My Review of Delirium + A Commentary by Me!

The thought of the eradication of love is almost unthinkable to most people today. Including me! I'm a closet romance, *shh* and a world without love? That's just crazy! I don't think I'd be able to function properly! I mean, what about my parents, my sisters, and my grammies and grandpas? Will I just be totally impartial to them? They may as well have been unrelated to me if this was the case! But what happens when it becomes a necessary concept? Lena's mom was too late for the cure and she ended up taking her own life. Now, THAT is just scary. I wouldn't know how it feels to have somebody close to you, kill themselves. And most importantly, a world without love (here in Delirium) was the one that pushed Lena's mom to kill herself. I thought that the society was trying to make things better...not get people to kill themselves! Learning from her mother's mistake, Lena can't wait for the cure and live a happy, predestined life. But on the day of her procedure, a few outsiders disrupt it, one of them being Alex. Can I tell you guys how awesome this dude is? If I was Lena, I'd be throw away my ambition to get the cure and just run away with him before anyone catches us...oh well, I can dream can't I? Always being careful about the idea of love, Lena thinks that she is exempt from it but she falls in love with Alex, and the secrets he carries with him. Ohhh! I have tons of secrets...but I ain't sharing *wink wink*

Intricately woven with rules, regulations, and restrictions, Delirium is a convincing read that delves into a dystopian society wherein love is looked down upon. Dudes, when I was reading this book, I felt the confines of the society's rules. Seriously. I felt caged and constricted. It was so believable! The novel not only focuses on creating an established dystopian atmosphere, but it also aims to involve the inner workings of the concepts and ideas present in current societies. Oliver molds the the characters to fit the setting of the novel and also gives them opportunities to grow. Did I mention how much I love the characters? Of course, Alex and Lena will always come first, but I love Lena's family and friends and how well they completely owned their parts! Delirium forces readers the reader to completely immerse themselves Lena's world and question the rules and ways in which the society works. Totally true!

Lena is such a strong character. Her tenacity and her instincts simply fly naturally off each page. I admire Lena's courage in Delirium. At first, she was so unsure and so close-minded and then she became open to new things, which I LOVED...I guess that what happens when a hot guy intervenes...joke! But seriously, her character and personality oozed from the pages! She resonates with the reader extremely well because of her flaws and her mistakes, making her only more human and believable. I've never encountered such a down-to-earth character as Lena. She takes things in stride, but on the inside, she's hurting and she isn't perfect. I love that. Steadily, she grows from her naive, ignorant self into an aware, curious character. Her opinion of love changes slowly through her actions. As she gets more rebellious, she develops and is exposed to the realities of love and the other outsiders like Alex.

Lauren Oliver's writing, simply put, is poetically inspiring. Lauren Oliver can do no wrong in my eyes...unless of course, Lena ends up with another guy (joke!). Although Delirium is written in prose, the poetic, lyrical feel dominates and enhances the different elements in the story. Oliver writes intimately, and compels the reader to fully realize and empathize with the characters in the novel. I'm in love with the plot line of Delirium! All of the events and the secrets unravel so naturally! The storyline develops consistently as readers are steadily merged into the world of Delirium and discover the secrets that lie in the society. Lauren Oliver really made me hate the what the society was doing to Lena and Alex. I hate the cure. But I love the story!