Delirium

Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 1, 2012

Format: Hardcover

Source: Purchased

Goodreads Description:

"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."

***

I was intrigued from the very first page of Deliruim. The idea of love being considered a disease (amor deliria nervosa) is just fascinating—especially when you examine the symptoms of love because they are actually pretty similar to certain diseases (distraction, racing heart, preoccupation). What a brilliant concept to write about!

Even though I loved the concept, Delirium did not truly captivate me until the second half of the novel. Delirium is primarily a character driven novel, which is synonymous with slow in the beginning. While I do love character driven novels, I always find myself trudging through them in the beginning. You need to be attached to the characters in order to enjoy this type of novel, and that attachment typically takes several chapters to develop.

The plot really starts to pick up in the second half of the story. Had I not loved Alex and Lena, I would not have enjoyed it nearly as much. However, since I absolutely love them, the novel was so intense! I was on edge every single moment. I needed to know what would happen—I could not tear myself away from the story. The world building was great, but the character development is where Lauren Oliver really shines.

Delirium features a great set of characters, a fascinating world, and one of the best romances ever. Oliver proves that amor deliria nervosa is worth fighting for and that indifference is far worse than hate. The world building was amazing, the characters were even better, and oh my god the romance. Delirium is definitely a must read for fans of love stories and dystopia.

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