Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pandemonium
(Delirium #2)
by Lauren Oliver

Release Date: February 28, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 375
Genre: YA Dystopian
Source: ARC
Thanks a million to Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Haunt Author: Website | Facebook | Twitter

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.



 I usually don't post gifs on my blog reviews so that just shows how crazy a reaction I had to this book! That gif was about the last three pages and I totally saw them coming and I am totally not happy with the developments but let me go ahead and add my normal person review if it is possible! Also don't just skip to the end!!! But I feel like I should warn you the way I was warned!

This book takes place "now" and "then". This confused the heck out of me for the first couple chapters probably because I didn't pay attention to the chapter's titles I was just so excited to get reading. "Then" starts in August and is everything that takes place from the minute Lena left Alex and ran into the wilds. We get to see every heartbreaking struggle as she found a new place to stay and met new people. She isn't sure whether she wants to live or die but she wants to be strong for Alex. She tries to imagine him and that she is getting stronger for him. Her thoughts of Alex continued to bring tears to my eyes throughout these scenes as well as all the hard struggles of life in the wilds. It is definitely not easy living free.  

"Now" is in March and takes place in New York. Lena has joined the resistance, has a fake identity and is living among the cured. She is attending DFA(Deliria-Free America) meetings and rallys, keeping an eye on all the activity. People are more aware of the invalids and deliria now and want to give the cure at a younger age. They want to risk people dying from receiving the cure in order to lessen the chances of infecting the world. Although some are against this and don't want to risk death so the rallys get a bit crazy. Lena is told to keep watch on the son of the head of the movement, Julian Fineman. But during a big rally they both end up getting kidnapped. Lena has become really brave and strong now. She fights for their escape but there are lots of twists(rather predictable though) and turns along the way. I loved the action and couldn't put the book down. Edge of my seat and heart pounding the whole time, even though I kind of predicted everything before it happened. Finished it in one day! Lauren Oliver is amazing at keeping me emotionally invested and captivated.

But......there were a few things I didn't like about this book. I think the whole new love interest/love triangle cat is already out of the bag since it is mentioned in the description but all I'm going to say is pull out your Team Alex flags because I'm sorry to say it is definitely going to get ugly in Requiem. I was also really disappointed with it. The reason I loved Delirium so much was the fact that it was such a beautiful love story about sacrifices being made to be together and in Pandemonium I just feel like Lauren Oliver took a big ole crap on it. I'm just really sad with the story going the love triangle route. I am also really upset with a few details to it. They are below in white because they are a little more spoilery so highlight/read at your own risk.

Lena asks like ONCE the people she ends up with if they heard what happened to Alex. She barely pushes them. She doesn't even mention his name. She doesn't CONTINUE asking other people in the wilds if they heard anything! She doesn't look into it at all!
Lena has a chance to look at the prison list and wants to see her mom's name but doesn't even think to check for Alex's name!!!

My last disappointment was that this book has one of the most horrible cliffhangers ever and I am willing to sell my soul to get my hands on the next book!!! It was an evil evil evil ending!!!!! After Delirium I think the author could have went a little easier on us. Don't worry we will be back for Requiem, you didn't need to do this to us! Once you read it you will understand and hopefully come back and freak out with me. If you have already read it and want to rant and discuss email me, seriously! somelikeitparamormal@yahoo.com 

"Old words; words that nearly brought me to my knees.  
Live free or die.
Four words. Thirteen letters. Ridges, bumps, swirls under my fingertips.
Another story. We cling tight to it; and our belief turns it to truth."

Rating: 5/5 Stars!

36 comments:

  1. Loved your review and that gif is so funny and cool. cant wait to read this book!!!!

    ✿FICBOOKREVIEWS✿

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    1. Thanks! I can't wait to see what you think about it. When you finish you will have to see if the gif fits your feelings as well. LOL I still can't get over this book.

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  2. You're welcome xoxo!
    And it was fun discussing the book with someone who's read it w/o worrying about spoilers.
    And ... congrats on 1000+ followers!!!!

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    1. I know I have only been able to discuss the book with you and one other person because most haven't read it yet. I am still way over analyzing those last three words said. I'm soo dying to know what will happen in Requiem. I will sell a kidney and my first born for that book! Thanks!

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  3. HAHAHA I KNOW!!!! OMG DO I EVER KNOW!!!!! and that gif is PERFECT for how i felt!!!! gah!!!! and your points are very well made!!!! ugh! i could talk about this book for days! and i know once this comes out, everyone will be going CRAZY!!!!! great review!!!!

    Tara

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    1. I will be going crazy for the next year till I get Requiem. That ending was so cruel! lol I know after all the reactions to the ending of Delirium that everyone will be going crazy about this book. We waited a year for the answers to the last book and basically this one still leaves us hanging.

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  4. Thanks Jennifer, Maybe I'll wait till Requiem comes out, so I can read both book together. I hate chiffhanger and after what you said about this one in Pandemoniua I think I will save myself the stress LOL! Great Review!:)

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    1. I hate cliffhangers too! So much! These book really put you through the emotional ringer too. I was so excited but now I kind of wish I would have waited too. lol

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  5. Looks good, and you give a great review! I'll have to play catch-up... haven't read the first yet. Too many books and not enough time!

    By the way, you've been TAGGED!

    http://darkobsessionchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/02/book-tag-x2-im-really-it.html

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    1. It is such a great trilogy! But if you have waited this long, you might as well wait till Requiem is out next year and then you can read all three together. They have such horrible cliffhangers.

