Book Review: Delirium

 

Oh, YA novels, I love you so. I've been thinking about how much I enjoy reading dystopian literature while spending some time organizing our bookshelves this week, and realizing just what a long love-affair it's been. It started off at an early age with A Wrinkle in Time (although I suppose that book is much more sci-fi, really), and continued with The Handmaid's Tale, and then exploded as more and more awesome books appeared while I taught high school English. It was a treat discovering all of them right along with my students, and I think that's one of the main facets of teaching I miss; all of the reading and discussion.

This book I'm reviewing though, I tried to avoid for quite some time. I'm not really sure why, but I would see Delirium in my recommended Amazon titles every time I would log into the site. I had read the short summary a few times, but after reading so many other trilogies that sounded so similar, it just didn't hook me, and yet there it was, the same cover, always annoyingly begging to be read.

Then a couple of nights ago I couldn't sleep so I decided to just give it a go (at least it would finally get off my recs list!) and downloaded the sample to my Kindle. Of course, because this is just how things work with me, I was hooked. First off, the writing is really great, but even more so, the story is truly captivating.

You know I don't like to give much (if anything!) away, but here's a super short little hook for you. It's all about a regular old girl, living in a regular old place (a futuristic Portland, Maine), who is just trying to live her life in the confines and insanely rigid structure the government has set in place. In this world "love" is seen as a disease, and around your 18th birthday you get the cure, although many people become "infected" before this, which is dangerous and deadly, as far as society is concerned. I'm sure you can guess what maybe happens next, but trust me, it's worth the read.

Delirium had me on the edge of my seat, and crossing my fingers that it would all work out. It's a wonderful read- a fast book that keeps on moving- and it's book that makes you think about what we deem important in our own society, and what we see as important in our own lives. With a protagonist you want to root for, and a society you'll end up hating, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about love, adventure or a world gone bad that might have a little good left in it, somewhere (this is the part where I always feel like I'm on Reading Rainbow).

Let me know if you decide to check it out!

image above via Books Complete Me
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