Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. Of Pandemonium, ALA Booklist noted that “like all successful second volumes, this expands the world and ups the stakes, setting us up for the big finale.”
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.
Books
Young Adult Fiction
Requiem (Delirium #3)
Requiem (Delirium #3) http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/200x285s/d9/5b/ec/_9593913-1348238421.jpg Featured
Author(s)
Publisher
Genre(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
March 05, 2013
ISBN
0062014536
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Editor reviews
Requiem was one of the books that topped my MUST READ list and I couldn't wait to rejoin forces with Lena, Julian, Alex and the rest of The Resistance. *checks neck for fake cured marks* Yep, I'm still infected with Amor Deliria Nervosa.
Requiem is well-written, action-packed, intense and heartbreaking.
What I liked: Lauren Oliver is a fantastic world builder and her ability to convey exactly what the characters are feeling made Requiem quite painful* (*painful in the best possible way) to read and left me just as frustrated and heartsick as Lena and Hana. I enjoyed Hana's POV and found it interesting especially since she's "cured" now. The romantic tension between Lena, Alex and Julian was palpable and I couldn't decide who I wanted to see her end up with, you know, assuming they all survive and that people's feelings stay the same.
There were a few twists that I didn't see coming, some I felt were warranted and a few I wasn't so sure about but one in particular made me angry. So much so, I wanted to figure out a way to continue on without having to see/hear/read anything more about that person. Thankfully, there were more than enough opportunities for redemption and these characters are challenged to make decisions that require great sacrifice.
What left me wanting more: The ending. I'm thankful it wasn't a cliff-hanger like it's two predecessors because I wasn't made to feel like I was having a heart attack but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting either. It felt unfinished and left a lot of unanswered questions which leads me to believe...
1) This will be a series and not a trilogy.
2) The rest of the story will play out in e-books like Hana, Raven and Annabel's (Lena's Mom) stories have. Maybe we'll hear from Alex (perhaps his time spent away from Lena?) and Julian, which would be made of all the awesome.
3) This really is the end and I'll just have to deal with my feels. If this is true, then an Epilogue would've been helpful to tie up the loose ends. (Or appease readers like me.)
Final verdict: Some readers may be unsatisfied but this really is a great addition to the Delirium Trilogy!
Requiem is well-written, action-packed, intense and heartbreaking.
What I liked: Lauren Oliver is a fantastic world builder and her ability to convey exactly what the characters are feeling made Requiem quite painful* (*painful in the best possible way) to read and left me just as frustrated and heartsick as Lena and Hana. I enjoyed Hana's POV and found it interesting especially since she's "cured" now. The romantic tension between Lena, Alex and Julian was palpable and I couldn't decide who I wanted to see her end up with, you know, assuming they all survive and that people's feelings stay the same.
There were a few twists that I didn't see coming, some I felt were warranted and a few I wasn't so sure about but one in particular made me angry. So much so, I wanted to figure out a way to continue on without having to see/hear/read anything more about that person. Thankfully, there were more than enough opportunities for redemption and these characters are challenged to make decisions that require great sacrifice.
What left me wanting more: The ending. I'm thankful it wasn't a cliff-hanger like it's two predecessors because I wasn't made to feel like I was having a heart attack but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting either. It felt unfinished and left a lot of unanswered questions which leads me to believe...
1) This will be a series and not a trilogy.
2) The rest of the story will play out in e-books like Hana, Raven and Annabel's (Lena's Mom) stories have. Maybe we'll hear from Alex (perhaps his time spent away from Lena?) and Julian, which would be made of all the awesome.
3) This really is the end and I'll just have to deal with my feels. If this is true, then an Epilogue would've been helpful to tie up the loose ends. (Or appease readers like me.)
Final verdict: Some readers may be unsatisfied but this really is a great addition to the Delirium Trilogy!
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Action packed, Intense and Heart-wrenching.
Requiem was one of the books that topped my MUST READ list and I couldn't wait to rejoin forces with Lena, Julian, Alex and the rest of The Resistance. *checks neck for fake cured marks* Yep, I'm still infected with Amor Deliria Nervosa.
Requiem is well-written, action-packed, intense and heartbreaking.
What I liked: Lauren Oliver is a fantastic world builder and her ability to convey exactly what the characters are feeling made Requiem quite painful* (*painful in the best possible way) to read and left me just as frustrated and heartsick as Lena and Hana. I enjoyed Hana's POV and found it interesting especially since she's "cured" now. The romantic tension between Lena, Alex and Julian was palpable and I couldn't decide who I wanted to see her end up with, you know, assuming they all survive and that people's feelings stay the same.
