Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Published: February 1st, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 441
Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge, 350 Page Books Challenge
Other: First book in the Delirium Trilogy. Book 2, Pandemonium, will come out in 2012.
Buy the book: Bookdepository

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.

In Delirium, love is seen as a disease: Amor deliria nervosa. The people in Maine are kept tightly under control and everyone get a procedure done once they turn 18 to prevent them from falling in love - or really feel love at all in any form. Before they are married, boys and girls are not allowed to touch eachother. Our main character, Lena, is 17 when we first meet her. She is working toward the day on which she has her interview with the Regulators, who will decide with whom she will be matched for life. In that situation, she first sees Alex. And eventually Lena does the unthinkable: she falls in love.

First up, let me say how much I loved this book. Our protagonist is a 17 year old girl who's mom is said to have killed herself because of the fact she loved a man. Love is considered distructive in this society, which is the reason for the procedure that every 18 year old will have in order to rule out the fact that they can love. This idea is so cuel! The idea was a little similar to Matched, in which Officials match people to their partner for life, but I found Delirium to be of a completely different caliber. The storyline took little time to develop and I immediately felt with Lena. Lena was a good protagonist; she was a little insecure, but easy to relate to and easy to feel with in the story.

When we meet Alex, I found him to be perfectly well described - from the color of his hair (atumn leaves) and his cheekiness (winking at Lena while Regulators are in the same room) and I found him to be a great love interest.

Lauren Oliver has a great writing style and I found myself to be sucked into the story really quickly. This second novel from her hand has certainly not disappointed me, quite the contrary! And the ending.. What are you doing to me, Lauren?? I flipped the page multiple times, sure there had to be more to the story. There wasn't. I can only say: what a cliffhanger!!

My overall rating:


Because Lauren Oliver is a great author and Delirium is the second book that proves she's a five-star writer. After Before I Fall, I thought nothing could come close - but I couldn't be more wrong. I devoured this book and I honestly cannot wait til it's 2012 - because that's when Pandemonium will come out!