Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Reviewed by Lori
Delirium
Title: Delirium

Series: Delirium Trilogy

Author: Lauren Oliver

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 48617

Description: Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

Rubric Rating: Level 2: Like It.

Why I Read it: I've been reading a lot of dystopian trilogies and this one fit that category.  This cover didn't appeal to me at all.

Lori's Notes:  I've read so many dystopian novels now that I've had to categorize them based on theme.  This particular novel I would classify as a "romance dystopian".  The theory is that all unhealthy behaviour and feelings are caused by love and if we can just cure society of this "disease" we can all live happy, healthy and productive lives.  Love is blamed for depression, eating disorders, suicide and the theory for these ideas are based on the Book of Shh which is referenced within the novel.  Lena is raised by her aunt and uncle because the "cure" didn't work for her mother.  Lena has been raised to believe that her mother's cure didn't "take" and that is why she ended up committing suicide.  This is a blight on Lena's family and Lena is looking forward to the day when she can be cured and put the past behind her.  However, Lena's friend Hana isn't quite as sure she wants to be cured and talks to Lena about her feelings.  The two girls attend a house party - a forbidden excursion as this could incite feelings before their procedure.  And indeed, Lena meets a boy, Alex, who intrigues her and makes her think that perhaps love isn't a disease after all.  Perhaps escaping society into the "wilds" is the only thing she can do.  Lena begins to question whether those in power are truly doing the best thing for society by insisting on the cure.  If the government just wants the people to be happy then why can't they choose?  An interesting read.  At first I didn't think it would be the type of book that I would like as romance doesn't top my list of favoured genres but I liked the direction the book pointed toward.  I can sense a bigger political dystopian at play here.  I'm interested to see where the author takes us.

Recommended Readers: Grade 9 and Up.  This book will likely appeal more to girls than to boys because of it's primary theme.

Themes: Dystopian, Love, Illness, Government, Population, Control, Feelings, Mental Health and Mental Illness, Religion, Partners, Youth, Coming-of-Age, Resistance, Orphans

Cross-Genre Links: 
Music: Just about any love song.
Music: I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues performed by Elton John
Websearch: Project MKUltra
Movie: Extreme Measures (1996)

Post-Reading Discussion Questions and Activities:

  • What is the cure and what does it do?
  • Why do some people want the cure and others rebel against it?
  • Create a chart listing the pros and cons of love and being in love.
  • Do you think the procedure is just to cure citizens of love?  What else could it be used for?
  • Discuss the relationship between Lena and Hana.  How are they similar and how are they different?  
  • Hold a class debate.  Have one team debate for the cure and one team debate against it.  Hold a vote before and after the debate to see which side was the most persuasive.  

Other Books in this Series:

Book 1: Delirium
Book 2: Pandemonium
Book 3: Requiem



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