There were a few twists that I didn't see coming, some I felt were warranted and a few I wasn't so sure about but one in particular made me angry. So much so, I wanted to figure out a way to continue on without having to see/hear/read anything more about that person. Thankfully, there were more than enough opportunities for redemption and these characters are challenged to make decisions that require great sacrifice.
What left me wanting more: The ending. I'm thankful it wasn't a cliff-hanger like it's two predecessors because I wasn't made to feel like I was having a heart attack but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting either. It felt unfinished and left a lot of unanswered questions which leads me to believe...
1) This will be a series and not a trilogy.
2) The rest of the story will play out in e-books like Hana, Raven and Annabel's (Lena's Mom) stories have. Maybe we'll hear from Alex (perhaps his time spent away from Lena?) and Julian, which would be made of all the awesome.
3) This really is the end and I'll just have to deal with my feels. If this is true, then an Epilogue would've been helpful to tie up the loose ends. (Or appease readers like me.)
Final verdict: Some readers may be unsatisfied but this really is a great addition to the Delirium Trilogy!
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
User reviews
Average user rating from: 11 user(s)
For me, Requiem was a disappointing end to a good trilogy.
I liked Delirium and even loved Pandemonium. Lena had undergone a great character development and newly-introduced Julian was very likeable. I did not really like the character of Alex (her love interest in book 1 who was captured at the end) that much, but he was away the whole of book 2. Lena's life in the Wilds changed her character for the better.
But then Requiem... Of course the previous book ended with Alex reuniting with Lena, while she is now with Julian. The beginning of the book is almost entirely about how Lena is jealous about Alex' new relationship and how she is actually leading Julian on, because she is still in love with Alex. Later fortunately she turned by and got back to her old self, but only after Alex left. This really disappointed me, because Lena had become such a strong character in the last 2 books and this jealous girl was not. The rest of the book was a series of events that showed that rebels were gathering and the government was trying to stop them. Lena's long-lost mother also stops by, but this does not add much to the story.
Of course Alex was not very nice during this book, but what will you expect from someone who has been in prison to save the girl he loves only to find out she has found someone else when he comes back.
Julian is such a great guy, he gave up everything to run away with Lena to Wilds. He is always there for her, he does not deserve to be treated like Lena did. One time she is nice to him and the other she ignores him. This was a bit of a disappointment after their great relationship in Pandemonium, but it was sort of to be expected after Alex returning.
I liked the parts where Hana (Lena's best friend from before the Wilds) was narrating. She gave the reader the opportunity of experiencing the government-controlled cities, not only the Wilds. She has a strong character and she fights back against the Cure.
Then what I most disliked about the book was the ending. I was very surprised when I found out this was the end of the series. The ending was so abrupt, it seemed weird there was no next book.
The whole book the writer has been building up to a conclusion. And exactly when you think all your questions will be answered the book stops. What will happen to Hana, will she escape and will she and Lena live together in the Wilds? Who will Lena choose, Julian or Alex? What will happen to the revolution overall, will the Invalids win? All this was unanswered. Talking about an anti-climax ... The ending of the book kind of ruined the whole trilogy for me. What good is a nice story when there is no actual ending?
So, while Delirium and Pandemonium were great books, Requiem, mostly because of the ending, was not. I would strongly advise the writer to write a fourth book, because I am still full of questions. For now I am leaving it at 2 stars, for the rest of the book was OK.
http://www.evelinesbooks.blogspot.nl
I liked Delirium and even loved Pandemonium. Lena had undergone a great character development and newly-introduced Julian was very likeable. I did not really like the character of Alex (her love interest in book 1 who was captured at the end) that much, but he was away the whole of book 2. Lena's life in the Wilds changed her character for the better.
But then Requiem... Of course the previous book ended with Alex reuniting with Lena, while she is now with Julian. The beginning of the book is almost entirely about how Lena is jealous about Alex' new relationship and how she is actually leading Julian on, because she is still in love with Alex. Later fortunately she turned by and got back to her old self, but only after Alex left. This really disappointed me, because Lena had become such a strong character in the last 2 books and this jealous girl was not. The rest of the book was a series of events that showed that rebels were gathering and the government was trying to stop them. Lena's long-lost mother also stops by, but this does not add much to the story.
Of course Alex was not very nice during this book, but what will you expect from someone who has been in prison to save the girl he loves only to find out she has found someone else when he comes back.
Julian is such a great guy, he gave up everything to run away with Lena to Wilds. He is always there for her, he does not deserve to be treated like Lena did. One time she is nice to him and the other she ignores him. This was a bit of a disappointment after their great relationship in Pandemonium, but it was sort of to be expected after Alex returning.
I liked the parts where Hana (Lena's best friend from before the Wilds) was narrating. She gave the reader the opportunity of experiencing the government-controlled cities, not only the Wilds. She has a strong character and she fights back against the Cure.
Then what I most disliked about the book was the ending. I was very surprised when I found out this was the end of the series. The ending was so abrupt, it seemed weird there was no next book.
The whole book the writer has been building up to a conclusion. And exactly when you think all your questions will be answered the book stops. What will happen to Hana, will she escape and will she and Lena live together in the Wilds? Who will Lena choose, Julian or Alex? What will happen to the revolution overall, will the Invalids win? All this was unanswered. Talking about an anti-climax ... The ending of the book kind of ruined the whole trilogy for me. What good is a nice story when there is no actual ending?
So, while Delirium and Pandemonium were great books, Requiem, mostly because of the ending, was not. I would strongly advise the writer to write a fourth book, because I am still full of questions. For now I am leaving it at 2 stars, for the rest of the book was OK.
http://www.evelinesbooks.blogspot.nl
| Overall rating | 3.0 | |
| Plot | 2.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Disappointing ending
For me, Requiem was a disappointing end to a good trilogy.
I liked Delirium and even loved Pandemonium. Lena had undergone a great character development and newly-introduced Julian was very likeable. I did not really like the character of Alex (her love interest in book 1 who was captured at the end) that much, but he was away the whole of book 2. Lena's life in the Wilds changed her character for the better.
But then Requiem... Of course the previous book ended with Alex reuniting with Lena, while she is now with Julian. The beginning of the book is almost entirely about how Lena is jealous about Alex' new relationship and how she is actually leading Julian on, because she is still in love with Alex. Later fortunately she turned by and got back to her old self, but only after Alex left. This really disappointed me, because Lena had become such a strong character in the last 2 books and this jealous girl was not. The rest of the book was a series of events that showed that rebels were gathering and the government was trying to stop them. Lena's long-lost mother also stops by, but this does not add much to the story.
Of course Alex was not very nice during this book, but what will you expect from someone who has been in prison to save the girl he loves only to find out she has found someone else when he comes back.
Julian is such a great guy, he gave up everything to run away with Lena to Wilds. He is always there for her, he does not deserve to be treated like Lena did. One time she is nice to him and the other she ignores him. This was a bit of a disappointment after their great relationship in Pandemonium, but it was sort of to be expected after Alex returning.
I liked the parts where Hana (Lena's best friend from before the Wilds) was narrating. She gave the reader the opportunity of experiencing the government-controlled cities, not only the Wilds. She has a strong character and she fights back against the Cure.
Then what I most disliked about the book was the ending. I was very surprised when I found out this was the end of the series. The ending was so abrupt, it seemed weird there was no next book.
The whole book the writer has been building up to a conclusion. And exactly when you think all your questions will be answered the book stops. What will happen to Hana, will she escape and will she and Lena live together in the Wilds? Who will Lena choose, Julian or Alex? What will happen to the revolution overall, will the Invalids win? All this was unanswered. Talking about an anti-climax ... The ending of the book kind of ruined the whole trilogy for me. What good is a nice story when there is no actual ending?
So, while Delirium and Pandemonium were great books, Requiem, mostly because of the ending, was not. I would strongly advise the writer to write a fourth book, because I am still full of questions. For now I am leaving it at 2 stars, for the rest of the book was OK.
http://www.evelinesbooks.blogspot.nl
Bad Points
- Ending
- Love triangle
- Lack of events
- Love triangle
- Lack of events
Do You Recommend?
No
Was this review helpful to you?
After reading Pandemonium with that gut-punching ending, I cannot wait to read this book. But after reading some reviews when this was released, all those unsatisfied comments sort of dampen my excitement.
Oliver, once again, amazed me with her impeccable writing style and wonderful prose. She has a way with words. I definitely enjoyed reading the alternate POVs of Hana and Lena, which had a great distinction between the characters. You can definitely see the difference between them. Lena was defiant, stubborn and strong-willed while Hana was confused, guilty but surprisingly calm. I was particularly excited to read Hana’s part, especially now that she’s cured.
All the time I was reading, I was looking forward for the two girls to meet. Well, except knowing Lena’s choice. I was excited to see their reactions and if there still was friendship left between them, even a little. Unfortunately, the moment I’ve been waiting for fell short. Of course I was expecting a sort of dramatic event. They were best friends whose paths were separated after all. But I didn’t feel enough emotions on their scene except when Hana admitted to Lena that it was her who told the Regulators about 37 Brooks. It all felt bland and both of them, although wary of each other, seem nonchalant.
The build up of the war was also well-paced except for some unnecessary filler parts. Fillers are not bad, although I was expecting more action because of the upcoming war against the government. I definitely felt a rush reading those dangerous parts, not just on Lena’s part but also on Hana’s. The latter’s visit at the Crypt was also an interesting point, as well as the use of the story of Bluebeard, which I admit scares the crap out of me.
Also, let’s not forget the boys. Reading the change in Alex was heartbreaking. He was like a lifeless soul that didn’t just change but was utterly broken. And although I wanted Alex, Julian’s moments and his adjustment to the Wilds was something that cannot be overlooked. Almost everything he does, he does for Lena, which is really sweet and adorable. I started to see his perspective and I cannot find any reason to be annoyed.
Who annoyed me? Lena. At the beginning, her choice was indeed obvious but I felt a bit of change in the middle. Her confusion between Alex and Julian was perfectly understandable but I hated the parts where she purposely threw herself towards Julian’s direction whenever Alex does something (ignoring her or having a fun conversation with Coral). There were also times when it feels like she’s choosing Julian’s side because she can’t be with Alex, like he’s her second choice. I thought she loved Julian?
Although I have a love-hate relationship with this book, it was still awesome in my book until the ending. Please tell me that my copy has a missing chapter or that there’s another book coming next year because that was not a freakin ending! I liked the thought of the last paragraphs, about not knowing things, I get it but would it hurt to give a conclusion? This is a conclusion to the series, for Merlin’s sake! With Lena’s internal speech about not knowing things, I expected an open-ending but that wasn’t ending at all. It only gave me more questions which was supposed to be answered and put to rest after reading the last book. What happened to Lena’s family? What happened to Hana? What about Fred? [spoiler] With Lena choosing Alex, I assume because of their exchange of I love yous, how did Julian react? [spoiler] Did Hana and Lena’s friendship stood a chance in the end? What about the war? See, questions.
To say that I am disappointed would be an understatement.
Oliver, once again, amazed me with her impeccable writing style and wonderful prose. She has a way with words. I definitely enjoyed reading the alternate POVs of Hana and Lena, which had a great distinction between the characters. You can definitely see the difference between them. Lena was defiant, stubborn and strong-willed while Hana was confused, guilty but surprisingly calm. I was particularly excited to read Hana’s part, especially now that she’s cured.
All the time I was reading, I was looking forward for the two girls to meet. Well, except knowing Lena’s choice. I was excited to see their reactions and if there still was friendship left between them, even a little. Unfortunately, the moment I’ve been waiting for fell short. Of course I was expecting a sort of dramatic event. They were best friends whose paths were separated after all. But I didn’t feel enough emotions on their scene except when Hana admitted to Lena that it was her who told the Regulators about 37 Brooks. It all felt bland and both of them, although wary of each other, seem nonchalant.
The build up of the war was also well-paced except for some unnecessary filler parts. Fillers are not bad, although I was expecting more action because of the upcoming war against the government. I definitely felt a rush reading those dangerous parts, not just on Lena’s part but also on Hana’s. The latter’s visit at the Crypt was also an interesting point, as well as the use of the story of Bluebeard, which I admit scares the crap out of me.
Also, let’s not forget the boys. Reading the change in Alex was heartbreaking. He was like a lifeless soul that didn’t just change but was utterly broken. And although I wanted Alex, Julian’s moments and his adjustment to the Wilds was something that cannot be overlooked. Almost everything he does, he does for Lena, which is really sweet and adorable. I started to see his perspective and I cannot find any reason to be annoyed.
Who annoyed me? Lena. At the beginning, her choice was indeed obvious but I felt a bit of change in the middle. Her confusion between Alex and Julian was perfectly understandable but I hated the parts where she purposely threw herself towards Julian’s direction whenever Alex does something (ignoring her or having a fun conversation with Coral). There were also times when it feels like she’s choosing Julian’s side because she can’t be with Alex, like he’s her second choice. I thought she loved Julian?
