Delirium: Review

Goodreads' description:

"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 governments 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."

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Premise/plot:

There was a lot of buzz surrounding Delirium, and I'm sorry to say that this book didn't live up to my (admittedly high) expectations. Of course, there was so much hype built up by the time I read it that this isn't too surprising.

Comparisons between dystopian novels are inevitable, and I think my reaction to Delirium suffered a bit from the fact that I'd read Matched only a couple months before. The general idea is the same: forbidden love in a society determined to control every detail of your life. So I experienced a kind of déja vu as I was reading Delirium. Of course, if I had read this book first and Matched second, I likely would have had the same comment about Matched, and since they were released at roughly the same time, it is no fault of Lauren Oliver's that the two premises are similar. Delirium also reminded me of the Uglies series, because "the Wilds" seemed very similar to "the Smoke," and of course they both involve giving their citizens an operation.

Having read these (and other) dystopian books, a lot of the events in Delirium seemed fairly predictable. I knew the ending was supposed to be a cliffhanger, but fortunately it turned out to be totally different from what I had anticipated. However, I didn't find the emotional impact to be that powerful, which may be partly because I'm still rather confused about exactly why everything played out the way it did. Big spoiler, highlight to read: Okay, why does Alex not follow Lena? Is it because he wants to buy her more time? Or because he's wounded and physically can't get over the fence? But it seemed like he was planning not to follow her before he ever got shot...


Delirium does have its own unique twist, though. I really like the concept of a society that believes love is a disease and "cures" it, and I wanted to learn more about how this came to be the crux of the society's foundation. What is actually happening when people "afflicted" with love grow ill and die? Are there records of this — and what is the real explanation for deliria? And what is the "cure" *actually* doing? Plus, maybe I missed something, but... if the operation is supposed to remove both love and sexual desire, then exactly how does reproduction in this society work? I kept wondering this the whole way through... maybe we will get an explanation in book 2?

Along with the ending, there was one other major plot point that I didn't see coming. I can't decide just how I feel about it, but it's very spoilery, so highlight to read: I'm of two minds about Lena's mom not having committed suicide after all. On the one hand, it appeared to be a dramatic event that had strongly influenced Lena's outlook and emotional development, so to find out that it was all a lie seemed to lessen its impact somehow. On the other hand, it did surprise me and give rise to several more questions and another storyline, that I'm sure we'll find out more about in the sequel.

I did find Delirium rather slow-moving, since a large part of the book was focused on building up the romance between Lena and Alex. Although it didn't grip me so tightly that I couldn't put it down, I read it quite steadily for most of the way through. And actually, one of the most memorable scenes for me was not action-packed, but stood out because of its setting: the one in the Crypts. It's eerie without being over-the-top, everything from the mouldering building to the guard with the creepy, icky vibe giving me that "just the slightest bit off" feeling.

Characters:

It took me a bit before I started liking the main character Lena. Of course, she's pretty brainwashed at the beginning of the novel and once she falls in love, begins to "wake up" and realizes she actually has something with Alex that her society is threatening, she becomes a bit easier to root for. Still, I never felt a strong connection with her, like I really understood her mindset. It seemed like she often defined herself in relation to other people: initially as a friend of Hana and a dutiful niece to her aunt, and then later as Alex's girlfriend. I'm hoping that some more character development will take place in the sequel and that Lena will grow into someone who can stand on her own two feet.

I enjoyed the initial attraction between Alex and Lena; Alex's confidence is appealing, as is his penchant for a bit of rule-breaking, and Oliver does an excellent job of portraying the infatuation phase. But once they actually became a couple, their relationship started feeling a bit too sweet for my taste, sometimes verging into overly dramatic and angsty. And perhaps I'm naturally skeptical, but it seemed rather easy for them to sneak around and fool everyone for as long as they did. This is a "Big Brother is watching you" type of dystopian society, after all; there's not much you should be able to slip past them.  

I think one reason I wasn't completely wrapped up in the romance is that Alex came across as perfect — he's considerate, romantic, brave, loyal... He didn't strike me as having any discernible weaknesses, and I like my fictional characters to feel a little more real, even if it means being a little less than perfect. Lena, on the other hand, does have flaws: she's not super courageous (at least not in a showy, 'gutsy' kind of way), she takes things pretty much for granted at the beginning, she can't really see the big picture.

