Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Book Rec: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I've realized something over the past few years. Deep down inside, I think I'm still 15 and I can't get enough of the YA novels. First Twilight, then Hunger Games, and now my latest passion, Delirium by Lauren Oliver. If you haven't given this one a try, do it soon! For me it had similar undertones as the Hunger Games -- futuristic setting, likable heroine (although not as ass-kicking as Katniss) and one bad government.


Here's a description I lifted from Amazon:
Lena Haloway is content in her safe, government-managed society. She feels (mostly) relaxed about the future in which her husband and career will be decided, and looks forward to turning 18, when she’ll be cured of deliria, a.k.a. love. She tries not to think about her mother’s suicide (her last words to Lena were a forbidden “I love you”) or the supposed “Invalid” community made up of the uncured just beyond her Portland, Maine, border. There’s no real point—she believes her government knows how to best protect its people, and should do so at any cost. But 95 days before her cure, Lena meets Alex, a confident and mysterious young man who makes her heart flutter and her skin turn red-hot. As their romance blossoms, Lena begins to doubt the intentions of those in power, and fears that her world will turn gray should she submit to the procedure.
The thing that drew me into Delirium right from the beginning was its setting. The author, Lauren Oliver, has set this story in my hometown of Portland, Maine. And Portland itself plays a big role in this novel. She intricately describes areas of the city without changing any of the names or nicknames. Commercial Street is still Commercial Street but instead of the busy, working waterfront lined with restaurants, bars and fish markets it is today, it's a scary, vagrant-filled alley that you avoid like the plague. It made it so much more fun to read.

In Delirium, Portland is fenced in and the outlying areas and towns are referred to as the "wilds" -- a community for the "uncureds". In actuality, the places I imagine to be the "wilds" are the up-scale neighborhoods like Falmouth and Cumberland -- which makes it all the funnier to picture dirty, homeless people living here. At times I almost got too distracted from the story because every time the author would describe a place, I would spend far too much time picturing (or trying to picture) it -- especially in its fictional, futuristic state.

Lena Haloway, the main character, and her bestest friend Hana do a lot of running and they run through the same streets I did in high school. They hang out in Monument Square which (in real life) is a hub of activity during nice weather with farmer's markets, outdoor restaurant seating and the Portland Soldiers and Sailors Monument, which also plays a key role in the book.

And then there's Alex... I can't even talk about him without getting a bit hot and bothered. *fans self*

I don't want to give away too much here and spoil it for you but trust, this book is fantastic. I'm hoping it makes it to the big screen -- I read that it was optioned back in February, 2011... so the fact that I've heard nothing else of its making, doesn't bode well. Fingers crossed.

Here's an unspoiler-y video of the author...


A couple months ago, the sequel to Delirium, called Pandemonium, came out. And it did not disappoint. While it takes the characters in a completely different direction, it kept me riveted and even more excited for the conclusion of the trilogy, Requiem, due out February, 2013.

Have you read it? If so, I'm dying to hear your take. I've been waiting for someone who doesn't live in Portland to read it and let me know if it's as good as I think it is.

24 comments:

  1. Ive seen this book advertised on my Amazon account. It looks good. Yesterday one of my all time favorite series, The Mortal Instruments, by Cassandra Clare, fifth book, City of Lost Souls, came out. OMG its so freakin good! Please give it a chance. It has everything; love, paranormal, every monster and fairy known to man, and some twists you wont expect.

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    1. I forgot to mention my appreciation of the de-snobbifying of Falmouth. Lol! I used to live on Veranda Street right across the bridge from Falmouth and your absolutely right! I cant imagine homless people on their pristine green lawns.

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    2. Yay Mortal Instruments! I am with you 100%!

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    3. The Mortal Instruments sounds super familiar. I'm going to have to check this one out as well! Too many books to read!

      Not that it's a bad thing, of course.

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    4. READ Mortal Instruments. Awesome! I really looking forward to reading Delirium after I'm finished w/ MI. Thanks for the rec LKW!

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  2. I will have to add this to my list. I would strongly reccomend the books "Graceling" "Fire" and "Bitterblue" by Kristen cashore. Amazing trilogy with awesome characters and a very good compelling story. It is ya but better than adult fiction. On that note I also love anything patrician Briggs esp Mercy Thompson stuff. Love the book recent keep em coming.

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    1. Graceling was actually recommended to me at some point. I will now have to check it out.

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  3. Damn auto correct! Patricia Briggs and book recs. Sorry i do have better spelling and grammar skills.

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    1. I actually have Graceling on my Kindel. I havent read it yet because Im still slogging through others but its there, waiting for me to get the lead out.

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    2. You MUST read it, you will not be disappointed.

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  4. You need to read "Matched", sequel "Crossed" by ally Conde. I read Delerium & the second book as well. Delerium was better than the sequel. I am currently in trilogy he'll, having a hard time keeping track of sequels & characters, I just keep defaulting to "Fifty Shades" WTF

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  5. From the book description, I thought it was about modern day Canada until I read the locale. (I kid, Canadians!)

    This really sounds interesting & I'll have to add it to my list.

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  6. I used to live in Portland, so this will be cool to check out. Thanks for the recommendation!

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  7. I am going to have such a book backlog to get to when I FINALLY finish the 5th Game of Thrones/song of Fire and Ice book - gah!

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  8. Delirium is on my list. Also you may want to check out 'Divergent' and it's 2nd book, 'Insurgent' out now, by Veronica Roth. Loved Divergent very much.

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    1. I send this recommendation! I am enjoying Insurgent much more than Divergent! I am glad I gave this book a chance.

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    2. Loved Divergent! I'm about halfway through Insurgent right now, and loving every minute of it!

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  9. Havn't read this one yet, need to get it. Divergent and Crossed were good ones too. It's funny to think of homeless people living in yuppiedom, do you think the country club would allow them entry? Love all the book reviews, keep them coming!

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  10. Thank you for the book review! I was on the fence about getting it but now I see that other people have liked it too. I second the recommendations for the Mortal Instruments and Divergent.

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  11. I loved Delirium and Pandemonium. I really wish I didn't have to wait so long for the third book, though! :( I also enjoyed her first book, Before I Fall. It's a completely different theme, but I thought it was a very interesting read.

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  12. These books were recommended to me on Amazon and I flagged them as possible "to reads". I guess they'll be downloaded shortly and added to the "you better fucking read this" list.

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  13. I trust the recs I get from Twitards/Twihards more than I do from my other family and friends. We just fucking GET each other. I'll be downloading a shit ton of books to the kindle for my honeymoon (9 months after the wedding...But not because of spawn), and for sure I'll be locking in on these delicious finds. Some of them are really familiar and have probably been rec'd to me before, but now they go to the top of the list.

    WOOT for reading!

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