{Book Review} Delirium (Delirium #1)

Author: Lauren Oliver

Genre: YA science-fiction, fantasy
Published: February 1st 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 441
Source: Purchased Hardcover
Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads Summary:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love — the deliria — blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government’s demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

My Rating of this Book – 2 out of 5 Stars

My Review:

Delirium was an intriguing romance. The concept of a society believing that love is a disease instead of a wondrous emotion was the reason I picked up the book in the first place. But, the plot emulates the tragedy of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Don’t get me wrong, Romeo and Juliet is a classic. It’s just not my cup of tea. I’m a lover of Twelfth Night, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, and MacBeth.

There were aspects that I liked such as the excerpts from the futuristic books on amor deliria nervosa (a.k.a. the delirium or love) at the beginning of each chapter. It gives you a sense of what these children were raised to believe and an understanding of Lena’s fears as she starts to experience the symptoms of the delirium. The other aspect was Alex. He was a lot of fun, even cocky at times, and I loved his depth and passion. I kept reading just so I could learn more about him and the world he came from.

So, basically, if you really love Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, then you will probably love Delirium.