a good read, but wasn't really what I would call dystopian, and doesn't rank among those like Unwind. There were certain futuristic parts I loved, like the epigraphs (is that the right word?) at the beginning of each chapter. I think (and hope) that because Delirium is the first book in a trilogy, that the next books will be a step up, and all around better than this one.
And then, of course, there's that little part of the copyright that is bugging me. For those of you who have a copy of Delirium, have you noticed that the copy right for it says "Delirium Copyright (copyright sign) 2011 by Laura Schechter" !?! I am a little confused, because Before I fall says "Before I Fall Copyright (copyright sign) 2010 by Lauren Oliver, not Laura Schechter. Does anyone you know why this is?
Rating:
 |
| 3.5 Moons |
I've read so many mediocre reviews of this one that I'm thinking it most definitely isn't for me.
ReplyDeleteLoved reading your thoughts on this and it's a shame you were disappointed :(
I've heard so many amazing reviews of this, that it's a little refreshing to read one that's not so positive. I do still want to read it, but hopefully without thinking "it's the best book I'll ever year" it will live up to my expectations.
ReplyDeleteThis book was boring in the beginning because it just talked about her life but then around the middle its amazing like i cant describe it you should totally read it it will leave you speechless!
ReplyDelete