It may seem a little odd for me to review the second book in this trilogy without reviewing the first, but the truth is that I really didn’t get along with Oliver’s first novel in this series; Delirium. I had looked forward to reading it after hearing so many good reviews, and I thought the basis of the novel was fascinating, as it is set in a world where love is seen as a disease. Although love is undeniably the best thing in our world, it can also be argued that without love there wouldn’t be heartbreak, depression, suicide, alcoholics, abuse… But I found the novel itself to be so disappointing. The character of Lena was an empty shell; she had almost no personality, and her relationship with Alex was predictable and without intrigue. It seemed as though Oliver was going through the motions of the story she had created; there exists a world without love, so ofcourse the main character must fall in love. But I didn’t believe Lena’s love story; there seemed to be no reason why her and Alex fell in love other than the author said so. The only relationship that I did enjoy in Delirium was the friendship between Lena and Hana. After I finished Delirium I was completely discouraged from continuing with the series, and I started reading Ally Condie’s Matched instead. But then I read a review of another reader who has disliked Delirium, but promised that the series vastly improved in Pandemonium. So I gave it a try, and I was pleasantly surprised.
A lowdown on the story so far: Lena lives in Portland, one of the many cities across the country that believes love is a disease, known as amor deliria nervosa. If one is ‘infected’ with the disease, they could be thrown in the terrifying prison known as the Crypt, or even killed. Once they reach their eighteenth birthday, each citizen is administered with the cure; a surgical procedure which removes any trace of love from their brains. They are then matched with a suitable partner so they may procreate. But they are cold, distant and do not care about anyone. Lena once yearned for her own cure, but after meeting Alex, she begins to question the authority of her community. They soon fall in love and plan their escape to the Wilds, the place on the outskirts of the city where Alex is from. But when the night comes for them to go over the fence, they are separated, and Lena must run away from all that she has known, completely alone. Lena begins a new life in New York as a part of the resistance, which includes following Julian Fineman, the son of Thomas Fineman, leader of the DFA – Deliria Free America.
Lena has grown in the space between Pandemonium and Delirium; she is strong, defiant and passionate. I found the boring, predictable Lena from Delirium gone, and I loved the fire that can now be seen in her. She is finally a real character, someone that reader can empathize with and respect. I also adored the love story between Lena and Julian. Although some readers may be outraged that she has fallen in love so quickly after losing Alex, I found that this relationship had a real foundation, and was so much more believable; I found myself falling in love with him right alongside her.
Reading Pandemonium has finally got me hooked on Oliver’s series, and after the shocking ending of the novel, I couldn’t wait another minute to read Requiem.
Second Star To The Write 