Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Dystopian YA
Publication Date: February 28, 2012
Pages: 375
Source: Received a review copy from the publisher

Goodreads Summary

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 of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.


My Opinion

Lauren Oliver is officially one of my favorite authors. All of the books I’ve read by her — Before I Fall, Delirium, and now Pandemonium — have absolutely blown me away. All of her books are beautiful and jam packed with emotion. She has this amazing way of writing, where the words flow seamlessly, and the descriptions are so perfect that the entire book comes to life while you read it. She effortlessly weaves backstory through the novel, breathing life into each character she writes.

Anyway, enough about me talking about Lauren Oliver’s amazing writing skills, and onto my review of Pandemonium!

The end of Delirium left me in tears. I closed the book and was sad for a fews days, because I COULDN’T BELIEVE it ended the way it did. I thought it was a standalone, because I couldn’t imagine how the series could be continued after the dramatic ending in Delirium. But I was so happy when I heard Pandemonium was coming out! There was also a part of me that was worried as well, because with the way Delirium ended, I knew the characters I’d come to know and love in Delirium would most likely not be in Pandemonium. And I was right — the only character in Pandemonium from Delirium was Lena, although Lena did think about her friends and family from Portland throughout the book. BUT Lauren Oliver made it work!

I literally couldn’t put Pandemonium down when I was reading. Now that she’s out in the Wilds, Lena has changed so much from the girl we first met in Delirium. She’s tough and strong, and learns that life in the Wilds isn’t as perfect as she imagined. We meet lots of new characters, and learn that the Resistance isn’t what Lena originally thought it would be. We experience Lena’s grief, and we journey with her as she goes on a mission of her own. We also get to see Lena fall in love again, this time with someone totally unexpected.

Then there was the ending. Lauren Oliver shocked me with the ending of Delirium, and did it again with the ending of Pandemonium. All I can say is — I wasn’t expecting that, OMG, and I need book three NOW!

If you haven’t read anything by Lauren Oliver yet, do yourself a favor and pick up one of her books! You’ll be happy you did. She’s easily one of the best writers to hit the current YA scene. Every book she writes entrances me and leaves me wanting more. I can’t wait to see how she ends the incredible Delirium Trilogy!