Pandemonium is written by best-selling author Lauren Oliver. It is the sequel to her book Delirium.

Alex is gone. The words seem to echo through the weak, empty shell that is Lena's body when she awakens in the wild. She has been saved, but her desire for life is gone. Alex is gone.

In the weeks after her escape, Lena must work hard to rebuild herself and carve out a place in her strange new world, making new friends and learning to trust once again. As a new Lena grows from the ashes of the old, she decides to help others find their way into a world filled with love and freedom. But the stakes are high when she returns to the world of walls and rules. Someone is always watching and Lena finds herself caught up in a tangled web of lies that threatens to turn her world upside down again.

Lauren Oliver is a beautiful writer. She easily weaves together a vivid world that makes her stories compelling. Her characters have good depth and perspective that make them easy to connect to as well as unique. And the themes that run through her books are thought provoking.

I have to say that I really enjoyed Pandemonium though it left me feeling a bit conflicted. I won't say why. You'll have to read the book to find out for yourself. But I'm very excited to see where Lauren Oliver takes the final book, Requiem, that is due out early next year. That story is going to make or break the series for me, so I'm hoping Oliver rises to the occasion and give us something spectacular. If she keeps in line with the first two books then the third will no doubt be amazing. I, for one, have got my fingers crossed.

Teen fiction seems to  be going through a prolifically long phase of dis-topian society books these days. And Delirium is no exception. As the second teen fiction novel written by best-selling author Lauren Oliver, it explores yet another way that society can go all wrong.

Written from a first-person perspective we follow the thoughts of 17-year old Lena as she counts down the days until she is "cured" of amor deliria nervosa, otherwise known as love. Terrified of being infected, Lena prepares for the evaluation that will set her on the path she will travel for the rest of her life. She willed be given an occupation, a "fit" partner, and a guide for how many children she should have. Her life will be free from choice, but more importantly free from pain. And that is all that Lena has ever wanted, the pain of her past to be taken away.

However, fate steps in on the day of Lena's evaluation and her world changes forever. Stumbling through a world that used to make sense, Lena must decide what is truth and what is a lie before she is "cured" forever.

If you're reading this synopsis thinking that this book sounds a lot like the book Matched by Allie Condie, you would be right. There are definitely some similar themes going on in these books - love, choice, & rebellion. However, despite their similarities, I have to say that I enjoyed Delirium more. 

For me, Lauren Oliver, does an amazing job  creating a dis-topian society that is tangible. Love and hate are two sides of the same coin, so it's easy for me to imagine a place where they have removed all strong emotions to ensure obedience. From this mentality, Oliver explores the role that love plays in our lives - all that it can give and take away - and whether or not it's better to live life with it or without it.

Delirium lacks some of the typical teen fiction devices that often move the story along. There are no love triangles and the teenage angst is minimal. The characters deal with their problems in a direct way. There's no beating around the bush. I, for one, really appreciate the way Oliver develops her characters and the emotions they have. It doesn't feel contrived or silly. 

I am greatly hoping that this continues in the sequel, Pandemonium, which is already available. So, if you loved The Hunger Games or Matched, be sure to check this out.