Books by and for independent women

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

I fell head over heels in love with Lauren Oliver’s second novel, Delirium, and then felt sick with jealousy when I read the accompanying press materials and realised that she’s only 28 years old.

Her debut novel, Before I Fall, became a New York Times bestseller, and the film rights for both Before I Fall and Delirium have been speedily snapped up. What a bitch.

Or, now that I’ve finally recovered from my envy-induced hissyfit, I can grudgingly admit it: Lauren Oliver is an incredibly talented author, and Delirium is one of the most captivating and intriguing novels I’ve read in ages.

The first instalment in a trilogy, Delirium is set in an Orwellian world where scientists have discovered a cure for love, thus eradicating the emotional pain, hysteria and lies that were once associated with it.

All forms of infatuation seen as symptoms of infection and disease, and the government’s solution is to make the operation mandatory for everyone once they turn eighteen.

Electrified fences circle the community, ensuring its citizens are protected from the sickness in The Wilds beyond its borders. Sinister night patrols invade homes to check for suspicious amorous activities, and there are strict curfews and severe punishments in place to discourage disobedience.

Having had a turbulent and heartbreaking childhood after her dad’s disappearance and her mother’s suicide, narrator Lena Holloway is counting down the days until she can undergo the procedure and be certain of a safe, predictable and pain-free existence. But then she meets Alex, and they become besotted with each other, forcing Lena to make difficult choices about family, freedom, loyalty and love.

Although Delirium has already received rave reviews aplenty, it has its fair share of critics too. The concept of a community that has outlawed love is an inventive and original one, but considering that the entire narrative depends on it, there’s hardly any context explaining how these circumstances came to exist.

Similarly, there are several distracting inconsistencies, like the way the violent and intimidating night patrols seem to be easily eluded by naughty teens intent on listening to illegal music, boozing and smooching after-hours at secret parties on the outskirts of town.

In addition, Lena’s passivity and blind obedience at the beginning of the novel will inevitably irritate, but her anxieties and insecurities were so vividly captured that I still sympathised.

Despite Delirium’s drawbacks, for me the rich, lyrical language used by Lauren Oliver more than makes up for its faults. The descriptions of Lena’s thoughts, emotions and environment are beautiful, powerful and evocative, and had me staying up long past my bedtime to read to the end.

In all, it’s an inventive take on a tired genre, combining science-fiction and dystopian oppression with good old-fashioned teen rebellion and romance.

The result is an immersive story with an action-packed ending which will have readers counting down the days until the second instalment in the series, Pandemonium, is published in 2012.

Delirium was published this week by Hodder & Stoughton. Buy the hardback edition for £8.70, or get the Kindle version for £6.99.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended for: Teen rebels and fans of dystopian fiction.
Other recommended reading: Dystopian classics such as The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood or Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. For a more recent read, try psychological thriller The Host by Twilight author Stephanie Meyer.

Jane Bradley