2010 book 248

Lauren Oliver's Delirium
Oliver--author of the beautiful Before I Fall--has written part one of what is presumably another YA dystopian trilogy. But of course, it's Oliver, and it's wonderful. This one has a somewhat Uglies-esque premise (but with a much more sympathetic protagonist), where when kids turn 18, they undergo a procedure known as the cure. See, in this near future, love is seen as a disease, and scientists have discovered a cure. Lena starts out just wanting to be normal--which is hard for her, as the cure never worked for her mother and she ended up committing suicide, leaving Lena and her sister in the care of an aunt--but soon encounters the power of love (I imagine the power of love is even more powerful and heady if you're a teenager who's been sheltered from it) and wonders if the cure maybe isn't the greatest idea after all. Lena's dawning awareness is believable and she and her best friend are especially likable characters; her love interest is a bit more mysterious but that works in the context of the book. I was riveted to this book up till the unexpected and very exciting ending, and can't wait for the sequel. It comes out in January, so definitely check it out, and read Before I Fall if you haven't already. A/A-.

(An e-review copy was provided by the publisher.)