YA Book Review Friday: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

by Isabelle Doan

Website/Goodreads/Amazon

Random Information:

Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 480 (hardcover)
Series: Yes, this is #1 in a trilogy
My Format: e-book
Time: 15 hours
Rating:Library/Borrow/e-book/Paperback/Hardcover

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 government 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.

First Impression: Wow, nice cover. And it's by Lauren Oliver?

Seriously? Her book Before I Fall was simply amazing.

Second Impression (After reading back cover): Description's interesting, but I'm not sure I want to buy it... I'll just get in line for the Kindle-copy at my library.

Third Impression: What the hell is the Book of Shhh? Why is it quoted at the beginning of each chapter?

Fourth Impression: Oh, the Book of Shhh stands for the Safety, Health, and Happiness Handbook in this Utopian world? Okay. Cool. It’s like a Bible? It’s sacrilege if you deface it? Okay. Cool.

Fifth Impression: Love is a disease? What? It used to be called stress, heart disease, anxiety, depressions hypertension, insomnia, bipolar? That’s cool, but… I still don’t get it.

Sixth Impression: AHHHHH! This quote: “The deadliest of all deadly things: it kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.” This is going to be an amazing book.

Seventh Impression: Oh, that’s the love interest right there. It’s so obvious. Why else would Lauren Oliver describe his hair? And like Autumn leaves, no less. Hot right there. (Sarcasm not included with this purchase.)

Eighth Impression: Yawn. Why would Oliver write an eight page description of a run? I really don’t care that much, even if it’s written well. Hana seems like a kickbutt best friend, though. Time will tell for the main character, Lena.

Ninth Impression: I should’ve known that Hana was gonna do that to Lena. I guess the run did have a purpose. Although, I still don’t need an eight page description of what is used to segue into important parts. Oh well, at least we meet the love interest. Alex. (Common name, hmm?)

Nine-point-fifth Impression: Why do they still have radios? One would think, that this far in the future, they would become obsolete. Also, they have a cure for LOVE, but ibuprofen still exists? I’m not sure if this is set in the future, or is an alternate reality.

Tenth Impression: I’m pretty sure Lauren Oliver has a teeth fetish. Or a mouth fetish in general. She uses a lot of similes that involve the mouth or teeth. Other similes of hers are odd, as well. In fact, I’m pretty sure that there are at least two similes on each page of Delirium. 

Eleventh Impression: Lena likes making random words into proper nouns: sympathizers, Coldness, the Wilds, Regulator, Raids, etc. Meh. At least she’s a believable character. Lena buys into her world, and she doesn’t question what she doesn’t know. I also like that Hana is the maverick. Strong best friends are awesome.

Twelfth Impression: What is this, Before I Fall: Deleted Scenes? There are so many similar aspects: the high school name dropping, the frequent analogies and flashbacks, the main character thinking way too much for her health, the philosophical musings. Not that I don’t like it. I love it.

However, if you weren't a fan of Before I Fall like I was, this would not be enjoyable.

Tangent of the Twelfth Impression: At times, I feel like Ms. Oliver is borrowing from Before I Fall. I could’ve sworn that in the scene where Alex and Lena are together, it sounded like Sam thinking about Kent.

Cotangent of the Twelfth Impression: BEING LIKE A BIRD IS HOT, LENA. TOTALLY LISTEN TO ALEX. 

Thirteenth Impression: *Sees the sun rising* 

Crap.

Fourteenth Impression: SOOOO CUTE!!! I LOVE YOU ALEX. HAVE MY BABIES

Fifteenth Impression: At times this can feel like a chick lit, but it’s really good. Although I’m not completely sold on the romance (but Alex is adorable), Lena is a strong, believable main character that is not merely an author insert.

Sixteenth Impression: I think my love of this book is getting worse. I’m showing all the symptom of Amor Deliria Nervosa. And I’ve been quoting the book at people, much to my humor. 

Seventeenth Impression: My exam results came back. I put “Lena” instead of “Lisa” in my essay. I should probably put down this book.

Eighteenth Impression: I was just kidding. This is a really long book, but I need to finish it.

Nineteenth Impression: Damn straight, Lena. You go, girl.

Twentieth Impression: I’m going to recommend this to all my friends. Wait, I have fifty pages left.

Twenty-first Impression: What the…

Twenty-second Impression: ...........................

Last Impression: Hello? Amazon? Yeah, I need a replacement Kindle. Mine flew apart when I threw it across the room. Why? What do you mean that’s not a good reason? Ah, whatever. You suck. Oh, yeah, and can you order a copy of Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver for me? Hello? Hello?

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Here's the trailer for Delirium. I loved it, it was so beautiful. No, really. It takes a lot for me to say a YouTube video is beautiful.