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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Pandemonium was incredibly boring at the beginning and the end. I almost gave up on it twice before I hit 100 pages. It took me a whole week to read, not because I didn't have time, but because I found other things to do with my time...like stare at the wall. It finally got interesting about 100-120 pages in and I have to say the entire middle portion was an exciting read (~32%-84% if you have an e-reader). Then I skimmed the last 20ish percent of the book. I guessed the 2-3 twists at the end. I want to read Requiem to see how things pan out but I'll have to wait and read a couple other books first. I'm too bored to continue with the series right away.
Okay, I liked this book, but there are some points I am not that happy with.
I have two main things I didn't like about Pandemonium (they apply to the first book too, but they were worse here).
The first of them was the way teenagers are portrayed. I am 16 and I haven't still fallen in love. Lena, however, being more or less the same age, has managed to do it twice in a period of what... one year? And the credit she must receive for doing so is even bigger when we take into account that the whole "falling in love" thing doesn't happen so often in the world she lives in. At the start of the book she doesn't even seem so heartbroken about her boyfriend and "love of her life" dying just in front of her just to save her life. I don't know if there are more teenagers out there as impulsive and forgetful as Lena, but I am definitely not like that.
In Delirium it was obvious that the main character has to fall in love, because without that, there would be basically no plot left. But I think the author is forcing things a little bit on the second book. Her life was already quite complicated, there was no need to to introduce more difficulties (as a second and even more forbidden boyfriend or a family member she thought was never going to see again).
The other thing I was expecting not to find in this book is its predictability. But I did. (Although it may be a little bit late to say this now, spoilers are coming). For example, her mother being her rescuer, or kind of it. I knew, even before they said anything about the tattooed number, that it was her. It was way too obvious. If not, why would the author focus so much on the way she treated Lena, the way she tried to be closer to Lena, and in her tattoo, not having mentioned any other numbers of the several former convicts Lena has dealt with? And then, there's the last page, the mysterious voice saying "Don't believe her". Oh, who is it? The ex-boyfriend we were made think was dead but didn't have any actual clue of him being really really dead? No way. I wouldn't have thought it was him in a million years. Oh, wait, I did. Indeed, I was expecting him to appear in that exact moment and make everything even more complicated than it already was. I could have done without that part of the story.
Buuuuut, in general, I liked the book. I gave it 4 stars, which is quite a high mark, but I am internally hoping for the third book to be a little bit better.
PS: I'm Spanish, and so English isn't my mother tongue, so I'm sorry about any mistakes, I'm just doing it the best I can.
I have two main things I didn't like about Pandemonium (they apply to the first book too, but they were worse here).
The first of them was the way teenagers are portrayed. I am 16 and I haven't still fallen in love. Lena, however, being more or less the same age, has managed to do it twice in a period of what... one year? And the credit she must receive for doing so is even bigger when we take into account that the whole "falling in love" thing doesn't happen so often in the world she lives in. At the start of the book she doesn't even seem so heartbroken about her boyfriend and "love of her life" dying just in front of her just to save her life. I don't know if there are more teenagers out there as impulsive and forgetful as Lena, but I am definitely not like that.
In Delirium it was obvious that the main character has to fall in love, because without that, there would be basically no plot left. But I think the author is forcing things a little bit on the second book. Her life was already quite complicated, there was no need to to introduce more difficulties (as a second and even more forbidden boyfriend or a family member she thought was never going to see again).
The other thing I was expecting not to find in this book is its predictability. But I did. (Although it may be a little bit late to say this now, spoilers are coming). For example, her mother being her rescuer, or kind of it. I knew, even before they said anything about the tattooed number, that it was her. It was way too obvious. If not, why would the author focus so much on the way she treated Lena, the way she tried to be closer to Lena, and in her tattoo, not having mentioned any other numbers of the several former convicts Lena has dealt with? And then, there's the last page, the mysterious voice saying "Don't believe her". Oh, who is it? The ex-boyfriend we were made think was dead but didn't have any actual clue of him being really really dead? No way. I wouldn't have thought it was him in a million years. Oh, wait, I did. Indeed, I was expecting him to appear in that exact moment and make everything even more complicated than it already was. I could have done without that part of the story.
Buuuuut, in general, I liked the book. I gave it 4 stars, which is quite a high mark, but I am internally hoping for the third book to be a little bit better.
PS: I'm Spanish, and so English isn't my mother tongue, so I'm sorry about any mistakes, I'm just doing it the best I can.
