Lauren Oliver - Pandemonium

The second in the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver, Pandemonium picks up from where Delirium left off with Lena alone in the Wilds having left Alex behind in Portland after they have fallen in love, where they are seen as contracting the disease deliria.

Overall Rating: 9

Recommend To: Anyone who likes the dystopia fiction like The Hunger Games etc.

Favourite Character: I have two. Non spoiler one - Julian as he tugs at my heart strings which has proven to be difficult over the years. Spoiler - Alex as his line makes me smile right at the end.

Favourite Part: When he speaks again, I can tell he's smiling. 'So I guess we saved each other.' - Page 272

Good Points: Engaging, couldn't put it down, new characters in a new world allowing further expansion on the already defined world from the first of the trilogy

Bad Points (or frustrating points really): Cliffhanger, love triangle

The downside of being a bibliophile is having read a number of different series that have not been completely finished yet.  Recently, I picked back up on Lauren Oliver's Delirium trilogy and began reading the second book, Pandemonium.  In April of this year, I read the first of the trilogy but between then and now I have read a number of other books spanning different genres (I kept track, it was 26 other books); so even though I know what has happened in the previous book, it became jumbled up with a handful of others.

Because of this, it takes me a few chapters to get into a book and fully engage with it; luckily, Pandemonium is one of these books that looked back on the previous events for a moment in the narrative, in this case from Lena's point of view, reminding the reader what happened previously, meaning I didn't need to go back to Delirium and read it again.

While Delirium was a linear narrative, concentrating on Lena's present, Pandemonium flits between her past experiences in the Wild having escaped her old life in Portland through the "then" chapters and her present life having returned to society, this time in New York, as a member of the resistance in the "now" chapters.  The use of switching tenses engaged me more as I always wanted to know what happened at the ned of the chapter so I just kept reading.  This meant I practically didn't put the book down.

Warning, spoilers from this point.

Much like Lena, I missed Alex all the way through the book as he was a significant character previously and though his disappearance fuels Lena's drive to join the resistance, I had grown attached to him previously as his characterisation was appealing and with him gone, Pandemonium seemed to lack something for me in this aspect.

The introduction of Julian was frustrating for me also as I'm kind of getting fed up with love triangles where the girl has to decide which one she can't live without at the end, much like Katniss choosing between Peeta and Gale in The Hunger Games.  However, I can see the appeal of Julian as he provides a sense of mystery for Lena due to his behaviour towards her.

Following the same theme in Delirium, Lena's presence forces Julian to see the world from a different point of view and find out the truth about the society his father practically dictates over.  This is similar to how Alex made Lena consider the world she lived in but rather than seeing how her world is changed, we get to see her help somebody else out, allowing us to see what it feels like to be on the resistance side of this world.

When he speaks again, I can tell he's smiling. 'So I guess we saved each other.' - Page 272

I have to say that this was my favourite line in the entire novel as I think it tugged at my heart strings immediately and I just wanted to hug Julian right there and then.

As a character, what frustrates me about Lena is that despite being in love with Alex who she seems to believe that Alex is alive, even if it's only slightly, or if not she seems to be grieving for him until she switches and gives into her feelings for Julian as she says she'll maybe see Alex in heaven someday.  SERIOUSLY!!!

Despite my complaining, I do love this book as I enjoyed it all the way from beginning to end, having been fully engaged by Lena's story.  Much like in Delirium, I felt like I was in fact Lena, like I was experiencing her life along with her.  The introduction of new characters in Lena's life in the Wild allows Lena to grow as a character as they force her to toughen up in this new world and she brings Julian into this world like Alex brought her in.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes The Hunger Games type fiction; though there is a similar love triangle at this stage of the trilogy like in The Hunger Games, it's not the use of torturing children as a means to control the society through annual games, Oliver's tale shows those in charge manipulating society into thinking love is a disease makes it stand out against the others.

Young love is a common theme in young adult fiction as it is passionate, exciting and new to most that read it, especially in their teens, and older readers can also be engaged as they have most likely experienced this passionate young love in their life.

I hope you all enjoy it and here are my predictions for the next novel which I'm waiting to come out in paperback.

Predictions

1. Lena chooses Julian in the end

2. Lena's mother is encountered properly

3. Lena and the boys will end up working for the resistance in a high capacity with Julian at the front, overcoming his oppressive father's regime.

Other Books by Lauren Oliver