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  6. Great review Jennifer. I loved Alex, but I got to like Julian too. I am torn. My heart will probably be broken either way in Requiem. But I did see it coming. I wondered too why she didn't think about him being in prison. I wonder how Julian will survive in the Wilds if the tumour comes back

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    1. Yeah I kind of liked Julian. I mean he was nice enough and I felt bad for him but I LOVE ALEX!!! I also wonder about Julian's health in the wilds. I'm wondering if something bad will happen to him. I really hope Lena and Alex work things out though.

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  7. It sounds like a book to sit on my shelf until the next one comes out so I don't have to wait too long for the conclusion of the cliffhanger!

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    1. Yup! I was soooo excited for this book and then bam! Another horrible cliffhanger. I can't wait for Requiem. These books are just so emotional and amazing.

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  8. i definitely agree with the love triangle stuff. so sick of them! (but team alex all the way!!)

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    1. TEAM ALEX!!!!!! I loved Delirium so much because there was no love triangle. Such a beautiful love story and now it's ruined! LOL Lena better end up with him. I am very sick of love triangles. Way too overdone.

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  9. I love the GIF! That's exactly how I felt when I finished reading it. That cliffhanger is just so heartbreaking! I had the chance to meet Lauren Oliver for the release of Pandemonium! And I told her how it is breaking my heart because I need the book three now! She signed my book saying, "Hope the wait doesn't kill you." She's such a sweetheart! And. She shared that there are going to be two POV's on Requiem, Lena's and somebody else but not Alex! OMG.

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    1. WHAT?!?!? OMG!!! ANOTHER POV BUT NOT ALEX!!! Oh great that means it will probably be Julian!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Now I'm pissed again. I want Alex! And the wait is killing me! How could she do this to us?!?! lol I swear this series is causing me heart problems!

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  10. Hi Jennifer,
    I'm agree that a good story can do without taking the love triangle route ;)

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    1. Yes! The first book was perfect. I was hoping this book would be all about Lena trying to find Alex and break him out of prison. But instead it had to go the love triangle route.

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  11. :-D Yes, it's really nerve-wracking to finish the book and not being able to grab the next one. I favour Alex, of course, though I understand why the writer wanted a second man in the heroine's life in Pandemonium. It's like she wanted to show how she is evolving and that new part of her needs a different kind of love.

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    1. Yes I LOVE Alex! I guess the author wanted to show different kinds of love and the pain love does cause. Lena grew up thinking love was pain and a disease but when she found Alex she saw only the good in love. I think now in Requiem she will see the downside to love. How it can hurt and be confusing. Hopefully Lena still ends up with Alex though!

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  12. OMG!!I can't wait to read Pandemonium after reading this review!!I loved Delirium and loved Alex even more.He is so sweet...but the ending of Delirium broke my heart....I can't stop myself from crying when "you-know-what-happened" at the end.I hoped something good will happen in Pandemonium.Anyway,i should read an findout what's happening.

    Thanks for the review!!

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    1. OMG You must read it! LOL Although it's probably smart to put it off as long as possible. If you can read it close to the release of Requiem you will suffer less. I cried so hard at the end of Delirium. Poor Alex!

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  13. I agree with you. The cliffhanger at the end was unbearable! :( It is too much ... Not crazy about the new love triangle either. It's too much like the author realizes that triangles are in thanks to Twilight and just add it in....

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    1. That cliffhanger was horrible and unnecessary! Also felt the love triangle was unnecessary. They are so overdone and I felt like Delirium was something special because it left out the cliche love triangle. Makes things so difficult for the next book!

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  14. I loved this Pandemonium so much! I think I even loved it a tiny bit more than the first book. The only thing I don't like is the ending! It's horrible, evil even! I mean...come on! xD I've never been so desparate after reading the ending of a book than in this case!

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    1. The ending was horrible and cruel! I need Requiem right now! I did like that this book showed a stronger Lena and was a bit more exciting. What I didn't like was the love triangle and the ending!!! Thanks for visiting!

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  15. Thanks so much for the review! I just want to read it more urgently now! I'm just as disappointed with what you said than you seem to be, I thought that she(the author) may take the less taken road and avoid a love triangle as I also felt that what they had was real love but before I can deliver my proper feelings about this book I'll definitely first have to read it! Thanks so much for giving me the push I needed! Also I just discovered your website and I'll be a frequent visitor, that i promise :)

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    1. I know I was dying for this book! I died when my blogger buddy Jen sent it to me! But then I was so mad cause I have that much longer to wait until Requiem! I am so disappointed the author went the love triangle route! I actually didn't think she would go quite that far with it in fact. I'll let you read it and see. I had a different idea of what would happen. Thanks so much for visiting and I do hope to see you again :-D

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  16. HAHAHA, i that gif is so funny! ^^
    I love your review. This book is already on my tbr pile for long time. But i really want to read this book in Indonesia edition just like as Delirium ^^

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    1. That gif was seriously so me!!! As soon as I finished the book I jumped up and complained to everyone I knew had already read it. Good luck waiting! :-D It will make the wait for Requiem short and that is a plus.

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  17. Okay, so I haven't read the first one yet, so I'm thinking I'll wait until they are all out to read them one after the other. Most of the time I prefer doing that. I hate cliffhangers, especially when it's so long between books. Makes me crazy. Thank you for the review and I will look forward to reading this series when they are all out.

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    1. I hate cliffhangers too! And these books I think have seriously the most horrible cliffhangers ever!!! Very smart to wait! It is a very beautiful series although I can't say for sure until I read Requiem! Thanks for stopping by! And hope you enjoy the series when they are all out.

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    1. It's a great book! Sad and maddening but great! :-D

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