Delirium

Delirium

by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Dystopian Fiction

Synopsis: Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.

From GoodReads

Review: The synopsis doesn't really tell you what this story is about so let me tell you.  In the future, society discovers the secret to getting rid of war and violence-get rid of love.  If there is no love, there can be no hate and no conflict.  The United States closes its borders and cures everyone of love.  You can only be cured at the age of 18 so before that time, girls and boys are kept separate and they are not allowed to intermingle at any point.  There is a curfew that must be adhered until you are cured.  This is the story of Lena, a girl who can't wait to be cured and is quite scared of getting the disease.  Needless to say, things happen that make her think twice about whether the cure is a good idea or not.

This book had an interesting premise but I had a hard time thinking about it being a mother.  I can't imagine a child growing up without hearing the words "I love you" and that made me very sad.  I also can't imagine being a parent and not feeling love for your child.  But this is fictional, so I had to get over that!  Once I stopped thinking about that concept, the book was easier to read.  This book is not full of action and reads a lot like a love story.  The end does leave you interested in the next book and what happens but I didn't think this book was stellar-it was just OK.  Marcie assured me that the next book is much better so I will keep reading.

Rating: 3 stars

To read Marcie's review on Pandemonium the second book in the series click here.