Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

I knew it! I knew it! I just so badly knew it!!!


I really loved this book (i.e. sequel to Delirium), that the twists all fit nicely into place, the clever way in which it is written - Oliver is a master crafter of a story.


I must admit I did skim in some places - purely for selfish reasons (time poor). But I felt the romantic developments between the main characters happened as naturally as could be expected - I mean Alex has been dead for a year right? Lena is tough and endures a lot, and I liked how we got to see the "now" and the "then", because if we had to read it chronologically I think "then" would have been far too depressing and slow. I also like following Julian's intellectual journey through Lena's voice.


I like Raven and Tack, in fact Tack is my favourite dude in this book! She's all hard-mum on the surface, and he's all hard through and through...


It's a cleverly woven story of discovery revealing the cracks in this dystopian society where love is an illness. One of my favourite parts of the book is where Coin says (p273) "That is the mistake they make...they think that only certain people have a place....[or] belong. The rest is waste. But even waste must have a place. Otherwise it will clog and clot, and rot and fester."


It's not just a dramatic tale either, and is surprisingly action-packed.
I mean, just when you think you can breathe...whapang!).

My hopes for book 3 - that Lena's mum and Hana feature, in a good way, and that that Lena doesn't become alienated from love (hmmm read into that what you may but I can certainly see how it could happen given two things that happen in the latter part of this book, the last one being the final word of the book - go see if you absolutely have to know!).