Delirium

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Published: February 1, 2011 by HarperCollins

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.

       I love dystopian books: the Chaos Walking trilogy, the Scorch Trials books, the Hunger Games...all some of my all-time favorites. Now, if you think that this thing about love being a disease is cheesy, give it a shot anyways because that's exactly what I thought before I read it. When I finished this book I had teared up and had to Google if there would be a sequel even though it was after 2 AM. I do not cry in books or movies (well, ok, I can count on one hand how many times I have) so this is a big deal. 

Reasons I love this book:

• Lena- she infuriated me pretty often and I had to keep telling myself that she acted the way she did because it's a dystopian society and that's all she's ever been told about love. So, she ticked me off, but I respect authors who make me care that much about characters I don't instantly love. 
• the plot- it's awesomely executed, and to me the idea of love being a disease sounded C-H-E-ES-Y, but I read Oliver's Before I Fall and going through disliking the main character and then rooting for her anyway made me trust Lauren Oliver to deliver with this idea- it was great
• Alex- I'm in love with this boy- from how he and Lena meet (my favorite part) to his backstory, he's a great character
• I really like the little chapter intros from the official book about why love is bad and its effects. They're pretty funny and they really help set up the society this story takes place in.

Huh, what?:

• there's not a lot of dialogue in this book and I found my attention waning sometimes because Lena was in her own head and not interacting with anyone
• once Lena had fallen for Alex there was a part of the book where everything was going well for them- it felt like your typical chick flick montage where the stars are making kissy faces at each other- I could have skipped that part and still loved the book
• Alex's secret- it was a little obvious and too easy to guess for me, mainly because there's only one option set up to be something he could be hiding that would be frowned upon
• the cover under the jacket...have you seen it? It's horrifying. I never read hardbacks without taking the dust jacket off- but I took one look at that cover and put it right back on. I don't know what it is about it, but I find it to be really creepy. 

Look away!

Is this the end?:

• Thankfully no because this book ends on one MAJOR cliffhanger. As I mentioned, I had to immediately check to see if there was a sequel. It will be a trilogy, with the next book, Pandemonium expected in February of 2012. Of course by then I will have forgotten what happened to make me so desperate for the sequel!

Favorite quotes:

• He's been hanging back, standing a few feet behind us, and ever since we came up the hill he hasn't said a word. Which is why I nearly jump out of my skin when he leans forward and directs a single word into my ear: "Gray."         - pg. 67
• Best friends for more than ten years and in the end it all comes down to the edge of a scalpel, to the motion of a laser beam through the brain and a flashing surgical knife. All that history and its importance gets detached, floats away like a severed balloon. In two years- in two months- Hana and I will pass each other on the streets with nothing more than a nod...          - pg. 190    

5 robots

An awesome read with a lot of depth and a promising start to a series.

Acquired: Bought