Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
The book was kinda cheesy. I loved the idea of love being seen as a disease, but it was very predictable and cliched. Of course, in a world where love is forbidden the main character is going to fall in love. Had the love interest been of the same gender, it might've been more interesting. It was a rather bland, heteronormative book.
Cute book. Well written. Nice to pass the time. I'm hoping that the story line doesn't let me down. The sequel has a lot of potential.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
“They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. And I’ve always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I’d rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.”
Before I started the book, I had no idea what the books was going to be about. I never know what books to read and that’s why I wanted people to recommend me some books that I might enjoy reading – in English, of course. One of my friends recommended me this books, so I got the book and started reading it that night. I finished it the day after to be honest. When a book interests me and the words flow, I will be able to finish it within 48 hours.
When I had read the first chapter, I could easily tell this book was in the genre ‘dystopian’. I personally haven’t read a lot of dystopian books (aside from the Hunger Games, I haven’t read any), but I actually liked the idea behind this book.
In the story, we follow the seventeen-year old, Lena, on the verge to graduate High School and having her own ‘cure’. She is a likable character and an interesting, well developed character. As she is my age and is also small (a little taller than me), it’s easy to relate to her.
Although Delirium is a dystopian book, it definitely is also a love story; it doesn’t pretend to be anything else. At eighteen years old, citizens of the United States legally must undergo a procedure – a “cure” – that will result in them being unable to love anyone ever again, whether it may be a partner, a friend or family. When Alex enters Lena’s life, she must fight for the right to love whomever she wishes.
What really struck me about this novel was the writing. Lauren Oliver uses the most wonderful and beautiful words the English language knows. She has a talent to describe what the scenery looks like to capture a moment perfectly. When reading a novel, I like picturing the scene in my mind and sometimes the scenes get blurry or unclear. With Lauren Oliver it’s the complete opposite. She knows how to put the scenes to words and that’s a thing that makes the book so beautiful.
The author is able to set the emotions and that’s why I sobbed during one point in the book. Lena is a strong girl and when she finds Alex, she gets even stronger. She starts to believe in love and doesn’t want to cure anymore. She will do anything to stay with Alex:
“You can build walls all the way to the sky and I will find a way to fly above them. You can try to pin me down with a hundred thousand arms, but I will find a way to resist. And there are many of us out there, more than you think. People who refuse to stop believing. People who refuse to come to earth. People who love in a world without walls, people who love into hate, into refusal, against hope, and without fear. I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.”
I can easily say that this is one of the better books I have read this year. I am really looking forward to read the sequel, Pandemonium, as this book has an open ending. It just isn’t complete, so this forces you to read the next book in the series.
Delirium is a heart-breaking, compelling, dystopian love story. I can definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of futuristic/dystopian novels and to readers who like to read a compelling love story.
Before I started the book, I had no idea what the books was going to be about. I never know what books to read and that’s why I wanted people to recommend me some books that I might enjoy reading – in English, of course. One of my friends recommended me this books, so I got the book and started reading it that night. I finished it the day after to be honest. When a book interests me and the words flow, I will be able to finish it within 48 hours.
When I had read the first chapter, I could easily tell this book was in the genre ‘dystopian’. I personally haven’t read a lot of dystopian books (aside from the Hunger Games, I haven’t read any), but I actually liked the idea behind this book.
In the story, we follow the seventeen-year old, Lena, on the verge to graduate High School and having her own ‘cure’. She is a likable character and an interesting, well developed character. As she is my age and is also small (a little taller than me), it’s easy to relate to her.
Although Delirium is a dystopian book, it definitely is also a love story; it doesn’t pretend to be anything else. At eighteen years old, citizens of the United States legally must undergo a procedure – a “cure” – that will result in them being unable to love anyone ever again, whether it may be a partner, a friend or family. When Alex enters Lena’s life, she must fight for the right to love whomever she wishes.
What really struck me about this novel was the writing. Lauren Oliver uses the most wonderful and beautiful words the English language knows. She has a talent to describe what the scenery looks like to capture a moment perfectly. When reading a novel, I like picturing the scene in my mind and sometimes the scenes get blurry or unclear. With Lauren Oliver it’s the complete opposite. She knows how to put the scenes to words and that’s a thing that makes the book so beautiful.
The author is able to set the emotions and that’s why I sobbed during one point in the book. Lena is a strong girl and when she finds Alex, she gets even stronger. She starts to believe in love and doesn’t want to cure anymore. She will do anything to stay with Alex:
“You can build walls all the way to the sky and I will find a way to fly above them. You can try to pin me down with a hundred thousand arms, but I will find a way to resist. And there are many of us out there, more than you think. People who refuse to stop believing. People who refuse to come to earth. People who love in a world without walls, people who love into hate, into refusal, against hope, and without fear. I love you. Remember. They cannot take it.”
I can easily say that this is one of the better books I have read this year. I am really looking forward to read the sequel, Pandemonium, as this book has an open ending. It just isn’t complete, so this forces you to read the next book in the series.
Delirium is a heart-breaking, compelling, dystopian love story. I can definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of futuristic/dystopian novels and to readers who like to read a compelling love story.
Loved this. Once I actually opened the book, I read it in less than a day.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is try two in reading this book. I tried it once a few years ago and got about as far as the cows stampeding through the lab. This time, I got a bit farther, but I still can't manage to get all the way through this book. I like Lauren Oliver's writing and that still is fairly good; it's honestly the world-building and the love interest that's getting to me.
The concept of this world could be interesting: love is considered a disease that someone is "cured" of when they turn eighteen. But it already fails as a concept when it has a bunch of people living outside the society rejecting that idea-- and them being a fairly well-known group who constantly protest the "cure". It fails at the idea of a curfew since teens apparently break it all the time to have co-ed parties without any consequences; this also makes the concept of being spied on by the government a fail, since the teens do get away with this AND everyone knows the government is spying on them, so they are always cautious about what they say and look around for cameras or listening devices. There's a scene early on where Lena is going over answers to questions she'll get during her evaluation. When asked about children, she says she "really likes" them, which I thought was a perfect answer for a society that thinks love is a disease. Yet she corrects herself and says she "loves" them. It makes no sense and just adds another fail in holding up the concept.
But even all that I was okay to roll with because I like Lauren's writing style. It was only when the love interest had a conversation with Lena at a party that I gave up. Bad enough their first conversation involved him lying about seeing her at the lab, but the very first thing he says to her when seeing her at the party is demanding if she's going to apologize for standing him up. Fuck you, guy, you aren't entitled to her apology. Lena is giving off "leave me alone" vibes but he keeps pressing her saying he just wants to talk to her, accusing her of flirting with him, and it's just so gross and entitled I wanted to punch him in the face. Not to mention the YA romance cliche of feeling electricity when touching the love interest. I don't even get why she is interested in him. She sees him once and is instantly captivated, because he's the first boy her age she's seen I guess and she's just that horny?
I did find Lena to be an interesting character. All of her fears and anxiety were described well. If there had been no love interest I think I would've stuck with this book just to see her character grow. There are different types of love, after all, and exploring that would've made for a good book.
The concept of this world could be interesting: love is considered a disease that someone is "cured" of when they turn eighteen. But it already fails as a concept when it has a bunch of people living outside the society rejecting that idea-- and them being a fairly well-known group who constantly protest the "cure". It fails at the idea of a curfew since teens apparently break it all the time to have co-ed parties without any consequences; this also makes the concept of being spied on by the government a fail, since the teens do get away with this AND everyone knows the government is spying on them, so they are always cautious about what they say and look around for cameras or listening devices. There's a scene early on where Lena is going over answers to questions she'll get during her evaluation. When asked about children, she says she "really likes" them, which I thought was a perfect answer for a society that thinks love is a disease. Yet she corrects herself and says she "loves" them. It makes no sense and just adds another fail in holding up the concept.
But even all that I was okay to roll with because I like Lauren's writing style. It was only when the love interest had a conversation with Lena at a party that I gave up. Bad enough their first conversation involved him lying about seeing her at the lab, but the very first thing he says to her when seeing her at the party is demanding if she's going to apologize for standing him up. Fuck you, guy, you aren't entitled to her apology. Lena is giving off "leave me alone" vibes but he keeps pressing her saying he just wants to talk to her, accusing her of flirting with him, and it's just so gross and entitled I wanted to punch him in the face. Not to mention the YA romance cliche of feeling electricity when touching the love interest. I don't even get why she is interested in him. She sees him once and is instantly captivated, because he's the first boy her age she's seen I guess and she's just that horny?
