Book Review: Requiem by Lauren Oliver.

Product details:
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton.
Hardcover, 400 pages.
Release date: March 21st 2013.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ages: 14+
Series: Delirium  #3.
Other Books in Series: Delirium, Pandemonium,
Overall Series Rating: 3½ out of 5.
Source: Received from publisher for review.

Battling against a society in which love has been declared a disease, Lena now finds herself at the centre of a fierce revolution. But the Wilds are no longer the haven they once were as the government seeks to stamp out the rebels. And Lena's emotions are in turmoil following the dramatic return of someone she thought was lost forever...

Told from the alternating viewpoints of Lena and her best friend Hana, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to an exhilarating end and showcases Lauren Oliver at the height of her writing powers - emotionally powerful and utterly enthralling.

 Please note: This is a review of a next-in-a-series book. There may be spoilers for the previous book in the series in this review.
 

 Requiem, the breathtaking conclusion to Lauren Oliver’s dystopian Delirium trilogy sees the stakes raised higher than ever for Lena Haloway as she fights to stay alive in a world where falling in love is the deadliest crime.

Confession:  While I love Lauren Oliver’s remarkable writing style, it took me a while to fall in love or even to fall in like with this series. I’ve said it before: Dystopian fiction can be hit and miss for me, and for a while the Delirium trilogy while not a total miss, wasn’t entirely a hit either.  I found the first two books in the series a little slow moving. In Delirium I wanted more background information about the world Lena lived in. Pandemonium, I found predictable right down to the final shocking twist, which didn’t come as a shock to me at all. I was glad for it, though, I’ll say that.  I looked forward to reading Requiem, mostly for the words, and the style, and then: I fell in love with the story.  Beautifully written, thoughtful, intriguing and exciting, Requiem is a stunning finale to the Delirium trilogy, and my favourite of the series.

Once upon a time, Lena lived in a world dictated by rules, and now she lives in the wilds where there are no rules.  She’s free to love. But who does she love? Alex, who is not the same boy she fell in love with, but who still holds a piece of her heart in his hands. Or Julian, who gave up everything he believed in for her; who believes in her, who would do anything for her.  Years ago, the powers that be in Lena’s society outlawed love as a disease. For Lena, love is something to cherish. It’s something worth fighting for. But she can’t deny that love hurts.  And she can’t deny that love breaks her heart when Alex starts growing closer and closer to Coral, a survivor who has joined their camp. She can’t deny her heart either, not when it soars whenever Alex is near; and not when she feels wrapped in warmth whenever Julian is by her side.

But Lena has bigger things to worry about than love. She has revolution in mind. The invalids - constantly under attack from a government intent on eradicating them - are rising in the wilds; increasing in numbers and no longer willing to be denied their basic human right to love.

In a very different world, Lena’s former best friend Hana is at the center of her own personal revolution.  With weeks to go to her wedding, Hana finds out some chilling truths about her soon-to-be husband.  She feels trapped in her world – nothing more than a pretty bird in a gilded cage. And as the days pass, she realizes that the cure is not all she thought it would be. She still dreams at night.  She still remembers her old life. She still remembers Lena. She still remembers the secrets she held close, and the promises she broke.

And in a very different world, a girl sleeps under the stars dreaming of the boy she still loves, while another boy lies at her side.

Requiem deals in shattered dreams, broken hearts and forgotten friendships, but this book also offers hope and it teaches that what once was held dear can never be truly lost.  A book that is redemptive and hopeful in nature despite lives lost and hearts ruined Requiem teaches us to remain true to ourselves and to others and to never stop fighting for what we believe in.

*****

Delirium Novellas

Annabel (Delirium #0.5) - Lena's mother, Annabel has always been a mystery to her, and to us. We know her only through Lena's memories. Now though, with this novella, she becomes real.  Told in alternate chapters between Annabel's life in the early days of the cure, and her life in the crypts; Annabel details Lena's mothers fighting spirit and her will to survive. Through it all, Annabel never gives up hope, and she forgets Lena - the life they had and the love they shared..  My favourite of the Delirium novellas.

Hana (Delirium #1.5) - Hana has a secret - a secret she'll never tell.  Read my review: of Hana: here.

Raven (Delirium 2.5) - Tells the story of Raven, one of the leaders of the rebel group Lena meets in the wilds. I have to admit, I never fully warmed to Raven, so much so that I didn't read this novella until after I read Requiem (Ooops!). If you really want to connect with Raven and fully appreciate her journey in Requiem, then read this first. I can't say any more than that!