Review - Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (Delirium #2)

Picture from Chapters.ca

   

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Format: Hardcover (375 pages)

Publisher: February 28th 2012

Publication Date:   Harper Teen

Rating: 5/5

Source: Library Loan
Get it at: Chapters | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

  












Summary from Goodreads:

 
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.


My Opinions:

And once again Lauren Oliver just left me speechless (in a good way of course!). I was super impressed with this book. The writing quality and the emotions were just amazing and surreal.  You know how in some trilogies, where the authors get a bit sloppy (often too forced) in order to string the first book and the final book together? It did not happened with Pandemonium and the story live up exceeded my expectations despite the harsh ending in Delirium. The waiting time for this book was so painful (almost 2 months - people read so slow on popular books and my library never have enough copies =( )

While Delirium focused on Love, Pandemonium dived into Anger, Hatred and Trust (Moving on as well?) which were interesting combinations of themes. In Pandemonium, we see the changes that Lena has to go through and the sacrificed she made to adjust life in the Wilds. I was really amazed at how Oliver shaped her. In the past, she was used to follow orders and believed what the government said. However, with the lost of Alex, her first love, and the harsh living conditions in the Wilds have made her realized that people feel emotions in order to be human and not just "zombies" (referred to those that are "cured").

Although the secondary characters that were along side of Lena were not describe in detailed (mainly just popped in once or twice) you can't help it but to fall in love with every single one of them. I am super glad that Sarah managed to escape (Thank you Oliver for not killing her off!). However, Blue was not so lucky and her story is so heartbreaking. I'm glad she still lived a happy life (despite that the Oliver has to kill her off).

The downside of the story is ---> LOVE TRIANGLE. Honestly, I was not expecting this. I always thought that Alex would come back and everything will be alright (Well Wish, he did came back.. at the last sentence of the book where the cliffhanger is). It seems that all Dystopian novels just have to have love triangles aka *coughCrossedcough*. I am, however, curious at how this whole love interest will work out. Since Delirium met every single of my expectations of romance and that Pandemonium exceeded  my expectation, Requiem should be REALLY REALLY REALLY well written with ABSOLUTELY NO CLICHES. Although there is a love triangle that is happening, I can't pick a side because I love Alex and Julian equally. I mean, with other love triangles that I encounter, I only sided with one person. I am so torn! I really like the relationship between Lena and Alex as well as Lena and Julian. At the end, Alex comes back, but he is angry about something. I guess if I were Alex, I'll probably be mad too. For example, Alex did so much to for Lena and for her to run off with another guy? I'll be furious!

What I think is the most interesting and artistic about Pandemonium is how the chapters were string together. Instead of the the good old fashion event progressing layout or the alternating the main protagonists' point of views, Pandemonium alternate between time periods - Then and Now. "Then" refers to the past where Lena just started out living in the Wild and "Now" is the present where Lena is on a mission. At first it was difficult to follow because I had to flip back to remind myself what happened in the past after finishing a chapter about the present. I thought the layout was genius because it definitely keep you at the edge of your seat and makes you keep reading until the very end

When I finished Delirium, I was crying my heart out because the ending was so shocking but the story was heart-breakingly beautiful. While starting on Pandemonium, I have a box of tissue ready just so I can be ready for the sad parts of the story, and I am glad that I have that box of tissue haha. I honestly hope Lauren Oliver would write a short spin-off in Alex's point of view during the time period of Pandemonium (similar to Hana which is a short spin-off in Hana's POV during Delirium time period). I cannot wait for the final installment, because I have a good feeling that ending will be super epic.

Overall, Pandemonium is a MUST READ book. Oh. Remember to read Hana (Delirium #1.5) before reading Pandemonium, it will make the plot way more interesting I promised you.

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 Quotes

• “That is what hatred is. It will feed you and at the same time turn you to rot.”
  “A world without love is also a world without stakes.” 
• “If you’re smart, you care. And if you care, you love.”
  “Something must die so that others can live.” 
• "Live free or die. Four words. Thirteen letters. Ridges, bumps, swirls under my fingertips. Another story. We cling tightly to it, and our belief turn it to truth."
  

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About Lauren Oliver

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