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Delirium Audiobook
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(3.00) - 19,330 listener ratings
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Plot Summary
Delirium is a young adult dystopian novel with a unique premise. It is set in a future where love is considered a disease classified as amor deliria nervosa. People are terrified of catching this disease and what it may lead to. After all, individuals throughout history have done some crazy things in the name of love. So this society in the future decides that the best thing will be to somehow get rid of this disease altogether, and it manages to achieve this with the help of an invasive procedure that everyone goes through when they're eighteen. Sure, some people are resistant to this, but this doesn't stop the government from making the cure mandatory and force-feeding it to everyone. After the cure, people emerge like robots and are paired with other cured people with whom they live and have children.
Lena Haloway lives in this society, and she is a good little girl who is looking forward to having the cure. She's bought into everything the government has told her, and the example of her mother, who fell victim to love, is enough to make her want to run in the opposite direction. Lena has a best friend, Hana, who is more of a rule-breaker than her. However, in a reversal of roles, the good girl, Lena, starts having feelings for an outsider who lives in the wilds, beyond the city boundaries, while Hana continues to conform to the rules. As Lena falls more and more deeply in love, she will be forced to decide whether she wants to continue with life as she knows it and have the procedure or run away for good. The end of this book will shock you and keep you wondering until you read the sequel.
Delirium is a grabbing book with an original concept, and the characters are well-written and convincing. Anyone who has ever been in love will sympathize with Lena's plight and root for her relationship with Alex. But will Lena be able to brave the wilds and step out of society altogether for the sake of love?
Lauren Oliver was born in Queens, New York and grew up in Westchester, New York. She is the daughter of two literature professors and was encouraged to be creative in any way possible from an early age. She attended the University of Chicago where she studied Literature and Philosophy and then returned to New York where she got an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University and worked at Random House. Her first book, Before I Fall, has been optioned to be made into a movie. She has also written a trilogy of dystopian books consisting of Delirium, Pandemonium and Requiem. She lives in Brooklyn with her fiancé.
"I have only read the first couple of pages but have already fell in love with this book! I decided to read the first page and then kept reading and it was only because i was going out that i stopped reading. I seriously can not wait to read the rest of this book!!!! "
— Jessica (4 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
Lauren Oliver's powerful New York Times bestselling novel Delirium—the first in a dystopian trilogy—presents a world as terrifying as George Orwell's 1984 and a romance as true as Romeo & Juliet.
In an alternate United States, love has been declared a dangerous disease, and the government forces everyone who reaches eighteen to have a procedure called the Cure. Living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in Portland, Maine, Lena Haloway is very much looking forward to being cured and living a safe, predictable life. She watched love destroy her mother and isn't about to make the same mistakes.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena meets enigmatic Alex, a boy from the Wilds who lives under the government's radar. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love?
Delirium received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal, and was named a Best Book of the Year by USA Today, Kirkus, Amazon.com, YALSA, and the Chicago Public Library and was selected as one of NPR's Top 100 Best Ever Teen Novels.
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Quotes
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“Brilliant! From the minute intricacies of the heroine’s love for running to the shades of gray which she begins to see as she realizes that all is not as it seems in her society, Oliver’s sophomore novel is a beautiful, rich story.”
— RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick) -
“Oliver’s deeply emotional and incredibly well-honed prose commands the readers’ attention and captures their hearts. With a pulse-pounding tempo and unforeseen twists and turns, Lauren Oliver has opened the door on a fantastic new series; the second book can’t come soon enough.”
— New York Journal of Books -
“Artfully detailed prose…Chilling epigraphs from the government’s rewritten histories begin each chapter, providing contextual propaganda so thorough that they’ve even reinterpreted the Bible to suit their message. The abrupt ending leaves enough unanswered questions to set breathless readers up for volume two of this trilogy.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) -
“[A] gripping dystopian novel…Strong characters, a vivid portrait of the lives of teens in a repressive society, and nagging questions that can be applied to our world today make this book especially compelling and discussable.”
— School Library Journal -
“In a thick climate of fear, Oliver spins out a suspenseful story of awakening and resistance with true love at its core.”
— Horn Book -
“Oliver’s follow-up to her smash debut, Before I Fall, is another deft blend of realism and fantasy…Oliver’s masterstroke is making a strong case for love as disease: the anxiety, depression, insomnia, and impulsive behavior of the smitten do smack of infirmity…The book never loses its A Clockwork Orange–style bite regarding safety versus choice.”