Although I have a love-hate relationship with this book, it was still awesome in my book until the ending. Please tell me that my copy has a missing chapter or that there’s another book coming next year because that was not a freakin ending! I liked the thought of the last paragraphs, about not knowing things, I get it but would it hurt to give a conclusion? This is a conclusion to the series, for Merlin’s sake! With Lena’s internal speech about not knowing things, I expected an open-ending but that wasn’t ending at all. It only gave me more questions which was supposed to be answered and put to rest after reading the last book. What happened to Lena’s family? What happened to Hana? What about Fred? [spoiler] With Lena choosing Alex, I assume because of their exchange of I love yous, how did Julian react? [spoiler] Did Hana and Lena’s friendship stood a chance in the end? What about the war? See, questions.
To say that I am disappointed would be an understatement.
| Overall rating | 3.0 | |
| Plot | 2.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Requiem
After reading Pandemonium with that gut-punching ending, I cannot wait to read this book. But after reading some reviews when this was released, all those unsatisfied comments sort of dampen my excitement.
Oliver, once again, amazed me with her impeccable writing style and wonderful prose. She has a way with words. I definitely enjoyed reading the alternate POVs of Hana and Lena, which had a great distinction between the characters. You can definitely see the difference between them. Lena was defiant, stubborn and strong-willed while Hana was confused, guilty but surprisingly calm. I was particularly excited to read Hana’s part, especially now that she’s cured.
All the time I was reading, I was looking forward for the two girls to meet. Well, except knowing Lena’s choice. I was excited to see their reactions and if there still was friendship left between them, even a little. Unfortunately, the moment I’ve been waiting for fell short. Of course I was expecting a sort of dramatic event. They were best friends whose paths were separated after all. But I didn’t feel enough emotions on their scene except when Hana admitted to Lena that it was her who told the Regulators about 37 Brooks. It all felt bland and both of them, although wary of each other, seem nonchalant.
The build up of the war was also well-paced except for some unnecessary filler parts. Fillers are not bad, although I was expecting more action because of the upcoming war against the government. I definitely felt a rush reading those dangerous parts, not just on Lena’s part but also on Hana’s. The latter’s visit at the Crypt was also an interesting point, as well as the use of the story of Bluebeard, which I admit scares the crap out of me.
Also, let’s not forget the boys. Reading the change in Alex was heartbreaking. He was like a lifeless soul that didn’t just change but was utterly broken. And although I wanted Alex, Julian’s moments and his adjustment to the Wilds was something that cannot be overlooked. Almost everything he does, he does for Lena, which is really sweet and adorable. I started to see his perspective and I cannot find any reason to be annoyed.
Who annoyed me? Lena. At the beginning, her choice was indeed obvious but I felt a bit of change in the middle. Her confusion between Alex and Julian was perfectly understandable but I hated the parts where she purposely threw herself towards Julian’s direction whenever Alex does something (ignoring her or having a fun conversation with Coral). There were also times when it feels like she’s choosing Julian’s side because she can’t be with Alex, like he’s her second choice. I thought she loved Julian?
Although I have a love-hate relationship with this book, it was still awesome in my book until the ending. Please tell me that my copy has a missing chapter or that there’s another book coming next year because that was not a freakin ending! I liked the thought of the last paragraphs, about not knowing things, I get it but would it hurt to give a conclusion? This is a conclusion to the series, for Merlin’s sake! With Lena’s internal speech about not knowing things, I expected an open-ending but that wasn’t ending at all. It only gave me more questions which was supposed to be answered and put to rest after reading the last book. What happened to Lena’s family? What happened to Hana? What about Fred? [spoiler] With Lena choosing Alex, I assume because of their exchange of I love yous, how did Julian react? [spoiler] Did Hana and Lena’s friendship stood a chance in the end? What about the war? See, questions.
To say that I am disappointed would be an understatement.
Bad Points
Unsatisfying ending
Do You Recommend?
Maybe
Was this review helpful to you?
Steph's Review:
It may be a bad thing that I'm writing this review before I review Pandemonium, but trust me, I have A LOT more to say about Requiem. Warning: There will be rants, annoyance, change of hearts, etc. After I finished Pandemonium, I kind of had the "blank look of shock" until I immediately started grabbing for Requiem (which is why I never reviewed Pandemonium, lack of time spent reading and studying for exams). Both Delirium and Pandemonium were flat out amazing, and I finally found myself in love with this series. Requiem changed things a little...
