Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by LAUREN OLIVER
I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite (
goodreads).
1/2
Review:
In the sequel to Delirium, Lena is stronger than ever before, and ready to start loving again.
Lena has spent several months in the Wilds. Months learning how to grow stronger and how to survive. And now she is ready to walk among the "Zombies" once again. On a special mission, Lena has to keep tabs on a pro-Cure group that is fighting to have the Cure required starting at a younger age. This organization is not the only thing that catches Lena's eye, she also can't seem to stay away from the founder's son, Julian.
Hm. I wanted to like this book. I wanted to love this book. But....I don't. Like Delirium, there isn't a lot of action but a lot happens. Lena grows into her own person and soon she is ready to infiltrate New York under a new guise. The story is told from the past and the present until the past meets up with the present. This allows the reader to watch Lena's transformation.
I was disappointed that none of the characters from Delirium were present in this book, I really wanted to see Lena's reaction to them after she discovered the true meaning of love. The characters that we are introduced to are just as strong and interesting though. We first meet the ever strong Raven who really pushes Lena to be all that she can be-and more. Their interactions were interesting and endearing; I think Raven was my favorite secondary character in this book. She is so head strong but also so vulnerable with the most heart-wrenching story.
Now.....I have to address something that I wish I could ignore. Julian. He is the poster child for the pro-Cure group Lena is trying to destroy from the inside. As fate would have it, they fall in love and their relationship starts to mirror that of Alex and Lena. Now because I know and love Alex I cannot accept the possibility of another boy who can hold a light to him. Because Alex and perfect. And the story seems to hint at a future love triangle which...I could definitely do without. So that's really all I have to say. It's upsetting to write about.
The writing is akin to poetry. Oliver describes everything beautifully and romantically. Lena's first person point of view helps show her progression into a strong and independent woman who is taking the role of her first love.
Pandemonium is not what I was expecting but Oliver never fails to create a beautiful story. I am curious to see how this will all end.
