Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Series: Delirium #1
Pages: 393
Date of UK Publication: 18th February 2011
Source: library
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.


My Thoughts:
By now, I'm sure you've all figured out that I'm a sucker for anything that is described as dystopian. So when I realised that this was dystopian, I needed to read it. I reserved it at my library, and waited for the email to come saying that they had it waiting for me. When it came, I did a little happy dance. I'm not going to lie. :P

So I started reading. And I didn't stop for the first 150 pages. My brother was playing Call of Duty on the Xbox, my parents were listening to Planet Rock on the radio, and my other brother was playing his guitar with the amp turned up really loud, but I didn't get distracted like I normally would have done, especially if I was reading for as long as I did.

I love Lauren Oliver's writing style. I hadn't read anything by her before, so I didn't really know what to expect. I enjoyed reading about a new world where love is cured, though I imagine I could never live somewhere as crazy as that. I knew they were cured of love, so they couldn't fall in love and get married like we do, but I never really thought about how it would affect the relationships people have with each other, such as friends and family. Imagine if a mother was cured of love, and didn't love her children? Or if when you meet a friend and go out, you can't hug when you say hello or goodbye, because those feelings have been cured? It would be awful.

I loved Lena. She was level-headed and sensible for the first half of the book or so, and then slowly, love eats its way into her brain, and 'infects' her. It was that moment when she became normal, and more interesting. In the first half of the book, she was a goody two shoes, and if I'm honest, pretty boring, though that didn't stop me reading about her. And then, all of sudden, there she is, a completely new person: happy, daring, and in love. :D

Delirium was a really good novel, certainly one of the best dystopians I've read. I love the whole idea of the world they live in, and I loved the characters, they were all written so well, and seemed completely real. If you're looking for something to read, I really recommend you choose this, because it is just so good. You'll enjoy it, whether you like dystopians or not.

My Rating:

I give it 5 Feet!

Challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge #32