Book Review - Pandemonium
by Lauren Oliver
Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.
Why I Picked This Book: After enjoying Delirium, I knew at some point I would need to dive back into the world of no love. As soon as I won a free copy of the book (yay!) I knew it was about time to take the plunge.
My Thoughts:
Pandemonium, book two of the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver, was a read worth devouring. I can honestly say: I wasn't fully sure if I wanted to read it at first. While I did enjoy Delirium, I wasn't on pins and needles waiting for book two. But man, I am happy I read it.
Pandemonium picks up pretty close to where Delirium ended. (Meaning, if you haven't read Delirium yet, the rest of this review just may be a major spoiler. Reader beware.)
I love how the POV was written for this book. Instead of doing what has become the trend (bouncing back and forth between two different characters), Pandemonium jumps back and forth between "then" and "now" while staying in only one character's head. I loved it. The way the story unfolded, explaining itself with glimpses into the past, completely pulled me in.
Then - Lena escaped Portland. Alone. Sick, exhausted, and spent, she passes out. When she comes to, she finds that a group of uncureds have taken her in and nursed her back to health. As she mourns the loss of Alex, Lena must learn to survive in a world completely different than the one she always knew. This world is all about love, but it is also about fighting to stay alive.
Now - Lena is living undercover in Manhatten. She was told to stay close to Julian, lead youth supporter of children being allowed to get the Cure. Now it is his turn, even though the very procedure might kill him. Little did Lena expect that the day would end in a riot that would land Julian and herself prisoners for a rogue underground movement.
I love the new characters that were thrown in. Raven, the woman who nursed Lena back to health. Full of tacks and steel, but hiding pain and love in every word. Blue, the little girl with huge eyes that tugs at your heart the moment you first see her. Oh Blue. And Julian. I loved Julian. Though there were aspects of him that did get at me, the overall creation of this new guy was awesome. Watching him learn that everything he grew to believe was a lie... I am rooting for him.
I think the only thing that did get at me about this book was the love aspect. Again. Though I know the entire basis of this series is love, every time Lena does "fall in love" it feels... fake? Rushed? Though I know for a fact that is how love can be in the teenage world, I always felt slightly off once Lena declared it was love.
Overall, I very much so devoured this book. If I did half star ratings, it would have earned a 4.5 in my book. I can definitely say I enjoyed it much more than book one, and I can't wait to see where book three will take us. What with how Pandemonium ended, it should be fantastic.
My Rating:
(4 out of 5 stars)
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