Llegaba con muchas ganas de saber las nuevas aventuras de Lena, pero fue un ir y venir una mezcla de momentos de acción con unos de lentitud y agobio, por lo que el ritmo del libro cambia continuamente y te obliga a frenar de golpe y volver a recuerdos del pasado cuando estás en plena acción, es frustrante. La protagonista no me pareció la misma sus cambios y actitudes eran extraños.
Personaje favorito: a pesar de la cantidad de personajes nuevos que hubo, ninguno me atrapó.
Personaje favorito: a pesar de la cantidad de personajes nuevos que hubo, ninguno me atrapó.
I liked this book better than the first. I felt it had more character development and more background on the Dystopian culture. Would've been a great book if I had stopped listening about 2 minutes before the end.
Thank goodness it's a trilogy! Not that it's so bad, I just don't know how much teenage angst I can take.
Still, the author does a great job of defining and developing the attributes of love and the need to be free to feel. IF the pain is gone, those we love are truly gone.
Lena is in the wilds.
And I hate cliff-hangers.
Still, the author does a great job of defining and developing the attributes of love and the need to be free to feel. IF the pain is gone, those we love are truly gone.
Lena is in the wilds.
And I hate cliff-hangers.
First of all Team Julian all the way.
I connected with him more than Alex, because the relationship between him and Lena had more development. Some parts of Lena´s and Alex´s relationship seemed rushed, whereas this relationship felt more "real".
I must say that the end did not surprise me, personally I thought it was just a matter of time before we would see Alex back.
What I am worried about the most is the love triangle. First of all I hope it doesn´t evolve into a love triangle, and second of all the fact that Julian has seizures makes me worried that it might be away for Oliver to get rid of him!
However, going to the more important element, the writing, I feel that Oliver managed to keep her "style". There were still a lot of descriptive language, but this time, the narration was fractured in that every other chapter went back to the past. I think a reason that i love these books so much is because of th writing.
Anyway I´m definitely more excited for the third installment then I was for this one!
I connected with him more than Alex, because the relationship between him and Lena had more development. Some parts of Lena´s and Alex´s relationship seemed rushed, whereas this relationship felt more "real".
I must say that the end did not surprise me, personally I thought it was just a matter of time before we would see Alex back.
What I am worried about the most is the love triangle. First of all I hope it doesn´t evolve into a love triangle, and second of all the fact that Julian has seizures makes me worried that it might be away for Oliver to get rid of him!
However, going to the more important element, the writing, I feel that Oliver managed to keep her "style". There were still a lot of descriptive language, but this time, the narration was fractured in that every other chapter went back to the past. I think a reason that i love these books so much is because of th writing.
Anyway I´m definitely more excited for the third installment then I was for this one!
The second installment of this trilogy is darker. I read it so quickly I moved right on to the final book and wrote a more comprehensive review for that one.
I liked this tale. It wasn't a "chosen one" story. It wasn't really a romance, although my library has it tagged as such. Hunger Games had more romance. Don't let the cover fool you.
In this one, love, and the lack of it, is scaffolding for discussing caring for our fellow man. I won't say anymore for fear of putting my thoughts into your head before you read it. I think each reader should examine this story for yourself and take what you can from it.
I gave it 7.5/10 on my personal scale.
-tpl
I liked this tale. It wasn't a "chosen one" story. It wasn't really a romance, although my library has it tagged as such. Hunger Games had more romance. Don't let the cover fool you.
In this one, love, and the lack of it, is scaffolding for discussing caring for our fellow man. I won't say anymore for fear of putting my thoughts into your head before you read it. I think each reader should examine this story for yourself and take what you can from it.
I gave it 7.5/10 on my personal scale.
-tpl
This second book is amazing. I like how Lauren Oliver shifts the "wilds" days of Lena to her present life as part of the resistance in NY and back again. Like Lena, I also grieved for Alex. And like her, I missed him. As if naman naging kami ni ALEX! hahaha! :) When the book introduced Julian, I didn't like him. I didn't like him for Lena. Although his story's sad and all, I really didn't like him. But as the story went on and Lena and he were kidnapped, like Lena, I started to like him but didn't trust him. But hello!? Who wouldn't fall for a hot guy like Julian? :) And i was happy Julian isn't close-minded. That's when he caught the deliria. BUT SPOILER ALERT! ALEX IS FRIGGIN ALIVE ANG BREATHING! Tae talaga! Grabe akong inis, excitement and everything mixed altogether! How is Lena supposed to choose between the two beautiful guys? Dang it! But if I were Lena, I think I would choose Alex, that is if Lena really does love him. Pero kawawa naman din si Julian. :( Good luck Lena, in making your decision! Haba ng hair mo girl! Can't wait to read Requiem!! :)
Didn't finish. This series is painful to read.