Wednesday 6 March 2013

Review for Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Warning 
This is a review for the final book in the Delirium Trilogy and so contains spoilers from the previous books.

Requiem by Lauren Oliver 
Publisher: Hodder
Release: 21st March 2013
Genre: Dystopian, Romance, YA
Rating: 4/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review






Goodreads Summary:
"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."

Review 
Lauren Oliver manages to break my heart every time with the endings to her books and after the HUGE cliff-hanger at the end of Pandemonium with Alex’s return I was so anxious to read this final instalment to the trilogy and find out who Lena decides to be with and how it all ends.

Requiem is told in a dual narrative between Lena and Hana. The book picks up only a few days having passed since the events in Pandemonium and so things are still unresolved between Lena and Alex who have avoided one another since. I really enjoyed reading from two perspectives and thought that it worked really well for this book. Lena and the invalids are in the Wilds plotting a rebellion and Hana is in Portland soon to be married to the Mayor – a powerful and sadistic man. Surprisingly I actually preferred reading Hana’s chapters the most, I’ve always loved her as a character and it was great to be back in Portland to find out what has happened to the people Lena left behind. Hana’s storyline was also really interesting and intense to read as she discovers the skeletons in her future husbands closet and finds herself in even more danger when it seems as though her procedure might not have left her cured after all.

Like all of the books in the Delirium trilogy Requiem broke my heart. Early on in the book Alex and Lena have the talk they so desperately need and it hurt my heart to find out what had happened to Alex and to see how hardened he had become. Lena spends most of this book caught between both boys and although I’m firmly Team Alex I do love Julian and my heart went out to both of them in this impossible situation.

A lot of Requiem is slow moving and it’s not until the last 70 or so pages that things really kick off with the rebellion and at times I felt like Hana’s chapters were all that kept the pace moving. It’s within the last few chapters that Lena and Hana’s stories finally collide and the girl’s reunion was beautiful and brought a tear to my eye. The ending to this book is left very open and I know a few people who’ve been annoyed by that but enough was resolved to leave me satisfied and I found the way it ended reflected the message of the story about taking a leap of faith, not being able to predict where life will take us, all we have is now.

The final paragraph has Lena talking directly to us the reader and what she said really resounded with me and once again left me in tears. Overall I think that Requiem is a final book that readers are either going to love or hate but I found it in theme with the message at the heart of this series making it a moving and beautiful conclusion.

12 comments :

  1. I'm so glad you liked it! *high five*! The final page had me bawling my eyes out, it was so beautiful. Great review Jess :)

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    1. Thanks Amber! Me too it was such a beautiful final page.

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  2. Oh, I am reading this one now! I'll be sure to have the tissues at the ready for the end of this, so. Far too many of my recent reads have had me in tears!

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    1. I hope you love it Leanna! I know the feeling - this year has been full of moving books! *Passes tissues*

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  3. I'll be starting this one soon, I'm so glad it lives up to the others in the series :) Fab review!

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    1. Thanks Jesse! I'm looking forward to hearing what you think :)

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  4. I completely understand the intention behind the open ending, but it did leave me a little unsatisfied, I have to admit. I liked this book well enough overall, though, and agree about the two perspectives. I didn't think I'd like Hana's POV quite as well as I did! Lovely review, Jess. :)

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    1. I can understand why it did Sam, completely. I'm glad you liked it though and that you enjoyed Hana's POV as well :)

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  5. Brilliant review, Jess! I agree about Hana's chapters - I did really enjoy being back in Portland, seeing what was happening back there, as well as what was going on with Lena. I didn't find that Lena's chapters moved slowly though - I really enjoyed seeing how things were going to work out in that awkward little triangle (or square, I guess it became) they had going on there.

    I think the series ended in the only way it could have done really. If everything was tied up neatly with a little pink ribbon, it wouldn't have been as effective as an ending. The fact that it was left open leaves some room for the character's stories to continue after the final page, as though they're living people that are going to carry on living now the story is over (if you understand what I mean).

    Great review :) Loved it!

    Dani xx
    Pen to Paper

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    1. Firstly thanks for taking the time to write this lovely long comment Dani!

      It was so good to go back to Portland wasn't it? I'd missed some old characters so much! I'm glad you didn't find Lena's chapters slow like me. The love triangle was interesting to read but I just thought it took a long time to get going rebellion wise for a final book.

      I totally agree with you about the ending, it wouldn't ring true to the rest of the series if everything was tied up nicely all happy. I love the idea of these characters having a life after the story and have found myself wondering what they're up to now which never usually happens when a series ends. I like that they've lived on in my mind and seem like real people. :)

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  6. I loved this one so much! It was an interesting ending, and broke my heart as well. Mostly because of Alex - you're right, he was just do distant and hardened (understandable) but it killed me to read that. His short story was probably the worst for me.

    I really enjoyed Hana's chapters as well, I thought they really added a great perspective to the story and added more depth to the series.

    Brenna from Esther's Ever After

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    1. We didn't get a short story of Alex in our UK edition which makes me sad because I really want to read it now! Hopefully they'll release an e-book or have it in the finished copy.

      Me too, I haven't read Hana's story either so I may have to go back to it because I loved her voice in this book!

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