Published: February 7, 2012 by HarperCollins
Series: #1 (Delirium)
Length: 441 pages
Source: bought (at Barnes & Noble)
“They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever.
And I’ve always believed them.
Until now.
Now everything has changed.
Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.
Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.”
Delirium by Lauren Oliver was such a fresh dystopian read for me. Who would’ve thought that love (amor deliria nervosa) was a disease? Well, these people in the book do. When they turn 18, they automatically have to get cured, meaning that they will have to undergo an examination where it would totally change who they are. There are those who strictly agrees that they should be cured from love, and there are the resistance who thinks that getting cured from love is completely wrong and shouldn’t be practiced. In Delirium, we witness how Lena’s opinion transforms from agreeing to disagreeing with the cure.
Throughout Lena’s life, she always believed that love was a disease especially because of the tragedy that happened to her mother. She lives with her aunt’s family which has a huge impact on how she perceives love. Lena is easily relatable and likable. One thing I like about this book is how the main character slowly develops throughout the novel. She wasn’t a flat, boring, dull heroine which I was glad for. The male protagonist, Alex, was easily likable too. For me, he’s the key to Lena’s adieu to innocence. I love how Alex isn’t just there so there could be a romance. He’s more than just a love interest. He plays a big role in the story, and because of him, something happens that would leave the readers shocked. The other character I wanted to talk about is Lena’s best friend Hanna. At first I loved her character because at first she strongly opposes the cure by breaking the government’s rules. She goes out to parties after the curfew, listens to loud music (which was illegal) and was just plain outgoing & awesome. Then, I don’t know what happened, but all of a sudden she strongly agrees with the government. There was definitely an inconsistency to her character. I was really disappointed by that.
Since the book is about love, the romance plays a big role in the story. Fortunately, it played out well. Lena and Alex’s relationship gradually develops. Although I didn’t have any problem with the romance, I wouldn’t say it’s the best. Same thing with the characters, they were likable but they didn’t really stick with me. The pacing slowed a little bit here and there, but it wasn’t super slow that would cause boredom. There were also action scenes to watch out for especially towards the end. Overall I enjoyed reading Delirium and would recommend it to those who wants to read something new. Also, I can’t wait till they make this into a t.v. show!