My Thoughts - The moment I read the synopsis I knew I had to read this book. The concept itself was driving me mad with curiosity which is slightly strange in my case let's just say I am not a big believer in the word "love", so when the synopsis lead me to believe that the book would involve the reader being a believer or having some form of hope in love I thought this would be the perfect book for me to give a go.
Now Lena is the main character and I really didn't take to her at all in the beginning, I wasn't sure what to make of this and wasn't too aware of how it would affect me towards the book.
Lena lives in a society where love is a disease. It reminded me in some aspects of Matched. Delirium focuses a lot obviously on love, but also emotions which relate to it. Once you have had the procedure around the age of eighteen to be cured you are not your old self anymore. You may find that you no longer enjoy past hobbies or interests. You don't feel much emotion yet you have the option to choose your partner but from 4-5 males that the system believes are most compatible for you. If you are found with the disease you will be instantly cured or in other words taken care of. You no longer cry, laugh or show happiness. I think it's safe to say a cured person may as well be a robot. This is what Lena has been led to believe all her life, that being Cured is the start of a wonderful beginning and protection from a life threatening disease.
What I did not like about Lena from the start was the fact that she seemed like such a sheep, she never questioned what she was brought up to believe, she just went along with it all and was so narrow - minded and arrogant in her thoughts that I couldn't stand her. However thinking back I now feel that it was perhaps the drastic change in her that won me over so quickly. I haven't been feeling to well over the past few days so I had not planned in reading at all, however, I spotted it on my shelf and thought I really need to read this already! I had planned on reading a few pages yet I finished the book within just over three hours, now that's saying something :) Although the book hasn't really changed my thoughts on the concept of love it gave me hope. Upon meeting Alex Lena's world is turned completely upside down and is left to question everything she has believed in and those she once held dear.
One person I did warm from the very start was Hana. I loved that she rebelled and questioned things and held her own from the very start. I have my doubts about her regarding the ending but only time will tell. Her Aunt Carol and Sister Rachel as well as all others over eighteen are completely brainwashed. They frustrated me in unimaginable ways! I wanted to yell what rubbish every time a word came out of their mouth, yet I felt sorry for Rachel. Her story is just one of many but nevertheless it still saddened me to see that so much of her had been unwillingly taken away, to see that the one she loved and herself met under different circumstances but felt absolutely nothing, I found that quite terrifying.
Despite all this there are some positive things, one being Alex. Someone who came across as; loving, caring and fierce. His love for Lena is sparked before your very eyes and he never looks back. His faith in her never dwindles and I adored him for that. It's not about looks at all when you think of Alex, but the traits that make him special.
The very last two pages build up to so much, that hunger between the both of them and gosh that look in Alex's eyes full of faith and desperation and feeling aimed at Lena just burned right through me and shook me up, that moment is incredibly intense and had my heart beating like crazy, it's a turning point, a final decision that must be made within seconds.
A thought comes to mind when I think of Lena's story. Her mother was a Hero and a women filled with love in a world where it was denied, and her daughter in the end was perhaps not so different from her mother. One thing that I must say is that Delirium is beautifully written, so I am relieved that there are two more books in the series that I know of. There have so many unanswered questions inside me right now! I will leave you with two quotes that really stood out to me.
You have to understand. I am no one special. I am just a single girl. I am five feet two inches tall and I am in between in every way.
I Love you. Remember. They cannot take it.
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