Delirium, by Lauren Oliver

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

To avoid the wars that plagued the pre-cured world, the government in Delirium has come up with a cure for the ultimate disease, love. And Lena Holoway, a 17-old girl living in Portland, Maine, is eagerly counting down the days until she is cured. But then as she enters the summer before her cure, a series of events cause Lena to start questioning not only the strict rules of her society, but, as she becomes infected by love, even the cure itself.

If you loved Matched, you should definitely check out Delirium. Like Cassia’s world in Matched, the government in Delirium chooses your mate, the number of children you will have, your job, basically every facet of your life. Unlike Cassia’s world, the government in Delirium goes one step further. They remove the ability to love, and with the removal of this emotion, they gain even more control of their citizens. With the loss of love, you also lose part of your identity.

When you think of the initial idea behind this book, it seems like it could become a bit trite. But as the story evolves, you find yourself drawn into this world, empathizing with the characters, feeling their pain and their ultimate loss. Oliver has taken a seemingly simplistic concept and created a rich work.

Her characters are equally rich. They are each motivated by their own complex issues. As you learn more about each character, you discover their true depth, and you want to see them succeed.

The writing was also a pleasure to read. Oliver’s use of imagery was magical, creating rich descriptions in ways I never could have thought of, but which so perfectly described things. It was like candy for my senses.

This book is a must read, especially for fans of Matched. As a bonus, while not as dark, Delirium, is also a great void-filler for those Hunger Games fans out there still feeling empty by the ending of the Hunger Games Trilogy.

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