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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Received via the First Reads program.
Despite Delirium being fairly unmemorable for me (I kept thinking of the plot from Matched, and was forced to look up a synposis of this--tank you Wikipedia--in order to remember what was going on), this did suck me in pretty hard. There's a dual narrative in here--it flashes between the current time where Lena is infiltrating the system, and the period between her being planted for this and the finale of Delirium. I did like the parallel effects this created, and the action pretty much never flagged in this way.
The twist ending was way too predictable, and disappointed me on a few levels. I'll be picking up the third for sure, but I'm pretty suspicious of it.
Despite Delirium being fairly unmemorable for me (I kept thinking of the plot from Matched, and was forced to look up a synposis of this--tank you Wikipedia--in order to remember what was going on), this did suck me in pretty hard. There's a dual narrative in here--it flashes between the current time where Lena is infiltrating the system, and the period between her being planted for this and the finale of Delirium. I did like the parallel effects this created, and the action pretty much never flagged in this way.
The twist ending was way too predictable, and disappointed me on a few levels.
Spoiler
I had been happy that this wasn't yet another love triangle series, but as soon she brought Julian in as an obvious love interest...I knew there was no way that Alex was dead. Which meant, naturally, that he was going to show up by the end of the book to make the final book have a huge conflict resolving around this. While I can appreciate this series is primarily about the need to love, it still is so overdone these days.
So many sequels are hard to read because there's no action, it's just the author's way of bridging the gap between the beginning and the conclusion. This is not the case with Oliver's second book in the Delirium series.[Potential Spoilers:] Delirium ends with Lena making her escape into the Wilds, seeing Alex getting shot by guards. Pandemonium's beginning is a little confusing - we're abruptly shifted into the "Now," with Lena being a student in a high school classroom. The next chapter is a "Then," and starts with her rebirth after her escape. I usually don't look at chapter headings, so it took me awhile to realize the book was jumping back and forth between "Now," with Lena infiltrating the system, and "Then," as she adjusts to leaving her old life behind. It's easy to slip into this mindset though, and the two stories run parallel to each other nicely. There is a lot of suspense, but while her first book was more beautiful, Pandemonium is grittier and rougher, as Lena adjusts to life without rules. The ending is absolutely incredible, exactly what I had hoped would happen since the end of the last book, and it will be nearly impossible to wait for Requiem.
This book is well worth the read. Lena evolves in so many ways. I love her and the ending, book three please!?!
GAH. I really like the first in the series but I could not enjoy this book.
Switching between 'Then' and 'Now' really bothered me. I never got a sense of either time or place and it led me to being very frustrated. Why do you care about any of these people Lena?
OLIVER Y UR WRITING GET SO BAD?
This could have been an awesome book. If she had just spent time firmly in one place or the other.
The characters were super blah and nothing really happens in the book. It's just a filler book for the next book. Setting up a love triangle in a world where love isn't supposed to exist is the most cliched thing.
I was just expecting more. A better sequel to Delirium and to have it go somewhere. You could have spent the whole book in the Wilds having Lena actually learn about the resistance but instead you had to move her around for no reason.
Just plain didn't enjoy the book and it was so predictable that it wasn't worth reading.
Switching between 'Then' and 'Now' really bothered me. I never got a sense of either time or place and it led me to being very frustrated. Why do you care about any of these people Lena?
Spoiler
Romance between Julian and Lena was so predictable that a blind person who's never read before could have seen it coming from the first 50 pages. Alex coming back at the end? PREDICTED THAT AT THE END OF THE LAST BOOK!OLIVER Y UR WRITING GET SO BAD?
This could have been an awesome book. If she had just spent time firmly in one place or the other.
The characters were super blah and nothing really happens in the book. It's just a filler book for the next book. Setting up a love triangle in a world where love isn't supposed to exist is the most cliched thing.
Spoiler
Can we PLEASE learn more about her mom? IT'S BEEN 2 BOOKS PEOPLE! Unacceptable.I was just expecting more. A better sequel to Delirium and to have it go somewhere. You could have spent the whole book in the Wilds having Lena actually learn about the resistance but instead you had to move her around for no reason.
