Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Pandemonium (Delirium #2)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Published: February 28, 2012

Pages: 337

Series: yes (first installment is 'Delirium')

Source: purchased

Amazon Summary: I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, 

pushing aside thoughts of Alex, 

pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, 

push, 

push, 

push, 

like Raven taught me to do.

The old life is dead.

But the old Lena is dead too.

I buried her.

I left her beyond a fence,

behind a wall of smoke and flame.

**REVIEW**

After finishing 'Delirium' I immediately picked up 'Pandemonium' and finished it in one sitting.

It took me completely by surprise how good I found it - so good.

'Delirium' is faster, action-packed, stronger. It's now clear 'Delirium' was only setting the stage, convincing the reader. I left off not quite liking Lena - I found that she was incredibly brainwashed, that she was weak.

In 'Pandemonium' we'll flash back and forth between Lena's "now" (when she's back inside the fences) and her "then" (when she's living in the Wilds) and I very much enjoyed following the two stories back-to-back. It was a great idea of Oliver to craft the story this way.

The Wilds was believable and I could sense the cold and struggle through the pages, I also really liked that the book was set in New York - it was much wider, freer, the atmosphere definitely didn't feel as controlled or trapped as in Portland. There was more room to breathe. For the majority of the book, it barely felt like a dystopian society which I didn't mind.

The whole plotline in 'Pandemonium' did contain a few flaws but generally had more space to move around in. Though I loved Lena's newfound egde, I found it a bit unbelievable that she'd gotten so invincible in all of her encounters. She was a little too much of a pro all of a sudden.

To me, 'Pandemonium' was all about Lena's growth. She's made a 180 from where she left off, she's grown - I was shocked by her newfound strength.

In 'Pandemonium' Lena's been learning to survive in the Wilds, to live with everything she's left behind. She's tougher, edgier, stronger. I automatically compared her to Cammie from the 'Gallagher Girls' series by Ally Carter.

I was heartbroken by how Lena held onto Alex, it actually made me like him so much more. Just the constant idea of him made me realize I needed him with Lena. Alex had been the reason for everything and it really mattered now that he wasn't around.

[Minor spoilers!] How the deal with Julian was going to unfold was apparent. Some may have been bothered by the fact that Lena could fall in love with another guy so soon after supposedly losing Alex but considering the circumstances and the odd situations she found herself in with Julian, it wasn't out of the blue. Two people, forced to be with each other, and fearing for their lives, are bound to grow some kind of connection. I didn't feel any particular way about Julian but I didn't mind him either, he was just there. [Spoilers ended!]

The end, sort of expected, had me totally excited. I'm dying to read the last installment! I need to know how things are going to turn out and I can't believe I'll have to wait until next year. Though, it's set in stone I'll read the third and last installment. How could I not with the cliffhanger Oliver presented?!

(4.5/5)

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium (#1)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Published: February 7, 2012

Pages: 401

Series: yes (second installment, 'Pandemonium')

Source: purchased

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**

Finally I'm coming around to reviewing this.

'Delirium' is my first dystopian novel in so long it feels like my first dystopian novel ever. I'm not a fan of the dystopian genre and except for this series I don't see myself picking up a dystopian book anytime soon (well, except if it somehow wins me over like 'Delirium' astonishingly did).

I read Oliver's 'Before I Fall' and just like 'Delirium' it's one of those books you'll either really like or really dislike. I really liked 'Before I Fall' and naturally wanted to read more books by Oliver.

Firstly, I have to address that most negative reviews of 'Delirium' seem to surround the speed of the story (slow.) I can see that, I was past the 100th page before finding that things started to happen. But that didn't mean it was a drag until then. I enjoyed Oliver's raw, poetic, and descriptive writing style.

I wasn't sure about the storyline - that love is a disease that humans need to be cured of - in a way it's simple, but most of all, it's such a challenge to actually be convinced of it. That the book started off with Lena's evaluation helped me get in the right state of mind. The society Lena lives in is clinical and cruel and it comes across.

Lena was brainwashed, and I'm sure that's how Oliver intended for her to be. She religiously believed in everything the government had succeeded programming into the community - it's all she knows and have ever known.

I didn't like the voice of Lena - even when she was happy and in love, she thought she'd been infected; it bothered me she would still view her and Alex's relationship as the outcome of an illness. She wasn't strong, she didn't stand as her own person. I wonder how the story would've turned out having the protagonist be more adventurous and risky to begin with.

I loved Alex, Hana, and even Grace - as in genuinely cared for them. Alex and Hana were good; too good for Lena. Maybe that's unfair to state but considering the amount of trouble they were willing to go through for her, I couldn't help but feel this way. Certain moments with the three taking risks for her really touched me, even brought tears to my eyes.

I can't put my finger on exactly why I like this book. It's well-written. Oliver has the ability to write about something you're not supposed to agree with, character you're not necessarily supposed to like, and still make an impact. 'Delirium' is a lonely, trapped, and unsafe journey - and that's how I felt when reading it.

The end should've been heartbreaking or devastasting, but I just found it awfully unfair. I was even a little mad at Lena, I felt she'd been lucky rather than deserving. It was just unfair, probably not the best note to leave off on but enough to have me purchase the second installment, 'Pandemonium'.

 (4/5)