Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver Review

5/5 Stars

Details of the book:

Hardcover, 441 pages

Published by HarperCollins

Published August 2, 2011
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Book Depository

Synopsis: In an alternate United States, love has been declared a dangerous disease, and the government forces everyone who reaches eighteen to have a procedure called the Cure. Living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in Portland, Maine, Lena Haloway is very much looking forward to being cured and living a safe, predictable life. She watched love destroy her mother and isn't about to make the same mistakes.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena meets enigmatic Alex, a boy from the Wilds who lives under the government's radar. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love?

I read this book a few years ago but seeing as the first review I ever posted on my blog was Requiem, the last book in the trilogy, it seemed weird to post reviews for the other two but I think I've waited long enough haha.

If you're looking for a dystopian novel with an epic romance you need to read Delirium. This book is all about the couple and while reading I felt like I was in their relationship right along with them. I felt myself falling hard for this book. The beginning is a little slow but once you get past the foundation of the world-building it really picks up. If you want to fall in love, read this book. 

Strengths/Likes:

1) Lena and Alex's relationship. They were so cute and their relationship was so passionate that I felt like I was just going to melt reading about it. 

2) The whole love is a disease is really interesting. Reading about the world and the propaganda in the book I actually found myself understanding (at least somewhat) why they would consider it a disease. It was really convincing. 

Weaknesses/Dislikes:

1) I don't like Hana. I've read all three books and starting in this book I didn't like her. I had a feeling about her. That's all I'm going to say about it. 

2) The beginning was pretty slow and I just kept wanting more Alex so it was tough reading through the parts without him. 

Favorite Quotes/Moments:

1) "It's so strange how life works: You want something and you wait and wait and feel like it's taking forever to come. Then it happens and it's over and all you want to do is curl back up in that moment before things changed."

2) "The most dangerous sicknesses are those that make us believe we are well."

3) "And now I know why they invented words for love, why they had to: It's the only thing that can come close to describing what I feel in that moment, the baffling mixture of pain and pleasure and fear and joy, all running sharply through me at once." 

4) "I'd rather die on my own terms than live on theirs. I'd rather die loving Alex than live without him."

5) "I'm overwhelmed with sadness for everything that was lost, and filled with anger toward the people who took it away. My people-or at least, my old people. I don't know who I am anymore, or where I belong.

That's not totally true...I know I belong with Alex."

These are only a few of the quotes that I love. If I keep going I'll just end up copying most of the book here. You guys can also check out my review of Requiem and my Book Boyfriends post for Alex.