A review for Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver

Posted by Jess
Published Date: August 4th, 2011 (UK release)
Finished Date: October 27th, 2011
Publishers: Hodder & Stoughton
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback
Pages: 393


The Blurb from Goodreads: 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.

The Review: "I love you. Remember. They cannot take it."

I'm not even sure where to begin with this review. Delirium was just an intensely powerful read, that it left me on the edge of my seat for a lot of the time.

I've wanted to read this book for so long now, and I was so happy when Donna managed to get it from Harper for me to review. It's taken me a while to get to reading it, but I finally managed to.

I knew this was a Dystopian, but I didn't know what the concept was until I started reading it. Love. Love is a disease medically called Amor Deliria Nervosa, at least that's what the government think. So they've created a 'cure' that every one must have when they reach the age of 18. We meet Lena Haloway. Lena doesn't know any different, and she's excited to receive her 'Procedure', so that she can be 'cured' or be prevented from being 'infected' with the disease. But then she does the unthinkable...she falls in love.

Well what can I say. Delirium was just beautifully written. Lauren Oliver has such a way with words that all her descriptions just jumped off of the page. Such vivid descriptions and the way everything is written just leaves you sucked in.

The first half of the book is pretty slow to get going, lots of story on the state of the U.S, we understand that they believe love is a disease, but we lack the understanding as to why they came to this conclusion. So a little more on the background of why, more than the how's and the cure would have been good. That's my only gripe though. Everything else was flawless. The characters I thought were wonderful, Lena to start off annoys me a little and I found it hard to connect to her, but later on as events unfold I begin to sympathize with her and slowly my liking for her grew. Alex. Well Alex, if you don't read this book for something, please at least read it just for him. Alex is an incredible character, he was my favourite. Lauren Oliver created a boy-sorry-man that just makes your heart go all a flutter and you simply fall head over heels for him. Lena's best friend Hana was great too. She pretty much starts off as a rebel and Lena is the quiet subdued one, but eventually Hana realizes she's just settled in the 'cure' life and Lena realizes, it's not what she wants at all, she loves; and it's because of that love that the epic chain of events takes place, leading to a dramatic climax that will leave you wanting so much more! 

I'm not really sure what else to write, I've said all I can. Only that I must have Pandemonium NOW! I need to know what's happened to Alex. God, I hate the self sacrificing heros! Why, why do that to us readers? Especially when we fall in love with you. Anyway, safe to say I have officially been infected with 'Amor Deliria Nervosa'.

Thank you to Hodder for allowing me to review this wonderful, wonderful book.