I am so torn about this book. I didn't really know what rating to give it since there were parts I absolutely adored, but parts that really pestered at me. It completely lived up the high standards set by Pandemonium action wise, but the love story? In shreds. The ending? A big HUH?. I think its best to do a "The Good" and "The Bad" comparison. Minor spoilers ahead, view discretion advised.
The Good
Action
While I felt Delirium was lacking in the action, Pandemonium made up for it. Requiem delivers action right to our minds, spot on. The suspense is a killer, the betrayals and backstabbing are the ultimate twists. During the action sequences, my heart was racing with fear and anticipation, and most of the time I just hoped everything would turn out okay. I started to like Lena a lot in Pandemonium, and I wanted her to be lucky, and be happy (happier?). She's faced too much death since reaching the Wilds. The action is heart jolting, and is what really shines throughout the entirety of the novel. I think all this action shows Lauren Oliver's growth as a writer, because the plots and plans are so much more elaborate than before. I actually couldn't see through them this time. This is what mostly kept me engrossed the whole time (I'm a sucker for action!). The Resistance has amassed a huge number of followers, both within the confines of cities and out. The attacks and raids planned were startling and superb!
Hana's Story
Requiem is told in dual POV's, one Hana and the other Lena. In this installment, Hana has been cured of amor deliria nervosa and is prepping to get married to the to-be mayor of Portland, Fred Hargrove. At first I was kind of mad that Hana ended up succumbing to the will of the government, because I always thought it'd be pretty epic if somehow Hana managed to make it out into the Wilds too. From how she was in Delirium, this was a big change in demeanor and it was harder to make a shift from "past-Hana" to "present-Hana". Then I realized how dumb I was about that because Hana lived her whole life primped and primed to take her role in society. After I got past my initial anger, I ended up enjoying Hana's chapters more than Lena's. She is newly cured now, but can't seem let go of her old life completely: i.e. the cure didn't quite work all the way. She's a great actress though and can hide this from the press, her fiancee, her parents, everyone. Her story is one of discovery, about herself and about Fred... who's intentions might be much darker than what appears in the good-boy facade he emulates to the world. Most of the suspense is actually in Hana chapters. Lena gets the action, Hana gets the tension.
Alex is back everyone!
Yes, I was always an Alex girl. Julian was such a wimp...and he never really grew on me. I always though Alex was better for Lena. He joins Lena's group, meaning we've got a 3-way love story going. His and Julian's silent treatment of each other was actually quite amusing. There are parts of "Alex" I was really angry about though, but I'll get to that in the bad under "The Romance".
Annabel
This is Lena's mother, who also goes under the name "Bee" in Requiem. She doesn't have a huge role in the book, but I think her character is a good representation of sacrificing yourself for those you love. She has a noble concept, and I couldn't help but really like her despite not knowing much about her character.
The Bad
Romance
*sighs*. I'm an Alex girl. And he annoyed me for the first half of this book. He's broken on the inside, but I don't take that as an excuse to push everything and anyone he ever cared about away. It wasn't fair to Lena, not fair to himself. I wanted him and Lena to get back together and happy, because even Lena admits she's never loved anyone more than Alex (besides her mom I guess). Julian is messing the whole thing up to me. I don't like him, I think he switched sides to fast, and well he's a wimp. I'm into alpha-male type characters, and Julian...is not. Lena's indecision swamped me too. She clearly was still in love with Alex, couldn't break it to Julian, then decided that if she couldn't fess up she must love Julian. Ack. Her back-and-forth mindsets really annoyed me. There are no more stolen moments in this book like there was in Delirium and Pandemonium. The romance the reader gets come from mentality only.
The Ending
If this ending wasn't so awkward, I could've gotten over myself about the romance issues and given this book a good pat on the back cover, rate it 5 stars, and be done. I honestly don't know what to make of it. Lauren Oliver didn't write the ending to feel like a close of a series, It honestly felt like there was a 4th book on the way or something. There are so many questions unanswered, and the knots are not tied. I don't want to spoil anything, which is hard and leaves this part a little vague, but if you read this book you will understand. There isn't really an ending plot. Lauren basically leaves us with this inspirational comment about love, life, and fighting for your deepest desires, but it wasn't a closing. There was no finality, and the ending of this book really made me feel like I was hanging somewhere. It really disappointed me because we never find out the imminent futures for the characters, no definite HEA, just...emptiness. I don't know if she's trying to say "you can never predict your own future, so I'm not going to give you anything to predict my character's futures" or something like that. There just wasn't a good resolution to the conflict, which just made the ending to this series discouraging. It was a wonderful read until I realized that there was not more left of it when there should have been.
