REVIEW : Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

REVIEW : Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

   8:58 PM       Elisa

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Pandemonium (Delirium #2)

Author     : Lauren Oliver
Publisher  : Harper Teen
Source     : Bought
Pages       : 375 (Hardcover)

Summary from Goodreads :

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire nf fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

I'd highly suggest you to read the previous book Delirium first before read this review, because, well, it would not be fun at all peeking on what will happen next without knowing the whole first story. It's very difficult to review this book without spoiling anything from Delirium, so excuse me if I loose a bit. I try not to give much of it though =p.

Delirium left a deep impression for me with lyrical writing, slow pace, beautiful yet melancholic story and heartbreaking ending. Very. I was in a state of strong denial and friggin' exciting for the next sequel, hoped that something good would happen. I generally screened some reviews about this book though, carefully not to spoiled any important things while I got the outline of the story. After cooled myself from getting this pretty book in my hand and devoured it, I literally couldn't put it down, if I didn't have to work and sleep. Pandemonium gives us a different feeling. It has faster pace than Delirium and gives a lot of tension and surprising moments. I definitely loved it as well. It was really good, narrated beautifully as previous book in a right pace with more heart-racing action pack. I almost hoped that Pandemonium could have longer pages (kinda surprised of its fewer pages. lol) but I think it already can tell us many things in 375 pages.

I already awared that Pandemonium is alternately narrated by 2 different yet related stories, Then and Now. I could imagine it like scenes on movie, one was fading when the other adjusted and appeared, it's very unique and cool.
Then chapters happen right after the end of Delirium, after she escaped alone from Portland's wire-fence and tragedies. We see how amazing Lena is on her survival and transfomation progress. She's nearly dead but thankfully she was found by a group of Invalids who saves and shelters her. Lena experiences very difficult moments adjusting herself in The Wilds, a devastating land, because it's totally different from a place she lived at before. Living in The Wilds requires her to struggle harder, for just to get water and unpretentious foods. She, along with her new friends have to survive from extreme weathers, move from one place to another miles away with feet, famine, and the worst, attacks from government who eagers to finish all Invalids off. She also realizes that there's a danger even in their own kind. Moreover, she has to endure her grief of losing Alex, his shadows keeps haunting in her reality and dreams. Reading those was saddening me but at the same time it was really pleasing to read something real in life, that sufferings and hard moments will shape, carve someone to be stronger and more aware with surroundings. That was also happened on Lena. The old, obidient Lena is scraped, the stronger one replaces it.

While Now chapters tell us about Lena at reverse position as hers on previous novel. Now she's totally different than before, a new Lena with new identity, an 'Invalid' who disguises as a Cured. She gets a task, to infiltrate and observes DFA, Deliria-Free America. It doesn't take too long to experience the action. Lena shortly gets involved in rescuing Julian Fineman, son of DFA leader, while her own life is also at stake. She discovers one by one shocking truth in process, about The Resistence, DFA, The Scavengers, and the fact that she could fall in love again with somebody else.
Along with Lena, I also never suspected before that I would like a boy other than Alex in this series. Well, at least it's still 'liking', not 'loving'. Lena isn't instantly seeing Julian as the substituter, even at first she hated him for being a part of loveless society which brings sorrow to her kinds. But the more she knows him, about his forbidden secret that would put his life on danger and his true nature of curiosity, determination and open mind-ess; the more she falls for him, while at the moment she still keeps Alex in her mind and feels guilty because she feels like betraying Alex.

I was really happy for Lena and her new life, totally forgot about people's warning, then after I reached last 2 pages, it was like BAM!

OHMAIGOSH.

It used to be something I hoped to be happened before but after all thing happened at this novel..... SERIOUSLY?

This novel is closed with a BIG FAT shocking scene, left my jaw dropped open. Lauren Oliver is such a queen of cliffhanger, dropped another little 'kaboom!' and let us suffering. I was already dying to read Requiem (the title gives a goosebump, I feel so bad =_=) that would be released on early next year, one reason why world should not be ended this year. Man, what a painful thing, waiting is!

So guys, for all who already read Delirium and loved it, grab it now; or for Indonesian fellows, don't hesitate to pre-order it once it announced. For those who are new and never read any Lauren Oliver books, do judge a book by it's cover for this series because the story is equally pretty as the covers.
Happy reading! =D