In Lena’s world, love is a disease. Called “deliria amor nervosa”, the disease has a myriad of symptoms and is generally blamed for all the world’s ills. Things are better since a cure was found, or so they say. Lena believes them wholeheartedly and can’t wait for her procedure, scheduled to happen for everyone on their eighteenth birthday. With just months to go, Lena prepares meticulously for her interview and is diligent about staying away from boys, preferring the company of her best friend. But when she and Hana sneak past a fence, she meets a boy, Alex, and though he has the mark of the cured, Lena’s worldview begins to shift in drastic ways.
What a dystopia this was. Can you imagine a world without love? I never could before and I’m not sure I’d like to again – Lena’s world is cold and forbidding. I liked the approach of this story – it reminded me of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, in that Lena just can’t wait to be like everyone else. Her mother, stricken by love, killed herself when Lena was a girl, and ever since she’s been marked with the same brush of tragedy and illness. Being cured is her only way to escape, and she never considers her mother’s last words until she meets Alex and starts to feel what love actually is.
The world itself was interesting and, I thought, fairly well fleshed out for the first volume of a trilogy. Part of me was wondering about the logistics of it all – how many cities are out there like Lena’s? Why did they still allow people to get married if they might fall in love with their spouse? But I set those concerns aside, thinking that they might be answered in the next book, and instead kept reading because I was totally captivated by the story.
I was completely swept away by Delirium. It’s almost difficult to relate to Lena at first because she is so determined to be ordinary. As she slowly breaks the mold and dares to be extraordinary, she becomes much more interesting and I found myself racing through the rest of the story to see what happens to her and Alex. Because of course they are destined to fall in love, and it’s such a wonderful and sweet romance. I could believe in them and I was crossing my fingers for them throughout the story. It really was beautiful. And the ending was something I saw coming – I am not sure now how I’m going to wait until the next volume of the trilogy is released!
In the meantime, I’ve already purchased Before I Fall and can guarantee I’ll be reading that as soon as it arrives on my doorstep. I highly recommend Delirium to anyone looking for a good, compelling YA dystopia with a passionate love story at the core.
For those of us in the UK, Delirium will be published in just a couple of days. In the meantime, here are the publisher’s website and Amazon links!
I am an Amazon Associate. I received this book for free for review from Netgalley.
I have heard such good things about Oliver’s work, and I do want to read both of her books, for very different reasons. I think this book sounds really intriguing, and I also can’t imagine a world without love, but when I start thinking about it, there is just so much an author can do with that, you know what I mean? I am so glad you loved this one, and you have joined many others in convincing me that I need to read it soon!
I’m with you, a world without love would be horrible. This book sounds fascinating!
I really loved this book too. I read Before I Fall right after and it was just as fantastic as I expected! Lauren Oliver is pretty much awesome.
Heather @ Book Addiction´s last post …Giveaway of Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
You are so lucky to be reading these books in the order you are. I think I approached Delirium with too high expectations from Before I Fall, which I loved. I liked Delirium, but it didn’t compare for me to the other!
I liked Derlium but didn’t love it as well. Of course I didn’t even finish Before I Fall!
Amy @ My Friend Amy´s last post …Interview with Julie Gwinn- Fiction Manager for B&H Publishing
Wow, a world without love? What about loving your children or siblings–or is this just a cure for romantic love?
It’s actually all love. You can feel affection and fondness for others but not proper love. Lena’s sister has been “cured” and the difference is pretty obvious to her.