You might have noticed I didn't talk much about our protagonist, Lena. I just don't know where to put her on this spectrum since she was overall just "meh" to me in Requiem. I liked her during the action, I despised her during the romance. She was just okay.
Overall, this book is great while you are part of it, when your reading it, but once its over you feel like you've been crudely ripped away from a world you wish you could stay in longer. I do recommend it to Delirium fans, though read at your own risk.
From Steph @ http://awalkonwords.blogspot.com/
Reviewed by
Steph and Dani @ A Walk on Words
May 03, 2013
Top 500 Reviewer - View all my reviews (21)
It may be a bad thing that I'm writing this review before I review Pandemonium, but trust me, I have A LOT more to say about Requiem. Warning: There will be rants, annoyance, change of hearts, etc. After I finished Pandemonium, I kind of had the "blank look of shock" until I immediately started grabbing for Requiem (which is why I never reviewed Pandemonium, lack of time spent reading and studying for exams). Both Delirium and Pandemonium were flat out amazing, and I finally found myself in love with this series. Requiem changed things a little...
I am so torn about this book. I didn't really know what rating to give it since there were parts I absolutely adored, but parts that really pestered at me. It completely lived up the high standards set by Pandemonium action wise, but the love story? In shreds. The ending? A big HUH?. I think its best to do a "The Good" and "The Bad" comparison. Minor spoilers ahead, view discretion advised.
The Good
Action
While I felt Delirium was lacking in the action, Pandemonium made up for it. Requiem delivers action right to our minds, spot on. The suspense is a killer, the betrayals and backstabbing are the ultimate twists. During the action sequences, my heart was racing with fear and anticipation, and most of the time I just hoped everything would turn out okay. I started to like Lena a lot in Pandemonium, and I wanted her to be lucky, and be happy (happier?). She's faced too much death since reaching the Wilds. The action is heart jolting, and is what really shines throughout the entirety of the novel. I think all this action shows Lauren Oliver's growth as a writer, because the plots and plans are so much more elaborate than before. I actually couldn't see through them this time. This is what mostly kept me engrossed the whole time (I'm a sucker for action!). The Resistance has amassed a huge number of followers, both within the confines of cities and out. The attacks and raids planned were startling and superb!
Hana's Story
Requiem is told in dual POV's, one Hana and the other Lena. In this installment, Hana has been cured of amor deliria nervosa and is prepping to get married to the to-be mayor of Portland, Fred Hargrove. At first I was kind of mad that Hana ended up succumbing to the will of the government, because I always thought it'd be pretty epic if somehow Hana managed to make it out into the Wilds too. From how she was in Delirium, this was a big change in demeanor and it was harder to make a shift from "past-Hana" to "present-Hana". Then I realized how dumb I was about that because Hana lived her whole life primped and primed to take her role in society. After I got past my initial anger, I ended up enjoying Hana's chapters more than Lena's. She is newly cured now, but can't seem let go of her old life completely: i.e. the cure didn't quite work all the way. She's a great actress though and can hide this from the press, her fiancee, her parents, everyone. Her story is one of discovery, about herself and about Fred... who's intentions might be much darker than what appears in the good-boy facade he emulates to the world. Most of the suspense is actually in Hana chapters. Lena gets the action, Hana gets the tension.
Alex is back everyone!
Yes, I was always an Alex girl. Julian was such a wimp...and he never really grew on me. I always though Alex was better for Lena. He joins Lena's group, meaning we've got a 3-way love story going. His and Julian's silent treatment of each other was actually quite amusing. There are parts of "Alex" I was really angry about though, but I'll get to that in the bad under "The Romance".
Annabel
This is Lena's mother, who also goes under the name "Bee" in Requiem. She doesn't have a huge role in the book, but I think her character is a good representation of sacrificing yourself for those you love. She has a noble concept, and I couldn't help but really like her despite not knowing much about her character.