I did find Lena to be an interesting character. All of her fears and anxiety were described well. If there had been no love interest I think I would've stuck with this book just to see her character grow. There are different types of love, after all, and exploring that would've made for a good book.
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This is a young adult dystopian book recommended to me by my teen daughter. Still enjoyable for adults, I found.
Delirium spielt in einer Welt, in der versucht wird, die Liebe auszusperren. Zu diesem Zweck werden alle Personen ab 18 Jahren einem operativen Eingriff unterzogen, der sie endgültig von derlei Empfindungen befreien soll; sie immun gegen diese Krankheit machen soll.
Der Eingriff gilt als zu gefährlich vor dem 18ten Lebensjahr, so dass die Regierung dieser Gesellschaft darum bemüht ist, die Geschlechter bis dahin sorgfälltig zu trennen. Niemand soll sich mit der Krankheit Amor Deliria Nervosa (eben die Liebe) anstecken, da diese als tödlich gilt.
Die 17-jährige Lena lebt diese Welt scheinbar geradezu. Sie zählt die Tage bis zu ihrer Heilung und findet schon nur den Gedanken, Kontakt zu einem ungeheilten Jungen zu haben, absolut unvorstellbar. Es lässt sich erahnen, wie ihr Leben aus den Fugen gerät, als sie eines Tages, nur wenige Wochen vor ihrem Eingriff, den 19jährigen Alex kennen lernt. Langsam beginnt ihr Weltbild zu bröckeln und sich ihre Augen und damit der Blick auf ihre Welt zu öffnen.
Oder sind das letztendlich doch nur die wahnhaften Symptome der tödlich endenden Amor Deliria Nervosa?
Delirium war für mich ein Buch, dass mir auch weit nach dem Beenden noch im Kopf rumschwirrt und rumschwirren wird. Solche Zitate und generell der Gedanke daran, wie sich das Leben - vor allem das fühlen - als Geheilter wohl ... ja eben anfühlen mag. Die Liebe ist für mich so allgegenwärtig und bei allem dabei, dass sie in manchen Momenten nicht mal als solche wahrgenommen wird. Wie es wohl ist, nichts mehr für Dinge zu empfinden, die man noch zuvor gerade zu leidenschaftlich ausgeführt hat. Doch nicht nur das ... was ist mit Freundschaft?! Wie schlimm muss es sein, seine Kinder nur aus Pflichtgefühl, ohne weitere tiefgehende Gefühle heraus groß zu ziehen?! Wie kann man mit einem Partner zusammen leben den man ... naja ... eben nicht liebt?! Kann einem noch irgendetwas ... irgendjemand was bedeuten? Ich stelle mir das ähnlich vor wie apathisch in einer Ecke zu hocken, sich in seiner eigenen Blase zurück zu ziehen und nichts mehr von der Welt um sich herum mitzubekommen - ist das nicht die wahre Krankheit? Ein solcher Ausschluss von Empfindungen bedeutet sicher auch, von Schmerz geheilt zu sein. Womit wir aber wieder bei obigen Zitat wären. Braucht es nicht den Schmerz, um auch all die guten Empfindungen wirklich fühlen und wahrnehmen zu können? Für mich war die ganze Geschichte um Lena irgendwie nur ein Nebenschauplatz, weil ich immer wieder zu solchen Gedanken wie den obigen abdriftete. Dennoch war dieser Nebenschauplatz alles andere als lästig. Er plätscherte so neben den eigenen Gedanken einher und beides lenkte sich nicht gegeneinander ab oder störte sich. Wenn gleich mir Lenas Gedanken und Empfindungen anfangs auch völlig fremd und absolut nicht nachvollziehbar erschienen (vielleicht muss man in so einer Welt leben, um ähnlich empfinden zu können) - Hana erschien mir da schon rationaler - kann man mit ihr als Protagonistin gut leben.
Letztendlich war es vielleicht auch das, was das Buch so ausmacht. Man hat hier nicht gleich zu Anfang wie so oft den naserümpfenden Märtyrertypen, sondern sieht sich jemanden gegenüber, der völlig konform mit der absurden Welt, in der er lebt, geht. Und erst langsam entwickelt sich der Charakter zu dem Denken hin, das einen selbst oft während des Lesens nicht los lässt. Das lässt das ganze authentischer wirken und auch die Charakterentwicklung bleibt alles andere als auf der Strecke. Einzig das (obwohl vielleicht auch gar nicht soo überraschende) Ende mochte mir nicht so recht gefallen, aber da hoffe ich einfach auf den zweiten Teil und eben darauf, dass die Dinge nicht ganz so sind, wie sie am Ende des Ersten schienen.
