Delirium

It's really not that much of a stretch to think of being in love as being "infected", though in general we don't like to think it makes us certifiable. But in this dystopian novel by Lauren Oliver, that's precisely what has happened: love (in all its forms) has been declared the enemy, but not to worry, the "procedure" will make everything right...boring and predictable, but all right. And unless you were unfortunate enough to become infected before your eighteenth birthday, it will be a blessing that all has been laid out before you with no unnecessary emotion to muddy the waters. Here's where it gets tricky for heroine Lena; she's met Alex, a young man who quite suddenly has made her no longer wish to join the ranks of the "cured", but instead escape into the Wilds where the pair can be together with all its ensuing emotions. And naturally there's where everything really goes awry.

Delirium follows Lena, whose mother succumbed to the dreaded infection, as she faces the summer after her senior year waiting for the medical procedure that will provide her with the cure, knowing it will mean she will no longer be friends with best friend Hana and that her future mate will be someone chosen for her after her evaluation by the government boards. Lena is okay with this until Alex's appearance, and when she learns that he is only pretending to be cured, their dangerous relationship takes on further edge. Alex shows her what life could be without the procedure, but Lena is torn...until she realizes that not only will she lose Alex, but her whole life has been a lie perpetuated by those who are supposed to be closest to her. And then it's a race against time to keep from having the procedure, no matter the cost.

This novel is filled with interesting characters, though at times some situations seemed a little too easy for Lena; no one seems to noticed her frequent trips past curfew through the streets of Portand, and her mute youngest cousin is obviously hiding something important. I was able to figure out the twist with Lena's mother early on, and the reliability of friend Hana was very convenient. However, still figuring out where I was headed in this story didn't detract from the excitement of the emotions Lena experiences, and the edge of your seat drama at the end was riveting. If Lena is a bit too naive at times, and then a bit too headstrong, it's fully expected of teens to be just that, especially when faced with critical decisions that will affect not just your own life but the lives of those you care about. Delirium may not be the perfect dystopian novel, but it is fun and engaging, and that's what matters to this reader. Bring on Pandemonium!


~taminator40