Not sure whether this really counts as a "character," but I was disappointed not to see more of the government's representatives — they do make a few appearances in groups, but we don't actually see much of who's running the show here. Perhaps this is deliberate, but without very much description or a sense of how the government functions, "Big Brother" just didn't seem that scary (in fact, for most of the book it didn't seem like they were doing a very good job of being a vigilant watchdog, frankly.) 

I did really enjoy the friendship between Hana and Lena. Even once Alex enters the scene, it continues to make up a very important part of Lena's life. You can tell that these two have been best friends for such a long time, and that their friendship is critical to Lena's wellbeing and happiness. I also thought the characterization of Lena's aunt and sister was spot on. Rachel in particular had me guessing, wondering just how much she remembered from before the operation, and how far she'd be willing to go to obey the rules.

Writing style: This one's written in first person present, and while it isn't my favourite format, I can understand why it's chosen for a dystopian novel. It gives the reader the effect of being "in the moment" with Lena as she falls for Alex and realizes that love is worth fighting for. I thought the addition of little excerpts from various sources at the beginning of each chapter was a brilliant way of giving the reader a little bit extra to make the society feel more real and the premise grounded in history.

Final verdict: 3.5 shooting stars.

Disclaimer: I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.

For some other perspectives on Delirium, you can check these bloggers' reviews out:

I Swim For Oceans
Book Infinity
21 Pages

Before I Fall: Review

It starts with a death. It's Friday, Sam is sitting shotgun in her friend Lindsay's car as they drive home from a party, when suddenly - it's over. There's a crash, and then she's falling through darkness. So when she wakes up the next morning, she's a little confused about what happened...and it gets a good deal more confusing when Sam realizes that she's woken up to Friday. Again. And then again. And then again. Sam can change the choices she makes during the day, but will she be able to alter the ultimate outcome? Or is she destined to die that day?

Before I Fall is like the movie Groundhog Day (which, by the way, I really enjoy!), but set in high school. It's a good thing Lauren Oliver references the movie, because there are certainly a few similarities - for instance, the various stages each main character goes through as they realize things about their situation, and "the other car will swerve first" idea. I'd never seen this premise used before in a book, however, and Oliver does a good job of making it her own.


Characters:

I didn't like Sam at the beginning. I'm quite sure that was intentional on Oliver's part. Frankly, Sam starts out as rather self-centered and shallow with a frustrating lack of self-awareness. Not to mention, she has a tendency to unthinkingly follow along with what everyone else is doing (particularly her friends, and particularly the ringleader Lindsay). Sam does understand that she's popular - and she's willing to do almost anything to keep it that way. However, we are given a glimmer of hope for Sam's character development; there are mentions of a time when Sam wasn't so concerned with what everyone else thought of her, and she does have some good qualities - loyalty to her friends (though they may not deserve it) and love for her family, especially her younger sister. In this way, Oliver shows us that Sam is really just playing a part, but she's managed to act it so well she's fooled even herself.

Seeing Sam mature gradually throughout the book, and learn what she valued and how her actions affected others, was really enjoyable. She's not the most interesting character in the book - she's fairly ordinary, all things considered - but she makes a good narrator. We may not always like what Sam does or sympathize with her, but we are all familiar with the themes of friendship, popularity, and growing up that are important at this point in her life. Sometimes I wanted to groan when I realized Sam still hadn't got it (she's a bit slow on the uptake on occasion), but we do see progress, and that's the main thing. At the start, I would not have wanted a friend like Sam, but by the end, she'd become a person I think I would have enjoyed spending time with.

