A few weeks ago, I received a tweet from Abbi telling me I needed to read "Delirium" by Lauren Oliver. I had a large stack of books to read at the time, but I wrote it down as one to pick up the next time I happened to be at Barnes and Noble. Flash forward to last week. Michelle tweeted that she had just been to Borders and because they were going out of business, everything was on a crazyspice sale. I don't think she said "crazyspice" but I would have probably proposed to her if she had. But that's a different story. I had a half day of work, and it was raining outside, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend my extra time to do whatever the heck I wanted, than buy books at a bookstore that was going out of business. So off I went!
I picked up "Watership Down"...because I love rabbits. I snabbed "One Day" because I remembered Kate had said it was good...and I liked the cover art. Yes, I totally judge a book by it's cover. I also picked up a couple other books that I can't remember the titles of (I am ridiculous). I headed to the cash register with my books and marveled at how pathetic the bookstore looked. They weren't just selling books for pocket change...they were selling the bookcases, the carpeting and even the light fixtures. I mean, people were on latters unscrewing lightbulbs and everything! While I have a hatred for Borders because they totally ruined my life when "Breaking Dawn" came out in 2008, I couldn't help but feel sad for them. It made me think of "You've Got Mail"...except Borders is infinitely less cool and as important as The Shop Around The Corner. But I digress...I was still fleetingly sad.
I said "fleetingly" because at the climax of my sadness, my eyes caught on something blue, and pretty. It was a book. A really pretty colored book. And since I judge a book by it's cover, I picked it up. And what did it turn out to be? "Delirium". Hundreds of tweets flashed before my eyes of book recommendations, until it landed on the one from Abbi. I remembered I was supposed to buy this book. And I remembered I had written myself a note to do so. And I remembered that I had accidentally used that note paper to wrap my used gum in...thus ending up in the trash. But something about the pretty shade of blue on the cover, recovered my memories, thus reminding me that I should buy this book. So I did.
This week I read it. And it was incredible. The book is set in a time where love isn't something desired, but feared. It isn't something that you yearn to feel one day...it's something that you yearn to cure yourself of. You see, when you turn 18, you are sent to "the labs" to have a procedure done to your brain that not only cures you from ever feeling love...it also takes other things from you. But of course, no one realizes what they are missing, because how can you miss something you never had?
The main protagonist, Lena, is approaching the age of 18, and is counting down the days until the procedure. She can't wait to be sheltered from the fear she feels. The fear of somehow contracting the symptoms to the disease, that will not only drive you to madness, but will kill you. Of course, along the way she meets a young man that will change her views on love. Maybe love isn't so bad afterall. Maybe love is the thing that helps you see clearly. The reason to get up in the morning. The one thing that will make you appreciate everything around you even more. Maybe it's worth fighting for.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. It was SO beautifully written, and the characters were people you actually cared about. You rooted for them. Lena and her best friend, Hana, were two female characters that didn't make you want to rip your hair out. They were characters you would want to be best friends with. And Alex...oh Alex. What a book boyfriend he is!
Anyway, I HIGHLY recommend this read. I am trying to decide if I liked "Matched" better or not...but I am thinking I liked "Delirium" more! I hope that helps put things in perspective, because you know how much Iove "Matched".
PS...a word of caution to my younger readers...there are two "F" words in it. So...don't get mad at me if you read it and I didn't warn you. The end.