Just plain didn't enjoy the book and it was so predictable that it wasn't worth reading.
I liked the book a lot! The change of environment was a little hard to get used to at first but once i kind of figured out what was going on I really liked it! I wasn't surprised that Alex was alive. I knew he would be. So, here we go again. Another love triangle. *sigh* I guess I'll just have to get used to it. I feel really sad because I love Julian! And I really love Alex! I personally hope she picks Alex, but I don't want Julian to be left right when he found love! Ugh. I've never been so conflicted about a love triangle before!
One thing I really appreciated was the deaths. I've read many a book where an author feels like they have to kill people off left and right just to make the book exciting. (Don't want to step on any toes, but "Mockingjay" and the "Divergent" series are prime examples.)I felt like all the deaths in this book made sense. I was never like, wait, why did that person have to die? Each death contributed to the story somehow.
I did feel like the Julian and Lena relationship was a little rushed. They only knew each other for like a week. But, hey, when you're running for your life...
I really liked this book. It was a little slow in the beginning, but near the end I couldn't put it down. I feel like Lena really grew in this book from the girl who was afraid of the wilds in the first book to the girl who is saving lives in the second. I like a heroine who isn't helpless. Or crazy.
Can't wait to read the next one! AHHHH!
Oh, and is Lena's name pronounced like Lean-uh or like lane-uh? I've been saying Lean-uh. I hope I don't have to change.
One thing I really appreciated was the deaths. I've read many a book where an author feels like they have to kill people off left and right just to make the book exciting. (Don't want to step on any toes, but "Mockingjay" and the "Divergent" series are prime examples.)I felt like all the deaths in this book made sense. I was never like, wait, why did that person have to die? Each death contributed to the story somehow.
I did feel like the Julian and Lena relationship was a little rushed. They only knew each other for like a week. But, hey, when you're running for your life...
I really liked this book. It was a little slow in the beginning, but near the end I couldn't put it down. I feel like Lena really grew in this book from the girl who was afraid of the wilds in the first book to the girl who is saving lives in the second. I like a heroine who isn't helpless. Or crazy.
Can't wait to read the next one! AHHHH!
Oh, and is Lena's name pronounced like Lean-uh or like lane-uh? I've been saying Lean-uh. I hope I don't have to change.
I did like the now and then format, but maybe that's because the story isn't strong enough to be linear. Julian never seemed like 18 to me because of his naive beliefs, so I really didn't believe in that love connection. lust, maybe. this book reminded me of many books, but it just wasn't that memorable.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It was a great follow up to Delirium and kept me on the edge of my seat. There is a huge twist on the last page. After that, I ran to get Requiem.
I really enjoyed this sequel, and the willingness to throw away so much of the world building of the previous book and give us a real look at Lena's new life in the wilds and beyond. I would have given it four stars except for the very last thing that happened, which made me furious.
Way better than the first, where Lena was absolutely a sissy.
Also, Julian. I like action-girls much, much better -- I adore the girls who run away with a knife and try to save people and don't give up, who do stupid things and fall down and get up and Lena is turning into that. Finally. And Julian? Oh, dear, Julian -- I talked with a friend about this book before I read it, trying to decide if I should bother or not, and she said "Julian's the male version of Lena, really," but I think... I don't agree. He is much calmer, much more settled within himself. Lena didn't like to think before, either, but she looked away and defended herself with sharp words and Julian is always careful and sweet and strong and he didn't even hope she would come...
/Sigh. I'm in love. Def reading the last book.
Also, Julian. I like action-girls much, much better -- I adore the girls who run away with a knife and try to save people and don't give up, who do stupid things and fall down and get up and Lena is turning into that. Finally. And Julian? Oh, dear, Julian -- I talked with a friend about this book before I read it, trying to decide if I should bother or not, and she said "Julian's the male version of Lena, really," but I think... I don't agree. He is much calmer, much more settled within himself. Lena didn't like to think before, either, but she looked away and defended herself with sharp words and Julian is always careful and sweet and strong and he didn't even hope she would come...
/Sigh. I'm in love. Def reading the last book.