Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that one love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, th...
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reviews
Dec 03, 2011
prettybooks
rated it: 
December 2011 review:
I adored Delirium when I first read and reviewed it, which was back in February. I had limited experience with dystopia, only having read Matched, The Hunger Games, and Uglies, but Delirium made it one of favourite genres. I’ve come across many young dystopian novels since then, and having re-read Delirium, I can safely say that it is still one of my favourites and one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Although Delirium is a dystopian novel, it is first More...
I adored Delirium when I first read and reviewed it, which was back in February. I had limited experience with dystopia, only having read Matched, The Hunger Games, and Uglies, but Delirium made it one of favourite genres. I’ve come across many young dystopian novels since then, and having re-read Delirium, I can safely say that it is still one of my favourites and one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Although Delirium is a dystopian novel, it is first More...
13 comments
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(59 people liked it)
Jan 16, 2012
(Originally on the blog, here.)
This concept could easily have gone awry. Stories about love tend to go that way sometimes. They wander into the realm of cheese and never return, which I think is a shame, because there is a way to write about romantic love without breaking out the Velveeta. And Lauren Oliver does it.
A few reasons why I loved this book:
1. It was well-written. Lauren Oliver strings words together like a poet-- she makes beautiful things surprising, if More...
This concept could easily have gone awry. Stories about love tend to go that way sometimes. They wander into the realm of cheese and never return, which I think is a shame, because there is a way to write about romantic love without breaking out the Velveeta. And Lauren Oliver does it.
A few reasons why I loved this book:
1. It was well-written. Lauren Oliver strings words together like a poet-- she makes beautiful things surprising, if More...
6 comments
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(44 people liked it)
May 25, 2011
Erica (daydreamer)
rated it:
There are some books written that touch you deeply. Stories that work their way stealthily into your heart, and imbeds itself securely there, and refusing to disperse, leaving you utterly breathless and completely captivated with wondrous awe. Delirium did this for me. There are not many books that can speak to you the way Delirium does. Books that tug at your heartstrings, and make you believe in the impossible. Books that can express what love really is: an all consuming, brilliantly captivati
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21 comments
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(90 people liked it)
Dec 08, 2010
Tatiana
rated it: 
It is clear, the new genre of dystopian romance is here to stay. Apparently, paranormal romance formula I-can't-be-with-you-cause-I-might-kill-you is getting old, so now we will be bombarded with trilogies showcasing new formula I-can't-be-with-you-cause-this-bad-dystopian-world-is-tearing-us-apart. Ugh! And why did Lauren Oliver decide to dabble in this genre instead of sticking to what she knows best? I am trying to be nice here, but Oliver has no talent for speculative fiction. I worry about
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90 comments
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(185 people liked it)
Mar 23, 2011
oliviasbooks
rated it:
Okay. A review - or better a hopefully short explanation - after reading 104 pages, which in the case of "Delirium" means, I am still in the middle of the introductory chapters before the "real story" starts.
I do not know what I had expected storywise, when I pre-ordered the book. There were two factors, that made me do it, though: I had been very impressed by the author's courageous debut Before I Fall and the emotions reading it exposed me to. And - like almost ev More...
I do not know what I had expected storywise, when I pre-ordered the book. There were two factors, that made me do it, though: I had been very impressed by the author's courageous debut Before I Fall and the emotions reading it exposed me to. And - like almost ev More...
20 comments
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(40 people liked it)
Apr 26, 2011
Jillian -always aspiring-
rated it: 
Love, the deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.
But that isn't it, exactly.
The condemner and the condemned. The executioner; the blade; the last-minute reprieve; the gasping breath and the rolling sky above you and the thank you, thank you, thank you, God.
Love: It will kill you and save you, both.
I have heard glowing things about Delirium and its author, Lauren Oliver, for months before its release More...
But that isn't it, exactly.
The condemner and the condemned. The executioner; the blade; the last-minute reprieve; the gasping breath and the rolling sky above you and the thank you, thank you, thank you, God.
Love: It will kill you and save you, both.
I have heard glowing things about Delirium and its author, Lauren Oliver, for months before its release More...
19 comments
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(29 people liked it)
Jan 14, 2012
Sita
rated it: 
I tried I really did, I loved Before I fall, and this book sounded so great, but I couldn't bring myself to get past the first 100 pages. This book is probably good for some people, but I just couldn't bring myself to finish it.
5 comments
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(12 people liked it)
Jun 24, 2011
Elle
rated it:
Let’s all gather round and pretend that Lauren Oliver is a surgeon. A highly skilled, kick-ass champion of a surgeon.
Now, let's assume that Delirium is the patient.
And if these statements are true, then the characters are the amoebas that are aggressively attacking the patient and the plot is the brain tumour that will bring it to its tragic end.
