Events

2014 EVENTS:
Holly Bourne, Non Pratt and James Dawson - 30th October
Becca Fitzpatrick - 15th November

Thursday 26 June 2014

GUEST REVIEW: Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver

Thursday 26 June 2014
GENRE: YA/Dystopian
PAGES: 336
PUBLISHER: Hodder
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY
Unflinching, heartbreaking and totally addictive, this novel will push your emotions to the limit. Lena's been to the very edge. She's questioned love and the life-changing and agonising choices that come with it. She's made her decision. But can she survive the consequences?

REVIEW
Pandemonium is the second book in the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver, so if you haven’t read the first book, I advise that you do not read this review before you have read Delirium as there are SPOLIERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK. (My previous review is about Delirium go check it out). This book was very unexpecting and Lauren writes this book in a very interesting way.

At the end Delirium, Lena has runaway to Wilds whilst Alex is caught and possibly dead. At the beginning of Pandemonium she is in The Wilds alone, however soon after she meets a group of Invalids and they become a family. One girl she encounters with is Raven. Raven is the leader of her family in the Wilds and Raven orders Lena to complete a mission in the outside world. Lena was warned by Raven to look out for the ‘Watch the DFA. Observe. Blend.’ She is supposed to blend into the society that she left when she ran away to the Wilds. The DFA stands for Deliria – Free America and this is what Lena and the Invalids are against. Raven also tells Lena to keep on the DFA’s son; Julian Fineman. Lena doesn’t know why she must keep on eye on Julian however she goes along with Raven’s orders. The family is then attacked and Lena and Julian are both captured as prisoners. Her and Julian find a way to escape and she develops unexpected feelings for Julian but will this turn into a romance after Alex or is someone/something going to shake up her feelings?

Main Characters
Lena Halloway: Lena’s character development from Delirium to Pandemonium is exceptional. The way she handles with the grief and heartbreak of Alex to getting thrown back into the real world is amazing and Lauren really shows what a true woman can do and that women are strong human beings. Lena’s character also develops romantically with Julian, however you feel that she still has a connection with Alex therefore her relationship with Julian is bit more strict due to her feelings for Alex.

Julian Fineman: Julian is absolutely adorable however I find his character very confusing. One minute, he doesn’t want to know Lena, the next he is pouring his deep and dark secrets out to her and then is back to not wanting to know her. I did fall in love with Julian however I didn’t agree with some of the choices he makes during the book because I feel they are harsh to Lena and also I personally wouldn’t make those decisions.

Lauren writes the series from Lena’s perspective and this book jumps from the present time to the past and then back again, which means you have to concentrate on the book but I think that this gives the book a whole new depth because you get to feel Lena’s emotions from past and present. I love the direction that the book turns to with the insanely annoying (yet amazing) cliffhanger at the end, with big reveals and emotions flying everywhere.

This book is second in the trilogy and the third Requiem. There are also short stories. For me the order you should read this series, including the short stories is; Annabel, Delirium, Hana, Pandemonium, Raven, Requiem, Alex.

- Ambi
(http://anahal.wordpress.com)

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