Der Eingriff gilt als zu gefährlich vor dem 18ten Lebensjahr, so dass die Regierung dieser Gesellschaft darum bemüht ist, die Geschlechter bis dahin sorgfälltig zu trennen. Niemand soll sich mit der Krankheit Amor Deliria Nervosa (eben die Liebe) anstecken, da diese als tödlich gilt.
Die 17-jährige Lena lebt diese Welt scheinbar geradezu. Sie zählt die Tage bis zu ihrer Heilung und findet schon nur den Gedanken, Kontakt zu einem ungeheilten Jungen zu haben, absolut unvorstellbar. Es lässt sich erahnen, wie ihr Leben aus den Fugen gerät, als sie eines Tages, nur wenige Wochen vor ihrem Eingriff, den 19jährigen Alex kennen lernt. Langsam beginnt ihr Weltbild zu bröckeln und sich ihre Augen und damit der Blick auf ihre Welt zu öffnen.
Oder sind das letztendlich doch nur die wahnhaften Symptome der tödlich endenden Amor Deliria Nervosa?
"Du weißt doch, dass man nicht glücklich sein kann ohne manchmal auch unglücklich zu sein, oder?"
Delirium war für mich ein Buch, dass mir auch weit nach dem Beenden noch im Kopf rumschwirrt und rumschwirren wird. Solche Zitate und generell der Gedanke daran, wie sich das Leben - vor allem das fühlen - als Geheilter wohl ... ja eben anfühlen mag. Die Liebe ist für mich so allgegenwärtig und bei allem dabei, dass sie in manchen Momenten nicht mal als solche wahrgenommen wird. Wie es wohl ist, nichts mehr für Dinge zu empfinden, die man noch zuvor gerade zu leidenschaftlich ausgeführt hat. Doch nicht nur das ... was ist mit Freundschaft?! Wie schlimm muss es sein, seine Kinder nur aus Pflichtgefühl, ohne weitere tiefgehende Gefühle heraus groß zu ziehen?! Wie kann man mit einem Partner zusammen leben den man ... naja ... eben nicht liebt?! Kann einem noch irgendetwas ... irgendjemand was bedeuten? Ich stelle mir das ähnlich vor wie apathisch in einer Ecke zu hocken, sich in seiner eigenen Blase zurück zu ziehen und nichts mehr von der Welt um sich herum mitzubekommen - ist das nicht die wahre Krankheit? Ein solcher Ausschluss von Empfindungen bedeutet sicher auch, von Schmerz geheilt zu sein. Womit wir aber wieder bei obigen Zitat wären. Braucht es nicht den Schmerz, um auch all die guten Empfindungen wirklich fühlen und wahrnehmen zu können? Für mich war die ganze Geschichte um Lena irgendwie nur ein Nebenschauplatz, weil ich immer wieder zu solchen Gedanken wie den obigen abdriftete. Dennoch war dieser Nebenschauplatz alles andere als lästig. Er plätscherte so neben den eigenen Gedanken einher und beides lenkte sich nicht gegeneinander ab oder störte sich. Wenn gleich mir Lenas Gedanken und Empfindungen anfangs auch völlig fremd und absolut nicht nachvollziehbar erschienen (vielleicht muss man in so einer Welt leben, um ähnlich empfinden zu können) - Hana erschien mir da schon rationaler - kann man mit ihr als Protagonistin gut leben.
Letztendlich war es vielleicht auch das, was das Buch so ausmacht. Man hat hier nicht gleich zu Anfang wie so oft den naserümpfenden Märtyrertypen, sondern sieht sich jemanden gegenüber, der völlig konform mit der absurden Welt, in der er lebt, geht. Und erst langsam entwickelt sich der Charakter zu dem Denken hin, das einen selbst oft während des Lesens nicht los lässt. Das lässt das ganze authentischer wirken und auch die Charakterentwicklung bleibt alles andere als auf der Strecke. Einzig das (obwohl vielleicht auch gar nicht soo überraschende) Ende mochte mir nicht so recht gefallen, aber da hoffe ich einfach auf den zweiten Teil und eben darauf, dass die Dinge nicht ganz so sind, wie sie am Ende des Ersten schienen.