Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium (Delirium #1)
by Lauren Oliver
Published: February 7, 2012



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.

There are a lot of things I love in this book which is not what I initially expected my conclusion to be. It's a love story after all and no matter how good it feels to swoon and melt over a romantic story, I'm more of an action-type girl. But believe me when I say that I was captured with every word Lauren Oliver has written. For a world devoid of love, this book sure brings out every wonderful thing we have to cherish in life.

Lena Holoway is not the type of protagonist we usually encounter in a book. Her past consists of everything that led up to where she is now - a rule follower, silent, submissive. Her character is not something you would easily like or love but something you'd totally understand. Her bestfriend, Hana, whom she considers her opposite in looks and status is more easy-going than her controlled and measured views. I admire the friendship they have and how much they care for each other especially with the reality of losing all of it when they receive the cure. That thought alone is heartbreaking and even though Lena doesn't know it, it's obvious she loves Hana subconsciously. I liked how she grew to understand it all when she met Alex. She's blinded by everything she grew up to witness and believe but Alex was the one who let that different side of Lena out. The way she was reserved the first time she met him but slowly lets her heart meet her mind makes the story more realistic and authentic.

It's obvious how much I adore Ms. Oliver's writing style. It's like a flash of color in the bland and cruel world that Lena chose to live in. Not the overly joyous type of words that would sound fake but subtle, vivid and peaceful that you can't help but notice how beautiful it is in such a tragic world. I was satisfied with how it all turned out and although I was a teeny bit disappointed of it's lack in action, I am assured that it would pick up with the way it ended.

I love it when a certain story makes genuine feelings pour out of me and Delirium did. I can put myself into Lena's character and feel the confusion, hurt and loss she felt in the book. Friendship, family and most of all love - it can be pain, it can be bliss - but I can never live without it.

DELIRIUM Read-a-Long Discussion Post #1 (Chapter 1 - 7)

DELIRIUM Read-a-Long Discussion Post #2 (Chapter 8-14)

Words!

"You can't be happy unless you're unhappy sometimes."
_________________

“It's amazing how words can do that, just shred your insides apart. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me - such bullshit.”
_________________

"Sometimes I feel like if you just watch things, just sit still and let the world exist in front of you - sometimes I swear that just for a second time freezes and the world pauses in its tilt. Just for a second. And if you somehow found a way to live in that second, then you would live forever."

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