by Lauren Oliver
Publication date: February 1st 2011 by HarperTeencopy received from publisher via NetGalley
amazon
(Hardcover, Kindle)Synopsis 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.
-isn’t this a horrible thought? It’s scary! This is the first book from Lauren Oliver I read, I still have “Before I Fall” on my list. I have to say her writing is utterly beautiful! Her descriptions are wonderful and while reading I was sure I was actually seeing what she describes.
Lena grows up in a world where love is considered a disease, a disease people can and must be cured from, because love and desire causes war and instability and is just the worst thing that can happen to you -ever!
This is a horrifying thought, living without love, without being loved and even being able to love something, someone, anything. But Lena doesn’t know really better, she’s been told and that love is horrible and she’s looking forward when she turns 18 and she’s able to get cured. All people at the age of 18 will be cured, Scientists found a way to remove the capability of love. The turn into living Zombies, that just do what they’ve been told – marry this guy, have 3 kids, work at this store.
You can’t imagine what is it to live without love, even when you’re having kids – You simply don’t love them. All you feel is the responsibility, or not, which is then even worse. Imagine how you grow up with your mother and father not loving you, just taking care you grow up? It’s a horrible though!
Well, Lena grows up like this, but not entirely because he mother’s never been able to get cured, the surgery didn’t work on her and when the government realized that she committed suicide and Lena is left to grow up with her perfectly cured aunt. Lena is also counting the days until she gets cured because afterwards everything is supposed to be better!
But then everything starts to change because she catches the disease when meeting Alex – she falls in love! Soon she starts to doubt that what the government says about love and the disease. Alex shows her what it really means -to love and to be loved!
The first part of the story was kinda slow, but necessary to get a feeling about the world Lena lives in. It’s full of how the world looks like after the scientists discovered a way to remove “love” and how the people change after this. Also, there are the so called “Invalids”, those who run away and live in the “wilds” and there are the ones that although cured, know how it was like-before.
I loved the characters, I loved Lena and Alex of course, but I also loved her best friend who started breaking the rules and went to secret music events, to “feel” for the last days of her freedom. I admired her bravery and how she tried to open Lena’s eyes.
The story paced up in the middle of the book, when Lena finally starts admitting to herself that she’s falling in love with Alex and when she begins to realize the cruelty of the government! The ending was devastating and leaves you totally hanging in the air and waiting desperately for the next book.
I have the feeling that most first books in a Dystopian series are rather slow. You must learn how it is to live in such a world, you need lot’s of world building and the character must have space to develop. This is why I wasn’t super duper excited about this book. I liked it, which would mean a 3 star rating but as I said the writing is so beautiful it deserves a star on it’s own. I feel more in love with the book itself and the premise than with the actual characters if this makes sense. I cannot not compare this one to Matched by Ally Condie, there I had the same issue of slowness but Matched didn’t manage to grab me as much as Delirium did.
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Thanks for your review, I'm commenting on every DELIRIUM review I come across:D Will re-post mine tomorrow on the UK release day:)
The beginning was kinda slow but that didn't bother me, because as you said, it highly contributes to the establishment of our dystopian setting. I loved the characters aswell! And the end…ha I cried a lot… cannot wait for the 2nd novel coming out in 201…2 :'(
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I'm not sure how a sequel is going to go honestly given the ending. I liked the book too though.
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I freaking LOVED this book! I posted my review yesterday on release day, but this was one of the best books I've EVER read! I can't wait for book two!
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Yes, initially, I have been apprehensive about picking this one up because of the way I think it compares to Matched, but the more reviews I read, the more I have come to realize that they are very different. Glad you thought so too.
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Ohh yes I forgot the crying part, but I truly did cry at the end. (Normally I always mention my tears *gg*) But the ending was harsh and I'm dying to read the next one!
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Well, I hope that the end is not as it seems. This would be horrible!
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I wait anxious for the sequel seeing the ending… I mean this end can't be really like it seems??!?!?
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It was much better than Matched!! And I'm especially in love with the writing style, it was so so beautiful!! Did you read Matched?
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This was a nice review. I saw this book on an agent's blog today too, so my interest is certainly piqued.
Marie, http://marierearden.blogspot.com
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Wasn't this such an awesome book? I read it last month and was just blown away by the story, the characters, the thought and detail that went into the world-building. And yes, I didn't quite have dry eyes at the end… I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of this series!
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Awesome review. I can't wait to read this.
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I can't wait to read this book. I've heard nothing but great things about it. I only hope it can live up to the hype!
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