Delirium by Lauran Oliver

Dystopia – it’s what’s hot. There is so much YA dystopian lit out right now that it almost seems unavoidable. I know – I’ve read a lot of it. And I’ve loved much of it, but I’ve been a fan of dystopian lit since I read Brave New World in high school. So now the question when I read another entry into the genre is this: what makes this title different?


Summary: Delirium by Lauren Oliver asks the question: What if love were curable? Would you choose to live without it?

Lena has always lived in fear of it; love killed her mother and made her an orphan. If not for her aunt & uncle taking her in, she and her older sister would have ended up working in a state-run orphanage with no chance of ever making a good pair. Amor deliria nervosa is the most dangerous of diseases and all adults are surgically cured to prevent its spread.

Lena has looked forward to her procedure for years; looked forward to the time when the sadness of the past will fade away and she will lead a comfortable life, paired with an acceptable man to spend the rest of her life with. Living without love means living without pain and sadness, living in a safe, protected world where she can fit in.

With only days left until she will be forever free from fear of the disease, Lena meets Alex. He is different – he makes her feel things she has been warned against feeling. He has infected her with the delirium. Will she reject all she has been taught to keep the happiness she has found with Alex? Will she fall victim to love, the deadliest disease of all?

Although Delirium feels slightly like some of the other dystopian books I've read (the Uglies series was the first that popped into my mind), it is different enough to be intriguing and manages to stay unpredictable in its twists and turns.  I was rooting for Lena and Alex, even though I knew their story probably wouldn't end well. 

Themes:
Coming-of-Age
Being Yourself
Freedom
Love

Age Appropriateness:
14 and up

Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: mild
Violence: moderate