Because let's be honest, this book was a bad idea.
It would be as if I woke up t More...
6 comments
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(32 people liked it)
Aug 16, 2011
kari
rated it:
It's a bit better than the usual 3 stars, but really isn't quite a four.
This has all the elements of being a very exciting story, but sad to say, it isn't. The last fifty pages lift it from a two star, barely, but can't save the entirety of the book.
First of all, it's simply too long for what is in here. The storyline isn't bad, but it's far too minutely descriptive and all I can think is, well, this is going to be stretched out to fill three books so, of course, it's overly descri More...
This has all the elements of being a very exciting story, but sad to say, it isn't. The last fifty pages lift it from a two star, barely, but can't save the entirety of the book.
First of all, it's simply too long for what is in here. The storyline isn't bad, but it's far too minutely descriptive and all I can think is, well, this is going to be stretched out to fill three books so, of course, it's overly descri More...
12 comments
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(17 people liked it)
Dec 19, 2011
Sandy
rated it: 
I had chills--CHILLS--at the end of Lauren Oliver's Delirium. It was like I could hear Muse's "Uprising" playing in the background as I read the last passage. I was unbelievably moved by this resistance movement that will fight for the right to love. I had to read the last page out loud to my non-literary husband (something I haven't done since "Katniss, there is no District 12") just so that I could share it with someone.
Fans of young adult dystopian fiction, More...
Fans of young adult dystopian fiction, More...
Jan 14, 2012
Donna
rated it:
Wow. There are few words to describe this book but one of them is that. Wow.
Every word of this story burrowed under my skin and festered there, leaving me starving for more once the story ended. It's funny because as much as I loved the story, I want to say it was too long. And I really think it was. For every lyrical word I read, I felt a good third of them could have been chopped and still maintained the dignity and integrity of the story in its entirety. If it were shorter, I don't More...
Every word of this story burrowed under my skin and festered there, leaving me starving for more once the story ended. It's funny because as much as I loved the story, I want to say it was too long. And I really think it was. For every lyrical word I read, I felt a good third of them could have been chopped and still maintained the dignity and integrity of the story in its entirety. If it were shorter, I don't More...
Feb 14, 2012
Fran
rated it:
I enjoyed this book. Lauren Oliver's writing is incredible. But I still had some issues with it.
The first issue would be the premise. Normally when I read a book set in a different world, I just accept it the way it's described. But I simply couldn't buy into this one because it made no sense. Why would you ever decide to "cure" love? Why would it kill people? And why would all of the citizens be stupid enough to believe whatever idiotic story the government tells them?! I More...
The first issue would be the premise. Normally when I read a book set in a different world, I just accept it the way it's described. But I simply couldn't buy into this one because it made no sense. Why would you ever decide to "cure" love? Why would it kill people? And why would all of the citizens be stupid enough to believe whatever idiotic story the government tells them?! I More...
5 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Sep 22, 2011
Book Chick City
rated it:
Reviewed by Laura for Book Chick City. 7/10 on the blog.
I was really intrigued by the premise of this novel. A world where love, also known as amor deliria nervosa, is classed as a disease. Every citizen must undergo an operation as soon as they turn eighteen to 'cure' them. I found the concept both unique and fascinating.
Our lead character is Lena. A young, seventeen year old girl with a mere ninety-five days remaining until she can be cured, and she cannot wait. Dreading th More...
I was really intrigued by the premise of this novel. A world where love, also known as amor deliria nervosa, is classed as a disease. Every citizen must undergo an operation as soon as they turn eighteen to 'cure' them. I found the concept both unique and fascinating.
Our lead character is Lena. A young, seventeen year old girl with a mere ninety-five days remaining until she can be cured, and she cannot wait. Dreading th More...
2 comments
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(6 people liked it)
Jan 07, 2011
Misty
rated it:
2.5 - 3
"I hate skin; I hate bones and bodies. I want to curl up inside of him and be carried there forever."
Earlier this year, I fell in love with Lauren Oliver's debut, Before I Fall. So understandably, I was very excited to hear about her next book, Delirium. A dystopian world where love is a disease, written by the clearly very talented Oliver? Yeah, I can get behind that. I settled in to wait the long, cruel months until the February release date, when More...
"I hate skin; I hate bones and bodies. I want to curl up inside of him and be carried there forever."
Earlier this year, I fell in love with Lauren Oliver's debut, Before I Fall. So understandably, I was very excited to hear about her next book, Delirium. A dystopian world where love is a disease, written by the clearly very talented Oliver? Yeah, I can get behind that. I settled in to wait the long, cruel months until the February release date, when More...
