Review of Delirium

My review of Delirium by Lauren Oliver is based on a Kindle edition that was gifted to me. The following review is my honest opinion of the work.

Goodreads Summary: "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."

After all of the amazing reviews that Delirium has received I expected to fall in love with it from practically the first word. You know, the literary equivalent of love at first sight. Several bloggers, and friends, who had never before steered me wrong when it came to their bookish recommendations had been head over heels in love with this book and desperate for its sequel. Imagine my dismay when I was a little over halfway into the book and still waiting for my own lovesick symptoms to kick in.

And am I the only one that spent over half the story wishing that the novel centered more around Hana than Lenah? I mean, I know that heroines aren't typically made in a day but for a huge chunk of the novel I felt myself wanting to wander away from the main plotline to see what Hana was up to. The main characters took entirely too long to win me over to their side.

It wasn't until close to the end of Delirium that I really felt myself falling under its spell, falling in love with the book to the point where my symptoms matched up with those actually listed withint the text. I just had to know what happened next, you guys! Delirium was one of those books that had the kind of ending that leaves me really surprised that there is a sequel. I mean, I can see how Lauren Oliver could have written one but it doesn't seem absolutely necessary. Delirium, to me, was complete on its own.

Despite my initial reactions, and after much debate, I'm giving Delirium by Lauren Oliver a four out of five stars review. I can definitely see why this novel caught the attention, and the hearts, of so many of my blogging friends and fellow readers. Though I loved the last, third or so of the book, I can't honestly give this one a perfect rating. I wanted to love it completely but, despite its clever dystopian world and its brilliant ending, there was just a little something missing for me in the beginning and for part of the middle portion.

All in all? I'd say Delirium is worth the read whether you scoop up a copy from your local library or hit up a bookstore.