Saturday, March 10, 2012

Book Review: Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver


 

Title: Pandemonium (Delirium #2)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Publishing Date: March 1st 2012
Length: 336 pages
Genre: YA fantasy, dystopia, romance
Source: Publisher

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.

Summary by Goodreads





In PANDEMONIUM the story around Lena continues calmer than it ended in DELIRIUM. Chapters are divided into the time of “Now” and “Then”, the “Then” part following Lena’s weeks in the wilds after the separation from Alex.
In those parts we find ourselves in the wild, where Lena has to fight for her survival and joins a camp of invalids. The waste landscape and hard living conditions can trust alliances one second and break them apart the next. For Lena, it’s about surviving in two different ways, of overcoming the loss of Alex and then to keep her body going. The life in the wilds stands in stark contrast to her life in the “Now” chapters. Distant, anonymous, undercover. After Alex is gone she is determined to go through with his mission to fight for love.

The invalids living in the wild become Lena’s family and over the course of the story mine, too. They are so different and wonderful characters, I just needed them all to survive. Descriptions of daily life and living conditions are shown in detail so that the first half of the story did feel a bit monotone and slow. In the end it didn’t make PANDEMONIUM an any less great read, but contributed to the overall atmosphere of the story.

I couldn’t believe it when I read a description of PANDEMONIUM mentioning a new love interest for Lena. At some point into the story it wasn’t possible to close my eyes to her growing feelings for another guy anymore. Because he is what Lena once was, obedient and unknowing I couldn’t take offense at Lena starting to develop feelings for him. Lena’s and his story is as exciting as hers and Alex’was, because he is the son of the invalids’ greatest enemy.
Never before was I so convinced that I cheered for one character to get the girl, but then was taught otherwise. I was for Alex, I am still. He’s the guy who gifted Lena everything, love and a future. The problem, he’s just not there in one of the hardest times for Lena. The biggest mystery: What happened to Alex?
Lauren Oliver confronts Lena with the hardest choice in the world: Letting Alex go and learning to love again or living in the past with a broken heart? I do really love both guys!

I cannot believe she actually did it AGAIN! Lauren Oliver drew my heart into her story with her beautiful words and the wonderful characters Lena and Alex, and then she stamped on it very hard. She writes unbelievable ends. Cruel, I tell you! I was squirming while reading the last chapter. So bad? YES! It was horrible and so not fair.
Somebody tell me again, reading doesn’t affect you. It totally affected me! I felt sad and the ending ripped me apart!





1) of finding a new home
2) of a hidden book
3) of the most heart-breaking ending
4) of a beautiful ghost
5) of saving each other





5/5 ***** PANDEMONIUM- Great feelings, new chances at life and love and a devastating end! The sequel to DELIRIUM is epic and tragic and so much more!

Lauren Oliver continues her excellent writing. This time she leaves the reader in the dark about the whereabouts of Alex and starts with this whole new great romance for Lena. Lauren Oliver knows exactly how to create a story that gets to you, a story that’s just more!
First I didn’t want to give the full rating, but after some time passed after I had finished PANDEMONIUM, I couldn't but acknowledge the greatness of this sequel to DELIRIUM.




* Don’t forget to put the last instalment in this series, REQUIEM on your wishlist. 

* Have you read Lauren Oliver’s short story HANA?

* Read an excerpt of PANDEMONIUM here

* Watch this video and listen to Lauren Oliver talking about PANDEMONIUM. 

* Check out Lauren’s blog for information about upcoming appearances. 

* Visit www.laurenoliverbooks.com for further information about Lauren Oliver and her books. 

* A big thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me PANDEMONIUM for review! 



6 comments:

  1. Gosh, this book put me through the wringer. I couldn't stop sniffling or get my mouth to close. Between the shock and sorrow and joy that surfaced in this installment, I was in emotional upheaval by the end.

    Asher

    ReplyDelete
  2. I finished Pandemonium earlier today and that ending made me absolutely insane! Seriously my family thought I was crazy because I was freaking out so much. But I still loved it even though I missed Alex :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. I finished it a few days ago and I loved it.
    I was surprised because the first one wasn't really my cup of tea, but this one.. this one made me love this series.. I can't wait for book #3, and I'll read Hana as soon as possible :)

    Happy midnight reading!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hahahaha I'm pushing off the day I start reading Pandemonium just because of the end. Delirium's ending nearly killed me. And with people saying Pandemonium's close or even worse... But since I love Lauren Oliver's writing, I know I'll read it next (after I finish Wanderlove!).

    And wow, I didn't even imagine there'd be a new love interest! Now I'm so excited to read about that, I don't know how I'll feel :)

    Great review, Sarah! I'll let you know when I read it (yay for twitter stalking lol).

    ReplyDelete
  5. A beautiful ghost! Yes yes yes yes yes yes!!! Omigosh this book KILLED ME. I swear, I was fuming for like two hours afterward...haha! Lauren sure does know how to knock her readers to the floor...and then run them over with a train. Great review! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. OMG, I LOVED Delirium and I am so excited to read it! Really, I need to stop reading reviews about it, they're just making me want to read it even more! :)
    By the way I think your blog is lovely so...I gave you the Lovely Blog Award! Come have a look at the post on my blog :)

    ReplyDelete