Author: Lauren Oliver
Narrator: Sarah Drew
Publication Date: February 3, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Add to Goodreads
Reviews for book 2 & book 3
In an alternate United States, love has been declared a dangerous disease, and the government forces everyone who reaches eighteen to have a procedure called the Cure. Living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in Portland, Maine, Lena Haloway is very much looking forward to being cured and living a safe, predictable life. She watched love destroy her mother and isn't about to make the same mistake.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena meets enigmatic Alex, a boy from the "Wilds" who lives under the government's radar. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love?
Love is a disease. When they turn 18, everyone receives a cure and they are freed from the sickness and distraction caused by love. Lena's mother could not be cured, and as her procedure approaches, Lena begins to wonder if she will suffer the same fate. Then she meets Alex, a Cured boy who shows her a different side to everything she's ever be taught. Lena realizes she may have caught the sickness that is love, and she soon risks everything to avoid the cure.
I've always been intrigued by the idea of Delirium, and I have put off reading it for years because I've heard a lot of mixed reviews. I'm really glad I finally decided to pick it up. I found the concept of love being considered a disease completely fascinating. One of the things that I love about Lauren Oliver is that she really seems to commit when she writes science fiction elements into her stories. Delirium is so much more than a story about a disease called love. The society revolves around a religion in which science and faith are intermingled. The little snippets at the beginning of each chapter explaining more about the faith were my favorite parts of the book. I would honestly read an entire book just about this society's faith because I found it so fascinating.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the characters. Lena, Alex, and Hana seemed to act like typical teenagers. Lena was sometimes a little dramatic about love, but considering what she's been told about the sickness her whole life, I'll let that slide. Despite how much I liked the characters, I wasn't entirely convinced by the romance. Alex and Lena fell for each other way too quickly, and while I'm sure they care for each other, I am not convinced that what they felt was love. I am intrigued by their story, but I don't really care if their relationship survives.
So, with that being said, will I like this series as it continues? I'm not sure. If the romance becomes more of a focal point (which I think it will), I'm not sure I will enjoy the remaining books as much as the first one. I would honestly love to learn more about the world that Lauren Oliver has created and how our society came to be the way it is in Delirium. I will definitely be finishing the series, because I am so entranced by the world, but I ultimately don't care very much about our two star-crossed lovers.
