Author: Lauren Oliver
Release Date: February 1st, 2011
Source: Traveling ARC Tours
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -the deliria- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.
It's hard for me to put into words exactly what I feel about this book. I almost feel like everything that I thought about the book in its entirety is canceled out by the ending. An ending that made me gasp for air, and just lay there thinking about it when I was finished. I'm still thinking about it a day later.
The only problem that I had with this book was the beginning. It was slow. Very slow. I had some trouble getting into it. It starts to pick up speed about a quarter of the way through, and by halfway it's enthralling. I understand why it was slow: we had to be introduced to this whole world that Lauren Oliver created, and get into the head of the girl at the center of the story. I just don't like slow beginnings.
Something that I both liked and disliked about this book is that it's not about the setting. It's not about the society or "fixing it" or a movement. It's about a girl. Lena is that girl. Her whole life the only thing that she's wanted is to be "cured". To be saved from the pain, the disease of love. Then she falls in love and everything changes. For me that was the turning point of the book, as it was fitting to be. That's when Lena feels like she's woken up from the fog that her life has been up to that point.
Lauren Oliver's writing is amazing. I don't think that I've ever read anything quite as beautiful as some of the passages in this book. She has this amazing way of describing things with such detail, but not over describing. I felt what Lena felt, but the feelings didn't take away from the story or the scene.
All of the characters in this book were well fleshed out. I actually think that I connected with Lena's friend Hanna a bit more than I connected with Lena. And Alex is just...oh, why aren't you real?
There is so much more that I want to say about this book but I can't seem to find the right words. Basically it's a book that will stick with you. I loved it and I really hope that you read it. You won't be disappointed!
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Originality: 9/10
Plot: 8/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall: 47/50 A
Cover/Title Comments: I love the title. I'm partial to the ARC cover, which I think is beautiful and suits the book perfectly, but this one is growing on me. The girl behind the letters is really cool, and I like the color. I just think that the other cover suits the story more.
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