November 12

‘Delirium’ by Lauren Oliver

Delirium‘The most dangerous sicknesses are those that make us believe we are well.’ – Proverb 42, The Book of Shhh.

It’s been sixty-four years since the President and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since scientists perfected a cure. It’s called amor deliria nervosa, and those who become infected are dangerous infractions in society, and must be neutralised at all costs. The cure is administered to citizens the day they turn eighteen, and Lena Haloway only has ninety-five days left. Lena, along with everyone else, looks forward to the day they receive the cure, as a life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured and predictable. But her best friend, Hana, doesn’t agree with that at all, and neither does Alex, the mysterious boy with the autumn coloured eyes who keeps popping up when Lena least expects it. And with the Government refusing to even admit to the existence of the Invalids, an underground rebel alliance from the other side of the border, Lena is starting to disagree as well. With memories from her past resurfacing about her mother and how different she was from other cured parents, Lena begins to doubt everything she was ever forced to believe, especially when she starts harbouring feelings of the illegal kind for a certain boy who seems to know far more about the disease than he lets on. Lena starts to realise just how little control she has over her own life, and opens her eyes to just how little humanity there is inside a machine.

From the moment I picked this book up, I couldn’t put it down, and it will definitely be one that stays with me for a long time. Each page was thick with tension and I found myself feeling like I was in the story with Lena, afraid that at any second I would be taken away for knowing too much. The suspense really was killer, and I found that I could relate to the characters easily, like they were real people. Every emotion Lena felt was translated flawlessly through the descriptive language in the book, and the vast use of vocabulary made the heavy situation palpable and full of real substance. Not once did I encounter a moment that seemed to drag on or lack essence of any kind, and the story was full of twists and deeper meanings where I had to read between the lines, making me think about what that sentence really meant long after I’d finished the book. The characters were well developed and relatable, and their fear for their lives was especially raw and material. It’s a book that I could read over and over again, and every time I would get lost in the story.

I recommend this story to girls, around thirteen to adulthood. People who enjoyed The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or Matched by Ally Condie would appreciate the story especially. I rate Delirium 5 stars out of 5, and I will probably be reading the book a second time.

Lily T., Year 9.’

……..

“The most dangerous sicknesses are those that make us believe we are well.” –Proverb 42, The Book of Shhh. (p1). Wow, sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Let’s find out…

This story is set in the future, in a place and time where love is a disease. Imagine that! Half of the movies we see would never be made, no one would be dreaming of Harry Styles, and what would happen on February 14th? Nothing, that’s what. It’s Valentine’s Day if you didn’t know…

The main girl, Lena, is 17 and about to get ‘the cure’ for love, called “The Producer”, along with her friend, Hana. Hana is a rebel, and likes going to parties. Lena goes to one and meets Alex, who is a boy. Alex flirts with Lena, and she feels confused because Alex is supposed to be cured, and she is worried about her future. Lena is afraid of Alex.

One night, Hana goes to a party, and Lena goes to warn her that it is going to be raided. Some dogs attack her, and Alex saves her by looking after her wounds. Lena’s future has already been chosen, and her future husband follows the rules, and she feels bad that she is thinking so much about Alex. This is like some cultures where they have arranged marriages.

They run off into the wild and it gets quite romantic. They read poetry to each other and Lena realises that Alex isn’t cured and he is falling in love with her.

I would tell you more but I don’t to wreck it. It’s interesting if you like books like “Divergent” or “The Hunger Games”. I like more mystery type books with more action than this one. If you are a girl, aged 14-15, and into romance, you might like this book. I would rate this book 3/5 because it was ok but not as interesting as I thought it would be, based on the blurb.

— Katelyn, Year 9

……..

“He who leaps for the sky may fall, it’s true. But he may also fly.”

(One of the most famous quotes from Delirium)

Delirium is an award-winning book around the world. In fact this is the best book that Lauren Oliver ever wrote that is now a book series. This book is based on romance and maybe a tiny bit of adventure. This book definitely keeps your eyes wide open especially for ages between 14 and 20 years. Not only does Delirium have an amazing story line but the book also follows along with beautiful wording that I couldn’t get my eyes off the book!

Delirium is a successful novel that is about forbidden love and everybody in the story is scared of being in love. The government has a rule that when you turn 18, you have to get a cure. This cure is for everyone to not have the ability to fall in love forever or, as the government calls love, the disease Amor Deliria Nervosa. The main character of the book, Lena, is 17 and in a few days she turns 18 and then she will get the needle. But she also has one dark big secret that she knows is not good at all for her. The government will not be impressed at all.

In my opinion, this was a great gripping story that will have all teens reading more than once. I definitely rate this book at least a four out of 5 stars as I couldn’t get my hands off the book. I am so very happy that I got to do a review about this amazing book, and I will be definitely continue on with the book series for a very long time.

Madison – Year 9

……..

“You can’t be happy unless you’re unhappy sometimes”. – Lauren Oliver

Delirium is an award-winning book loved by many teens. This book is set in Portland, Maine. It is based around 64 years after love had been stated as a disease by the United States government.

Lena Holoway is a seventeen-year-old girl ready for her 18th birthday. When she turns 18 she will be able to have the mandatory medical procedure that causes patients to be incapable of love. Lena is hoping that the cure will let her lead a safe and traditional life.

Delirium is about a world where no one can love as it has been declared a disease. People were not allowed to love, as it would mean you have a disease. Lena can’t wait until she gets the cure so that everyone would have a life without love and pain. Hana is Lena’s best friend who doesn’t agree with the cure and neither does the mystery boy, Alex. Lena eventually realises that she also disagrees. She realised that her memories from her past were reappearing about her mother, she realised that her mother was much different to the other cured parents. Lena began to realise that she doesn’t believe in everything she was taught to believe.

I liked this book because it has an interesting plot that keeps readers stuck in the book. You can’t keep their eyes off it. I would recommend this book to teenagers from the ages of 13 and above because it’s a hard book to understand and it’s more for that age category.

Thalia F., year 9

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Posted November 12, 2015 by marjk in category Dystopian fiction, Love stories, Student Reviews

About the Author

Teacher-librarian at Aquinas College, Southport, Gold Coast, Australia

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