47 comments
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(41 people liked it)
Dec 08, 2011
Lucy
rated it:
Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall was my favorite book of 2010 and I was eagerly anticipating her new dystopian follow up. Since I’m such a fan of both Lauren Oliver and dystopian books I had high expectations Delirium. I’m happy to say Delirium did not disappoint, and impressed me just as much as her first book. I read this book originally several months ago and was pondering it for a while deciding what to say in a review. I was emotionally wrecked after reading it the first time. I decided to re-
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Aug 23, 2011
Stephanie
rated it:
Seventeen-year-old Lena lives in a world where love is taboo, where passion is anathema, where poetry and art have fallen by the wayside, and romantic tendencies must be put down at all costs. Stringent social conditioning helps guide young citizens through the complexities of these norms, while upon reaching their majority a more comprehensive solution is offered: a procedure, not so far removed from a lobotomy, that results in a total dulling of the emotions. Read the rest of this review here
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2 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Jul 02, 2011
Chelesbells
rated it:
“They say that the cure for love will make me happy and safe forever. And I’ve always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.”
I am afraid I don’t possess the vocabulary to accurately describe this book. Beautiful, yes, but that does not do it justice. I was mesmerized from the beginning. This book tugged at my heart and left me breathless. The end More...
I am afraid I don’t possess the vocabulary to accurately describe this book. Beautiful, yes, but that does not do it justice. I was mesmerized from the beginning. This book tugged at my heart and left me breathless. The end More...
7 comments
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(22 people liked it)
Feb 21, 2012
Stephanie
rated it:
I really wanted to love this book. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad, but it just didn't add up to the hype I thought it would. I would say I give it more of 3 1/2 stars.
Delirium is about a girl name Lena who lives in a future where love is considered a disease. At 18 everyone under goes surgery to remove the ability to love. However, a few months before her surgery and birthday, she meets Alex and falls in love. Obviously, this complicates things.
To be honest, it was More...
0 comments
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(4 people liked it)
May 28, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me
Words cannot properly express how fantastic this book is. There'd been so many praises for Delirium and it was everything I expected! Tell me you read the summary and weren't immediately interested. Tell me you finished the first chapter of this book without wanting to shut out real life and immerse yourself in it. I loved Lauren Kate's writing style - descriptive without being overly so. Everything just flowed right. Quite surprised at h More...
Words cannot properly express how fantastic this book is. There'd been so many praises for Delirium and it was everything I expected! Tell me you read the summary and weren't immediately interested. Tell me you finished the first chapter of this book without wanting to shut out real life and immerse yourself in it. I loved Lauren Kate's writing style - descriptive without being overly so. Everything just flowed right. Quite surprised at h More...
2 comments
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(6 people liked it)
Dec 27, 2011
Thomas
rated it:
A powerful story of a dystopian world where love is a disease, and that at the age of eighteen everyone undergoes a procedure to have love removed from their bodies. While the surgery is not full proof and something could go wrong, it is better than falling victim to amor deliria nervosa.
Lena has accepted this fact at a young age. She saw the destructive effect of love first-hand, bearing witness as it tore her mother apart and took her away. Now she eagerly awaits her own procedure More...
Lena has accepted this fact at a young age. She saw the destructive effect of love first-hand, bearing witness as it tore her mother apart and took her away. Now she eagerly awaits her own procedure More...
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(4 people liked it)
Jun 24, 2011
Steph Su
rated it:
I dreaded this happening. DELIRIUM had been built up so much almost a whole year before its publication date that I wondered what I was going to do if I did not like it as much as the majority of other YA readers did. But I can’t deny that it wasn’t the book for me…and I’ll try to explain why.
DELIRIUM is an impeccably crafted novel, and Lauren Oliver has a beautiful way with words. Still, those do very little for me if I cannot believe and invest in the essentials of the story and worl More...
DELIRIUM is an impeccably crafted novel, and Lauren Oliver has a beautiful way with words. Still, those do very little for me if I cannot believe and invest in the essentials of the story and worl More...
0 comments
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(16 people liked it)
Dec 09, 2010
Nic
rated it:
Favourite Quote: "As soon as I look up, his eyes click onto my face. The breathe whooshes out of my body and everything freezes for a second, as though I am looking at him through my camera lens, zoomed in all the way, the world pausing for that tiny span of time between the opening and closing of the shutter."
Delirium is a gripping and intense read. Lauren Oliver writes one sad world, where love is considered a disease that will kill you. Where society has a cure that More...
Delirium is a gripping and intense read. Lauren Oliver writes one sad world, where love is considered a disease that will kill you. Where society has a cure that More...
18 comments
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(23 people liked it)
Aug 01, 2011
Lauren
rated it:
Like most other people, the sole reason I started reading 'Delirium' was because of Lauren Oliver's 'Before I Fall'. But honestly, I much prefer her first book compared to this one.