Lindsay was the only one of Sam's friends I really felt was a distinct character. She's the head of their little group, she's the cruelest of all of them, and she gets a thrill out of bullying others. So many times I kept wondering why Sam chose to be friends with Lindsay. After all, Lindsay used to make fun of Sam when they were younger. Originally it seems like it was just because Lindsay was popular, Sam wasn't, and when Lindsay invited her into the clique, Sam went. But over the years it's clear that a bond has formed between them (and Ally and Elody, the other members of their group), and their friendship has staying power. (Why she still wants to be friends with them I'm really not sure. They don't seem to go through the same revelations and attitude changes that Sam does.) Also, Lindsay has some secrets from her past, and they're connected with Juliet Sykes, the girl Lindsay seems to hate the most. Learning more about how Lindsay got the way she is, and why she is so hurtful to Juliet, helped me to better understand her character - though I don't have to like it!

Which brings me to Juliet Sykes, who in some ways was my favorite character (well, that's not true, I think my favorite was Kent. But that's for later.) She was the ultimate victim. For years and years she endured teasing and hurtful jokes from everyone; she basically had no friends. I really felt sorry for her - high school can be a pretty awful place if you're in a position like that. Add to that problems at home (her dad is rumored to be an alcoholic) and the reader can understand exactly why Juliet's lost all hope. The storyline surrounding Juliet is definitely where Oliver shows us the darker side of life.

Now, on to Kent. He's the main romantic interest in the book (don't try to tell me that Rob is, because he's not remotely romantic), but more than that - he's Sam's childhood friend. One she cast aside when Lindsay picked her, and she became 'too cool' for the likes of Kent. All of this time, though, he's still been trying to connect with her again, though she's made it perfectly clear he's not good enough for her. One of the sweetest parts of this book was seeing Sam realize what she's been overlooking this whole time by writing Kent off. And one of the saddest parts is that each day when she wakes up, she knows he won't remember anything from the day before, and she has to start all over again. I loved Kent, he was so adorable and so willing to forgive and forget!

I do wish that Ally and Elody had been given more personality. I think Oliver tries to do this by giving us some random facts about them, but I still didn't get a good sense of who they were. To me they always just kind of remained the mindless sheep of the group (maybe that's who they're supposed to be?) Also, I wish we could have seen more of Anna; Sam connects with her at one point, but I didn't really understand what makes Anna tick (and why she was doing some of the things she was). There are also a few characters (Tara and crew) that are introduced briefly for a day, but then not mentioned again. None of these girls had really distinct personalities and they all sort of blended in my mind.

Plot:

Oliver's twist on the Groundhog Day premise - Sam's death at the beginning - really added to the novel, and made it a little less predictable. I was always wondering: was she really dead this whole time, and would nothing she did make a difference? Or was there a chance she could prevent her death and wake up on Saturday?

Still, since I knew the basic premise, I wasn't surprised by too many developments in the plot. There was at least one I-didn't-see-that-coming moment, but on the whole I would have liked a few more surprises. The book is more focused on characters - their interactions, their histories, their growth - than action, which was probably necessary given that Sam was so unlikeable to begin with.

I did have a little difficulty keeping all of Sam's Fridays straight in my mind. It wasn't so much that I found it too repetitive, because I liked seeing how the choices she made affected how the day went. It was more that I kept getting confused by what happened on which day, and I wouldn't always remember the details Sam would sometimes mention from a previous day.

I can't say too much about the ending without spoiling, but I was a little disappointed. It definitely makes sense and ties everything together - it just wasn't the ending I was hoping for. The solution almost seems a bit too simple, although I can understand why Oliver chose it. Also, the final moments of the story are a bit unclear (they're probably supposed to be, but I usually like to know exactly what's going on). I did appreciate how the epilogue mirrors the prologue, that was a nice touch.

Writing style:

This book was a pretty easy read, and although I often can't get into books written in present voice, it really worked for this one. The author did seem to have a penchant for shorter sentences, which when used too frequently sometimes became a bit irritating (but didn't detract much from my enjoyment). I had to flip back a few times in an effort to mentally straighten out the sequence of events of previous days, although as the book went on I kind of gave up on figuring out exactly what happened when and just went along with it. This problem is tied up with the nature of the premise, and I'm not sure what might have made it easier to keep track, but a bit more clarity in how each day progressed would have been appreciated.

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 shooting stars. For readers who enjoy stories set in high school, characters who gradually learn from their mistakes, and seeing how even small choices can affect the events of a single day.