Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HaperTeen
Date: February 1st 2011
Pages: 448
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Series: Delirium #1
Source: Hardcover

Goodreads Summary:
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.

Review:

This book grabbed my attention from the moment I saw the synopsis. Love is a disease. How many times in life have we thought this for just a moment? I was intrigued so I picked it and I devoured it.

The premise of the story is simple, love is a disease, it must be dealt with, avoided until cured. The way that the author introduced this idea amazed me. She had me thinking, wow I can totally see how this could be seen as a disease. Love makes you do things you normally wouldn’t do. Love makes you think of only that one person’s happiness. Love will end up hurting you and in the end one could even die from love. Makes sense to me. I have been here. This is all very true. So what would a world without love is like, or from the main character, Len’s point of view, what would the world be like with love.

Lena believes everything that is taught about the disease amor deliria nervosa. She believes a world where everyone has this disease is unthinkable. She never wants to get this disease, she wants to be cured, and she wants to live the life of happiness. She is scared of this disease, until the day she falls in love. Lena will now know the truth about this disease.

Lena is a very lovable character for me. She is smart, brave, and independent. What she believes in is something she has been taught her entire life and yet when the time comes to question it, she doesn’t hesitate. She meets Alex, she falls in love, she knows her life will be different now, she embraces it.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. The setting, the story, the characters, the writing style, it was all perfect for me. The romance was well done, the characters well built, the story well thought out. I couldn’t have asked for more. This will be another one to add to my reread bookshelf.

Rating: