There will be spoilers for Delirium, use your brain here and decide if you want to continue reading or not!!
Holy intensity in ten cities Batman. You guys, this whole heart clench that I got after listening to the audiobook of Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver has got to be bad for my cardiovascular system. OH MY GOD! Okay, so apparently I wasn’t paying that much attention in Delirium because the beginning of Pandemonium is like, oh, by the way, Alex is dead. And I’m like WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN? AND yo, Pandemonium does not relent.
Pandemonium
Okay, so Pandemonium alternates between Then and Now. During the Then section, Lena is attempting to survive in the wilds and deal with her overwhelming grief while trying to fit in with the invalids. During the Now section, Lena is in Brooklyn infiltrating an anti-deliria league and oh yeah, getting to ‘know’ Julian Fineman who comes from a very, very anti-deliria, kind of a big deal family.
Obviously, Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver doesn’t suffer from second book in a series syndrome. YOU GUYS! The story actually advances. Big reveals are made! And okay, Lena’s character actually continues to grow! She’s so freakin’ fierce. I LOVE IT! I mean, it’s not like Lena regresses, but in Pandemonium, I felt like she took her inner strength to the next level.
AND HOLY MARY MOTHER OF GOD THAT ENDING! OH MY GODDDDDDD. Yo, screams heard round the world. It came out of pretty much nowhere and y’all I cannot freaking believe it. Like it’s very discussion and theoryworthy. I have some thoughts. AND SOME IDEAS. AND SOME CONNECTIONS in my synapses after reading it.
Sarah Drew is still stellar in her role as narrator for the Delirium Trilogy. She lends the story a certain vulnerability in her voice to the audio produced by Harper Audio. The unabridged length of 10 hours and 37 minutes go by rather quickly with Drew at the helm. Pandemonium and Delirium are definitely a series worth keeping up with in audio.
Disclosure: Purchased my copy with my audible credit. HOLLA!
Other reviews of Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver:
Sim Sational Books
Forever Young Adult
Rather Be Reading
Fiction Folio
Gone With The Words
Series Order:
Delirium (Book One)
Pandemonium (Book Two)
Requiem (Book Three)
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OMG I LOVED THIS!! Your review pretty much sums up my feelings as well. That ending! I suspected it from the beginning (or hoped for it) but by the end I wasn’t so sure it would happen….if that makes sense. But my god I need book 3 asap!!
I’m totally slow. Like I didn’t expect the ending until it happened.
Word. Let’s break into Harper and steal book 3!
I really liked Pandemonium and thought it was a great sequel but I have to admit that I saw that ending coming. I was hoping the entire time that the author wouldn’t go there (not because I don’t like that character but because I was impressed with Delirium and the brave J.K. Rowling kind of way it ended) but I trust Lauren Oliver so I am excited about Requiem anyway. I am a big fan of her writing and this series is one of my favorites.
I’ll have to try the audiobook sometime. Thanks for your review!
Yes. Trust Lauren Oliver. I am so psyched for Requiem.
I think Delirium is fast becoming one of my favorite series as well.
It is such an exciting book. I’m about 200 pages in now, and I’m totally excited/nervous for the ending. Loved the Delirium audiobook so I’m sad to not be listening in to Pandemonium. I can hear Sarah Drew’s narration in my head though as I read because I’m weird like that 🙂
Excellent spoiler free review!
Oh just you wait.
Sarah Drew is such a great narrator.
And thank you!
I usually don’t see endings coming but I saw that one. **MILDLY SPOILERY COMMENT COMING UP** As soon as she began to fall for Julian, well, yeah, had a feeling that was coming.
I’m looking forward to listening to the audiobook though. I LOVED Sarah Drew’s performance in Delirium so I want to hear her again.
YES! Well, I did not see that ending coming.
The audiobook rocks, I think you’ll be very pleased with it.
Wow, this sounds intersting. I’m going to have to check out this series!
You should. It’s super good!
YESSSSS!! I pretty much freaked out at the end, like everyone else. I was also very happy to see Lena very fierce in this book, I loved it! Great review, April, and thanks for linking mine. 🙂
Yes! Lena really grows as a character in Pandemonium and I love that.
I love linking the reviews of other people 🙂
BAHAHA “When did that happen!?” Oh April! I love you! 🙂 Great review!!
I am very slow sometimes.
<3
hsoeoaieondlkfankaldhrlei!!!!!! I need to read this one ASAP. I keep thinking that I’m going to wake up from this nightmare and Alex WON’T be dead. In fact, I don’t think I’ll be letting that go anytime soon. I mean, I was one of those crazies who believed a little bit that Dumbledore didn’t die, so …obviously I can’t take a hint. But ALL THE CAPS and ALL EXCLAIMING! are just making me antsy to read it. I don’t think I can hear too much more about this ENDING OF BIG THINGS everyone is talking about!
OMG AMY. Your G.D. heart will EXPLODE. IT WILL EXPLODEEEE.
Also, I had that denial, about Sirius Black. I was like oh they will discover that curtain was something else in the next book.
Not just a river in Egypt, I guess.
THIS BOOK. OH MY GOSH, THIS BOOK. My heart was beating so freakin’ fast. I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I finished. I wanted to grab the next book, but alas, it doesn’t exist yet. Oliver is seriously one of my favorite authors. She’s amazing. Hands down – just brilliant.
I want to hear your theories!!!
Agreed! Pandemonium is soooooo good!