A Book Series That Lost Its Potential

DISCLAIMER: Long Rant and Spoilers.

This is primarily for the people who have read this series. I don’t discourage anyone from reading it, in fact, it might be for you. It just wasn’t for me.

Onto the review:

🔴 Delirium:

The first book showed some promise that fell in line with the dystopian Divergent/Hunger Games/Maze Runner genre. Yet, the premise of the concept was flimsy and not fully fleshed out to its potential.

Also, the love story - I can't get ahead of myself just yet on that because I have strong thoughts and feelings on that plot line of the trilogy. I actually haven't felt this underwhelmed by the end of a story in a while.

Alright, firstly, I wanna say that I am really fond of the first book.

Ironically, what I appreciated about it was the love story. I felt the stakes of what was set around Alex and Lena loving each other despite love being a disease that was microscopically regulated in their world.

The fact that Alex and Lena were a "positive" depiction of a healthy relationship that you don't read about too often, (Yeah, I was eating my words and lol-ing at myself as I read on).

Delirium is my favorite of this trilogy.

⚪️ Pandemonium:

Close to 4 stars for me.

What I really liked about this one was Lena's growth as a character, and the plot line in terms of the rebellion and the progression of it.

Lena proved further to herself that she had what it took to survive, even when she was weak. She was constantly breaking through barriers head on despite being scared, I really loved that about her. That growth made me admire Lena.

What I didn't like, was the addition of Julian as a love interest.

The thing is, Julian as a separate character on his own was amazing; So sweet, considerate, resilient and adaptive. In many ways, I had a hard time separating his character from Alex, who was in only one page — the LAST page. (Jail, btw. That scene was jail for me. Talk about awkward.)

I would have liked Pandemonium more if Julian and Lena's relationship was strictly platonic - Even if he was an "unnatural" or even a Juliana, perhaps - Anything that would have prevented a love triangle. I even think if Julian was a girl instead it would have been a lot more effective in moving the plot line along and would have shone more of a spotlight on the different branches of love that you can experience - like platonic love and how that can form between strangers from different worlds of society. That kind of plot line would have had more of a payoff.

Also, mama Annabel? We got one scene of her, too? I thought there was going to be more of her after the big revelation in the first book.

🔵 Requiem:

My least favorite.

So Alex was back, alive and... Well... Just alive. Weak but hardened, understandably. Lena was still with Julian? The reunion between Alex and Lena was flatline underwhelming, and frankly, disappointing. I was not loving how she was treating Julian, and he was being so understanding and sweet to her. Alex was barely around yet again in this story. I felt I knew Julian just about as much as I knew Alex? And I liked them both! They were both green flags!

Idk dude. For a story concept based on love, the love story here was not epic or remarkable in any way, at least not as it was in the first book. I think that's what l'm disappointed about most here. I'm just a girl at the end of the day. Just wanted to giggle and kick my feet at a good love story.

Aside from all of that, the plot of the rebellion I thought was actually substantive throughout the book. I liked that their group really trekked on through, even when dreams were crushed and hope was slim. They fought hard to get out of corners that they were backed into.

That goes for all of them: Lena, Julian, and Coral included.

Julian was really remarkable in his adaptation to the Wilds just on his own.

Lena was remarkable in her growth further as a character in this book in terms of her strength.

I can appreciate the reunion between her and her mother, at that point I wasn't expecting a big celebration of unity between them so it felt appropriate to me.

I can also appreciate how we flip flopped through the perspectives of her and Hana. Seeing the other side, the cured version of life in Portland. Both were just as miserable in their own ditterent ways, but at least you really understood that Lena had more freedom at the end of the day despite everything.

However, I did find that the narration of their personalities were too similar. I'm unsure if that was to show why they worked as best friends or if it was just difficult for Oliver in writing Hana's own voice.

It was the end, however, I felt was abrupt. Too many loose ends for my liking. I know there's a few novella's from a few characters perspective, but I don't feel like I care enough to read them. There are things that felt unnecessary and unfinished that probably could have been added into the final book that don't need novella's, especially if those novella's don't show what's happened after where Requiem leaves off.

My Questions:

• What happened to Carol, Jenny & William?

• Is Fred dead for real?

• After having a front seat into Hana's pov, what ended up happening with her?

• Did Lena just ditch Julian without any conclusion to their relationship?

• What kind of society ends up being built after?

• Do they have to reform their entire system and what challenges does that bring for the country?

• Are other states/societies that were regulated also rebelling in other parts of the country?

• Do we ever find out specifically why the cure didn't work on some?

• Where do Alex and Lena go from there?

Well, the ending *is* up to the reader to finish, I suppose.

If you read this far, thank you. I felt passionate about this one. 😂

#delirium by lauren oliver #laurenoliver #deliriumbookseries