Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think I liked this book more than Delirium, maybe because it was a bit more fast-paced. I think it was utterly predictable (especially the last page), but oh well -- it's not rocket science :) Overall, still a good story, and I look forward to the next book (after all, with a cliff-hanger like that, there must be another).
I loved Pandemonium. I felt like Lena fell too hard and too fast for Julian, but in turbolent times I guess it cam be lile that. And I loved him for her. I also loved Alex, don't get me wrong. But he was her first love and sometimes they feel special and perfect when they're really not. The end was a shocker, but somehow it was always a lingering suspicion.
All in all, a fairly decent sequel to Delirium. Honestly, the reason for my rating might have to deal with the fact that I'm not a fan of the Julian/Lena relationship that builds throughout the story. I almost felt like it was rushed or forced; I suppose I'm just not the biggest fan of a huge love triangle being thrown into the midst of the story, though I understand Oliver might have felt it necessary to give the second installment of her series a substantial and intriguing plot. I don't have anything against Julian's character personally--I just preferred the way she seemed to mesh with Alex. I do, however, appreciate Lena's resistance to admitting she even cared about Julian at all; the fact that she kept thinking of Alex, feeling guilty for moving on when she believed him to be dead, and even compared things about them proved to me that she truly did love Alex, which is a comfort to readers who fell in love with the Alex/Lena relationship as I did. I hope the final book proves to be good, and I'm praying that things end up the way I want. Though really, you can never be too sure in dystopian literature!
I liked this until the ending. Disappointed now, not entirely sure I will read the next one.
Spoiler
I was hoping Alex was actually dead because this sets up another romance story but of course, he came back in the very end so now its a love triangle, which lets face it love triangles are sloppy and always leave someone broken. Just disappointed with the plot she had going she decided to make it messy.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
I'm surprised and happy to say that Pandemonium managed to exceed my expectations. Delirium was okay, but it also was a bit slow sometimes and as a dystopian it was a little bit flat. But Pandemonium was a fast-paced dystopian, filled with lots of action that kept me on my toes and even gave me a few surprises I didn't quite expect.
I'm definitely not a lover of the love triangle most of the time. I do tend to jump on the team such-and-such wagons so I suppose I support them to some extent, but they also drive me mad sometimes. In this case though it's tough because Lena believes Alex to be dead based on the ending of the first book. So I can understand her attempts to move on and get past that tragic event rather than just simply being swayed in another direction for the sake of it.
The new love interest I do like, but I'm still not sure. I feel like both romances have been a little bit unexciting. I don't feel the butterflies and the "oh my gosh he's in the room" kind of feelings that I get with a good love interest. It could have to do with the fact that this world looks down on affection and feelings in general so those falling in love are sort of stumbling their way through it. But still. Lena needs a bad boy to sweep her off her feet or something, and I wasn't feeling that so much with either of the love interests.
But aside from that, I felt like we got to explore this dystopian world a little more from new perspectives. We get to see the wilds, we get to see other cities in the country, and meet new and interesting people. Also Lena changes and grows in all the right ways but stays true to herself in all the ways that count.
So overall I definitely liked this and I think if you liked the first book you'll enjoy this. If you're a fan of more gritty, disturbing ya dystopians then this world might feel a little bit dull for you though. But still an interesting premise and I hope that in the next book more of the uprising and revolution follows because that's what tends to make a dystopian series most interesting, and it's something we get a glimpse of in this book, but not full out yet.
--------------------------------------------
THOUGHTS BEFORE READING:
Prediction based on the summary: "...and wonders if she may be falling in love again."
1. She "falls in love" with another boy.
2. She then finds out Alex didn't actually die and he comes back into the picture.
3. And thus the ever-popular YA love-triangle is born.
Did I mention I hate love triangles? No? I do.
I'm definitely not a lover of the love triangle most of the time. I do tend to jump on the team such-and-such wagons so I suppose I support them to some extent, but they also drive me mad sometimes. In this case though it's tough because Lena believes Alex to be dead based on the ending of the first book. So I can understand her attempts to move on and get past that tragic event rather than just simply being swayed in another direction for the sake of it.
The new love interest I do like, but I'm still not sure. I feel like both romances have been a little bit unexciting. I don't feel the butterflies and the "oh my gosh he's in the room" kind of feelings that I get with a good love interest. It could have to do with the fact that this world looks down on affection and feelings in general so those falling in love are sort of stumbling their way through it. But still. Lena needs a bad boy to sweep her off her feet or something, and I wasn't feeling that so much with either of the love interests.
But aside from that, I felt like we got to explore this dystopian world a little more from new perspectives. We get to see the wilds, we get to see other cities in the country, and meet new and interesting people. Also Lena changes and grows in all the right ways but stays true to herself in all the ways that count.
So overall I definitely liked this and I think if you liked the first book you'll enjoy this. If you're a fan of more gritty, disturbing ya dystopians then this world might feel a little bit dull for you though. But still an interesting premise and I hope that in the next book more of the uprising and revolution follows because that's what tends to make a dystopian series most interesting, and it's something we get a glimpse of in this book, but not full out yet.
--------------------------------------------
THOUGHTS BEFORE READING:
Prediction based on the summary: "...and wonders if she may be falling in love again."
1. She "falls in love" with another boy.
2. She then finds out Alex didn't actually die and he comes back into the picture.
3. And thus the ever-popular YA love-triangle is born.
Did I mention I hate love triangles? No? I do.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated