Review Detail

There was one sentence that I can remember from the book. "...his eyes are literally dancing with light, burning as though on fire." Emphasis on the literally. Now, I'm pretty sure the image I got in my mind was NOT the image that Oliver hoped to convey. It was funny, but eyes on fire might not be the first image you want of the perfect guy. I'm not usually a stickler for grammar, just thought I'd mention it because I remember it.

In Lena's world, America has finally identified love as the disease it really is. Now the scientists have finally found a cure, and America's borders are closed from the outside world so they can't get infected. (I know, it seems a bit extreme).

Lena is an orphan who lives with her aunt and uncle. Her mother commited suicide, and she barely knew her dad, so she cannot wait until she is cured of amora deliria nervosa, more commonly known as love. She can't wait to be rid of the risk of contracting the fatal disease, and she can't wait for the fresh start that is offered with it. Lena sees herself as a plain, good, rule-following citizen, who ca't wait for the procedure. Her friend Hana is a different story. While Lena stresses about her Match, whom she will marry, Hana is listening to illegal music and going to illegal parties after curfew. She questions everything about the procedure and life. Then comes Alex, who happens to see Lena during an unfortunate incident at her Evaluation, and since then she has been seeing him around a lot. She runs into him a couple more times and during that time starts to question the only life she's ever known.

Lena knows she's contracting the disease. And she doesn't care.

(SPOILER) I think it was a bit corny the way Alex got shot at the end. But it did make it more interesting. He could have followed her over the damn fence and stayed alive, but instead he chose to just STAND THERE and get shot. He might as well have painted on his back "I don't care about my life, I only care about Lena. Please just shoot me." Please. (END SPOILER)

It had a great concept, this book. I mean, love, a disease?! Who would have ever thought? Stupid us.

I definitely recommend it to those who like a good dystopian and are curious to see what would happen to the world - to US - if love was considered a disease. Interesting... can't wait to read Pandemonium.