— Booklist
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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One of the 2011 Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books for Teens
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Selected for the Spring 2011 Kids’ Indie Next List: Top Ten
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A USA Today bestseller
Delirium Listener Reviews
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" I feel like this story was inconclusive although it was the last one I want more that just wasn't a good enough ending for me....but the book was AMAZING!!! Every turn, page, thought, decision was heart.wrenching!!! A must read series! "
— little, 2/5/2014 -
" So many unanswered questions. I wish there was one more chapter showing their future lives. Otherwise I loved it. Team Alex :) "
— Catherine, 2/4/2014 -
" Great ending to an amazing series! I love the fact that we can make our own assumptions based on the ending regarding Hana and Lena with Alex and Julian. I do wish I knew more about what Lena thought of Hana's actions but I was very happy with the ending. "
— Kaitlyn, 1/4/2014 -
" So much left unresolved =/ "
— Arlene, 12/27/2013 -
" NO JUST NO DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS BOOK WORST END OF A SERIES EVER. You know its bad when Hana and Raven are the only good characters in this book and one of them dies in the end. I am done with this. "
— Harmoni, 12/17/2013 -
" The ending was a bit abrupt, but I'm glad it wasn't all easily and unrealistically tied up. "
— Danielle, 11/30/2013 -
" It can't end like that! Must read moreee "
— Aida, 11/14/2013 -
" I feel like Oliver left me standing in the middle of a rebellion and I get to guess which side comes out winning. .. "
— Rachel, 11/10/2013 -
" Okay Good ending but so many loose ends..... And Alex.....I'm happy she found Gracie(: But Poor Julian. she brought him here and now.... "
— Brooke, 10/24/2013 -
" Way to ruin the entire series. Smh. "
— Maya, 10/14/2013 -
" Overall, this was a fun read series. I liked it and enjoyed it. But it wasn't anything that would hold up to similar books like Divergent. "
— Vanessa, 9/26/2013 -
" Disappointing. Not as good as the first two which I really enjoyed. "
— Heather, 9/23/2013 -
" Ending sucked. "
— Ryann, 6/12/2013 -
" I loved Requiem it made me cry towards the end, because someone that Lena is close to dies... I know, I know, I dont want to spoil the rest of the book for you. But other than that the book was beautiful and you will not be dissappointed. "
— Jenni, 3/22/2013 -
" What a waste of time. "
— Noelia, 12/3/2012 -
" I've found my favourite series of the past year I think. Oh my God. WHY IS IT OVER OMFG OMFG I NEED MORE. "
— Stefanie, 10/6/2012 -
" I loved you. I hated you. you left me... with lots of left over emotions. "
— Jayna, 7/19/2012 -
" I really enjoyed this. Funnily enough, I liked the Hana sections more until the end. I loved Lena's conclusion. "
— Jen, 4/7/2012 -
" Just so amazing! Alex <3 "
— Ashka, 3/30/2012 -
" Got to say I wasn't thrilled. As with most trilogy's it seemed rushed. Hate it when authors leave it open to interpretation, so many questions are left unanswered!!!! "
— Soph, 3/4/2012 -
" This book is better than the previous 2 on the series but the ending was really disappointing. An epilogue would have been great. "
— Butz, 1/6/2012 -
" I should not have been surprised by this ending, I mean Lauren is the queen of the cliff hanger ending. While she does resolve Lena's story -kind of, there are huge gaping character line holes just waiting. Will there be a "spin off" series? I certainly hope so. "
— Sandie, 11/5/2011 -
" This book was amazing!! The last chapter had my heart pounding. I can't wait for the sequel and the third book!! "
— Tandra, 5/22/2011 -
" Not the most amazing book in the world, but it's entertaining and an interesting premise. "
— Kelsey, 5/22/2011 -
" Yet another dystopian, uber-controlled society for a teen to rebel against: this time where love is a disease to be cured. I wasn't in the mood this time. "
— Kathyred, 5/22/2011 -
" Oh formulaic dystopian teen romance novel you have me at hello every time. No matter how crappy you are I can't stay away. "
— Lesley, 5/22/2011 -
" EXCELLENT book! I cannot wait for the second in the series! ? "
— Tasha, 5/20/2011 -
" Best book i've ever read in my whole life! "
— Justine, 5/20/2011 -
" Lauren Oliver has done it again-- fabulous dystopian novel! Oliver will be one to watch out for! Can't wait to see what she does next! "
— Stephanie, 5/18/2011
About Lauren Oliver
Lauren Oliver captivated readers with her first novel, the New York Times bestseller Before I Fall, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. She followed that up with Delirium, the first book in her New York Times bestselling trilogy, which continued with Pandemonium. Oliver is also the author of Liesl & Po, a book for middle-grade readers, which received three starred reviews and was described as “a gorgeous story—timeless and magical” by Newbery Medal winner Rebecca Stead. A graduate of the University of Chicago and NYU’s MFA program, Oliver lives in Brooklyn, New York.
About Sarah Drew
Sarah Drew is an American actress who has appeared on a number of television shows, including Grey’s Anatomy, Everwood, Castle, Supernatural, Mad Men, Law & Order: SVU, and Glee. She also works as a voice actor.