Publisher: Harper TeenPublishing Date: February 1, 2011
ISBN: 9780061726828
Pages: 440 pages
Summary from GoodReads:
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.
My Review:
I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and I was quite excited when I got it. I had been looking forward to reading this for some time. This dystopian novel was amazing. This is the first novel that I read from Oliver and I absolutely adored it. It was such a different idea for a novel. I had never really viewed love as disease but I suppose I could see how it may be interpreted like that. There are some terrible things that are a direct result of love. That being said, as you read further into this novel you can see that when you take away love you are taking away what it is to be human. There are also many different types of love and by curing someone of them all they are missing out on so many aspects of life. The idea is to get rid of all the suffering but I believe that suffering is an integral part of human life. There are many life lessons learned and much growth done while suffering. I really liked the character of Lena. She struggled throughout the entire novel. She was unsure whether to stay with the norm and what she has known her whole life or whether to wade into the realm of the unknown. She has been told so many things her whole life and she finds it difficult to question the norm. When she did begin questioning things in Portland she begins to notice things that aren't quite right. For example, during a raid she witnesses a guard bash in a dog's head. She begins to notice that without love there is also indifference and no passion. She also notices that her relationship with her best friend and sister may suffer if she undergoes this procedure. I don't want to give away the ending but it ties things up nicely but also leaves it open to a sequel. I highly recommend reading this novel. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I have to say that upon looking at the cover I would not have thought twice about this book, but after reading your post about it - I must buy it! This book sounds so interesting and like something that would be right up my alley. Thanks for the great review!
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