Annabel! Your Thoughts!

So as the title says we want to hear your thoughts and opinions on Lauren’s latest instalment in the Delirium saga!

To all who have yet to read this short story I would read no further and also avoid the comment section to avoid spoilers.

So my own view was that yet again Lauren drags us into the story with her beautiful way with words, her ability to create images and to flood us with feelings for her characters. An enigma of a character was given life in these pages, and became one you could not sympathise with and feel for in her plight and fight!

It’s evident that Annabel cares deeply, although some favouritism for Lena over Rachel? Has she lost all hope for Rachel completely?

The point of view from both childhood and adult Annabel was a fascinating insight. It allowed us to see the world as the the cure was being initiated and becoming mandatory for citizens. It also answered that unasked question of Lenas father! How did Annabel meet him? Was he one of her matches. Well we got that answer and much more. Although being greedy I hope there is more to come on that story!

I loved Annabel. Just wish it had been longer!

Over to you!

USA Today recommends Annabel

For all of you who have not yet had the chance to read Lauren’s short story Annabel, which tells the story of Lena’s mother, you’re missing out! It gives amazing insight into how the world that Lena grew up in came to be,  how her family came together and fell apart, and how her mother became part of a bigger cause.

USA Today‘s Jessie Potts has recommended Annabel as a must-read!

Why you should read it: Delirium was ridiculously good, and I loved Pandemonium. I’ve always wanted to know more about Annabel and her fate: Who was the woman behind the haunted memories? In this novella, Lauren showcases her talent for getting into different characters’ heads and memories and pulling their story forth. I would recommend reading this even if you haven’t read Delirium (though you’ll enjoy it that much more if you do!). Annabel’s voice is strong, and I can understand how Lena was able to fight … it was in her blood.

Tidbit: When I asked Lauren about writing Annabel, she said, “The great thing about being an author nowadays is the immediacy (and volume!) of the feedback you get from readers — on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Goodreads, whatever. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming, but often, I’ve drawn inspiration from the opinions, questions, and even the demands of my fans. After Delirium published, a lot of my readers asked me about Lena’s mother and whether we would see her again. I knew we would later on in the series, but everyone seemed so captivated by her background and her history, I decided I wanted to make her the star of her own story. That’s how Annabel came to be. I was really excited to write from Lena’s mom’s perspective, both because I got to explore what the world was like as the cure for love was just being mandated and the borders were closing down. Also, I’ve always been obsessed with the book/movie The Count of Monte Cristo, and I drew my inspiration for The Crypts, where Annabel is imprisoned for over a decade, from the horrible jail in that book.”

Read the whole recommendation here!

Random Pandemonium Review from Tumblr

Sometimes, it’s fun to see what fans are saying. We spotted this intriguing review on Tumblr and figured it was worth sharing. It comes courtesy of crookedusage.tumblr.com:

As I suspected the second book in this trilogy was absolutely fantastic. Delirium was good but it spent a lot of time building the world and setting everything up. In the first book Lena slowly comes to realize that the world she lives in is wrong, her government are lying to her and love is not the disease she believed it to be. In Pandemonium the story becomes far more complex and mature as Lena comes to terms with her new beliefs and reality.

The genius of Lauren Oliver’s idea really shows in this book and the full implications of the cure for love become apparent. We also get to see much more of the country and get a wider view of the struggle going on between the government and the resistance. Oliver also really develops her main character, Lena and I found myself becoming very attached to her and invested in her life. In the first book Lena was innocent and mostly unaware of the wrongs of her world, in this book she has grown up and fought to gain her freedom and the ability to make her own life choices. After reading Pandemonium I could compare this series favourably to Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger games, although the story and setting is more complex and Lena is certainly a more complicated character. If you loved The Hunger Games and are looking for something similar to read I can highly recommend this particularly if like me you’d like something with a bit more depth.

We agree with a lot of what crookedusage says, especially in regards to Lena’s development.

A Pandemonium Review

The website ForeverYoungAdult have posted a book review of Lauren Oliver’s highly anticipated Pandemonium. The review is told in a teen fan girl state so I shall try my best to keep this brief, but if you so wish you may follow the above link to read the full review.

The review first details about the obvious similarities in the Covers of Delirium and Pandemonium. The review states “Obviously, this cover was made to mirror the paperback of “Delirium, which also features a BIG FACE surrounded by plants. I’m guessing this is a nod to Lena being in the Wild”

This has not been confirmed by Lauren Oliver, but we can presume it is a valid guess with Lena making the transition from what the state dictates and being trapped, to being free and unruled in the wild.

The review then moves on to give some detail of the book’s plot stating;

“Even though we’ve had to wait an entire effing year to find out what happened after the end of “Delirum,” for Lena, only a few moments have passed. After Alex was shot at the border fence, she was forced to keep running, deeper and deeper into the Wilds, until she was luckily rescued by a group of Invalids, aka people who refuse to be cured. The first half of the book alternates between Lena’s slow recovery in the Wilds and her subsequent undercover mission in New York City, where she poses as a devoted member of Deliria-Free-America (DFA). Beyond listening and observing, Lena’s not sure what she’s supposed to do, until the day she’s told to follow Julian Fineman, the DFA founder’s son. And then… all hell breaks loose.”

Pandemonium picks up directly from where Delirium ends, and the readers are left wondering if Alex survived. The alternating from Past to present can at first be confusing, but it gives a detail insight as to what has gone on in the run up to Lena living in New York and being undercover for the resistance. It is setting up the story if you will.

The review then looks into the arrival of Julian, and his impact upon Lena and the relationship that should exist between then and what the reality is turning out to be. From my personal point of view I disagree with the review here, it states; “Lena and Julian are forced to get to know each other in a deliciously torturous manner, and the fact that Lena is more experienced in the ways of deliria than Julian ups the SEXAY to smoldering levels.” Personally I never warmed to Julian, and would like to hear your thoughts to this in the comments please. Are you a team Julian?

Continuing down the interview it comments on Lauren Oliver’s wonderful creative skills with words;  “If you’ve read Before I Fall or Delirium, you already know that Oliver’s style is achingly emotional and gorgeously compelling. Her words float up from the page and surround you until you feel like you’ve actually become a physical part of the book. But while her writing remains beautiful, Oliver really picked up the pace for “Pandemonium,” resulting in a seriously heart-pounding whirlwind of action and suspense.” This I whole heartily agree with, Lauren Oliver is a captivating writer, and you a sucked into the world she weaves around you completely.

We here at the Delirium Fandom would love to hear your thoughts regarding this review, the full thing can be found here. Do you agree with review? or do you have your own thoughts and opinions? we would love to hear them.

Until next time. Live free or die.