For me, this book provided a lot of — and I do mean A LOT of — eye-rolling moments and not enough room for suspense. Everything was predictable (apart from the end, but I'll get to that later) and cheesy. Like Romeo and Juliet minus the conflict scenes.
Lena reminds me of Bella Swan... unbearingly ordinary and naïve. More...
For me, this book provided a lot of — and I do mean A LOT of — eye-rolling moments and not enough room for suspense. Everything was predictable (apart from the end, but I'll get to that later) and cheesy. Like Romeo and Juliet minus the conflict scenes.
Lena reminds me of Bella Swan... unbearingly ordinary and naïve. More...
Sep 01, 2011
Brittany
rated it:
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect before I started reading Delirium. But after finishing it I can say that this book is amazing. The story is intense and very captivating.
Lena is just a girl living in a society where love or deliria is considered a disease. A cure has been developed by scientists that eradicates love and all teens must be cured when they turn 18. Lena cannot wait until the day of her procedure comes - only 95 days. But then Lena does exactly what she fears - sh More...
Lena is just a girl living in a society where love or deliria is considered a disease. A cure has been developed by scientists that eradicates love and all teens must be cured when they turn 18. Lena cannot wait until the day of her procedure comes - only 95 days. But then Lena does exactly what she fears - sh More...
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(4 people liked it)
Oct 02, 2011
Aylee
rated it:
In short: I loved Delirium by Lauren Oliver so much I'm afraid the regulators are going to find me and hand me in to be cured.
Oh, wow, did I love this book. Lauren Oliver has created a superb and horrifying dystopian world in Delirium. Lena is a shy, "in-between" seventeen year old girl who always does as she's told and never lies. She's afraid of everyone and everything ("I'm right to be scared," she says). She looks forward to receiving the cure to amor de More...
Oh, wow, did I love this book. Lauren Oliver has created a superb and horrifying dystopian world in Delirium. Lena is a shy, "in-between" seventeen year old girl who always does as she's told and never lies. She's afraid of everyone and everything ("I'm right to be scared," she says). She looks forward to receiving the cure to amor de More...
2 comments
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(4 people liked it)
Aug 26, 2011
Reynje
rated it:
2.5 stars
Lena and Alex, if this is true love you’re selling – I’m afraid that I am just not buying it.
And essentially, there lies the heart of Delirium: the human capacity to love, in a world where this particular emotion is viewed as a disease and is being clinically excised by the government. Our protagonists, an “uncured” and an “invalid” respectively, create the crux of the story when they commit the unthinkable, and “fall in love”.
The issues that preve More...
Lena and Alex, if this is true love you’re selling – I’m afraid that I am just not buying it.
And essentially, there lies the heart of Delirium: the human capacity to love, in a world where this particular emotion is viewed as a disease and is being clinically excised by the government. Our protagonists, an “uncured” and an “invalid” respectively, create the crux of the story when they commit the unthinkable, and “fall in love”.
The issues that preve More...
10 comments
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(15 people liked it)
Feb 11, 2012
OCD Kay {K-Books}
rated it:
Wow! I seriously do not even know where to start with this book. It was such a rollercoaster I still don't think I can talk about it coherently.
Lena Haloway is only weeks away from the cure and she can't wait. Then she'll be safe. The cure for the Deliria is what everyone wants. To be safe from Love and from the pain that it inflicts. But before she gets the cure the unthinkable happens. She meets Alex and they fall in love. Now Lena will do just about anything to escape the cure and More...
Lena Haloway is only weeks away from the cure and she can't wait. Then she'll be safe. The cure for the Deliria is what everyone wants. To be safe from Love and from the pain that it inflicts. But before she gets the cure the unthinkable happens. She meets Alex and they fall in love. Now Lena will do just about anything to escape the cure and More...
33 comments
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(4 people liked it)
Nov 18, 2011
Hana❦Joy
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
5 comments
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(4 people liked it)
Aug 09, 2011
Thea
rated it:
There are no words. Or, well, there's a lot of them, but they are for the most part jumbled and incoherent, because this book RIPPED OUT MY HEART AND SMASHED IT INTO PIECES. God. Where do I even start? Well, I've always been a sucker for dystopian literature, and this is, like, the G-rated version of The Handmaid's Tale mixed in with a little Machine Of Death. Beautiful, beautiful writing, although I must submit that Oliver tends to get carried away with her analogies at times--- but even that w
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2 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Dec 09, 2011
Demi (Breaking Bookshelves)
rated it:
The only reason this gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars from me - yes, I put five stars because there is no 4.5 - is because of the fact that I skimmed through some of it. Otherwise, the emotional impact is great. There was just so many things to love about this book. The characters, the words, the lyrical prowess. There are deep thoughts that begin to creep into your mind as you read the book and I loved every second of it. Alex stole my heart. The fact that I don't know what happens to him right now is
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(5 people liked it)