The Bad
Romance
*sighs*. I'm an Alex girl. And he annoyed me for the first half of this book. He's broken on the inside, but I don't take that as an excuse to push everything and anyone he ever cared about away. It wasn't fair to Lena, not fair to himself. I wanted him and Lena to get back together and happy, because even Lena admits she's never loved anyone more than Alex (besides her mom I guess). Julian is messing the whole thing up to me. I don't like him, I think he switched sides to fast, and well he's a wimp. I'm into alpha-male type characters, and Julian...is not. Lena's indecision swamped me too. She clearly was still in love with Alex, couldn't break it to Julian, then decided that if she couldn't fess up she must love Julian. Ack. Her back-and-forth mindsets really annoyed me. There are no more stolen moments in this book like there was in Delirium and Pandemonium. The romance the reader gets come from mentality only.
The Ending
If this ending wasn't so awkward, I could've gotten over myself about the romance issues and given this book a good pat on the back cover, rate it 5 stars, and be done. I honestly don't know what to make of it. Lauren Oliver didn't write the ending to feel like a close of a series, It honestly felt like there was a 4th book on the way or something. There are so many questions unanswered, and the knots are not tied. I don't want to spoil anything, which is hard and leaves this part a little vague, but if you read this book you will understand. There isn't really an ending plot. Lauren basically leaves us with this inspirational comment about love, life, and fighting for your deepest desires, but it wasn't a closing. There was no finality, and the ending of this book really made me feel like I was hanging somewhere. It really disappointed me because we never find out the imminent futures for the characters, no definite HEA, just...emptiness. I don't know if she's trying to say "you can never predict your own future, so I'm not going to give you anything to predict my character's futures" or something like that. There just wasn't a good resolution to the conflict, which just made the ending to this series discouraging. It was a wonderful read until I realized that there was not more left of it when there should have been.
You might have noticed I didn't talk much about our protagonist, Lena. I just don't know where to put her on this spectrum since she was overall just "meh" to me in Requiem. I liked her during the action, I despised her during the romance. She was just okay.
Overall, this book is great while you are part of it, when your reading it, but once its over you feel like you've been crudely ripped away from a world you wish you could stay in longer. I do recommend it to Delirium fans, though read at your own risk.
From Steph @ http://awalkonwords.blogspot.com/
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Reviewed by
Steph and Dani @ A Walk on Words
May 03, 2013
Top 500 Reviewer - View all my reviews (21)
Does not disappoint, though is an unsatisfying conclusion to a wonderful series.
Steph's Review:
It may be a bad thing that I'm writing this review before I review Pandemonium, but trust me, I have A LOT more to say about Requiem. Warning: There will be rants, annoyance, change of hearts, etc. After I finished Pandemonium, I kind of had the "blank look of shock" until I immediately started grabbing for Requiem (which is why I never reviewed Pandemonium, lack of time spent reading and studying for exams). Both Delirium and Pandemonium were flat out amazing, and I finally found myself in love with this series. Requiem changed things a little...
I am so torn about this book. I didn't really know what rating to give it since there were parts I absolutely adored, but parts that really pestered at me. It completely lived up the high standards set by Pandemonium action wise, but the love story? In shreds. The ending? A big HUH?. I think its best to do a "The Good" and "The Bad" comparison. Minor spoilers ahead, view discretion advised.
The Good
Action
While I felt Delirium was lacking in the action, Pandemonium made up for it. Requiem delivers action right to our minds, spot on. The suspense is a killer, the betrayals and backstabbing are the ultimate twists. During the action sequences, my heart was racing with fear and anticipation, and most of the time I just hoped everything would turn out okay. I started to like Lena a lot in Pandemonium, and I wanted her to be lucky, and be happy (happier?). She's faced too much death since reaching the Wilds. The action is heart jolting, and is what really shines throughout the entirety of the novel. I think all this action shows Lauren Oliver's growth as a writer, because the plots and plans are so much more elaborate than before. I actually couldn't see through them this time. This is what mostly kept me engrossed the whole time (I'm a sucker for action!). The Resistance has amassed a huge number of followers, both within the confines of cities and out. The attacks and raids planned were startling and superb!
Hana's Story
Requiem is told in dual POV's, one Hana and the other Lena. In this installment, Hana has been cured of amor deliria nervosa and is prepping to get married to the to-be mayor of Portland, Fred Hargrove. At first I was kind of mad that Hana ended up succumbing to the will of the government, because I always thought it'd be pretty epic if somehow Hana managed to make it out into the Wilds too. From how she was in Delirium, this was a big change in demeanor and it was harder to make a shift from "past-Hana" to "present-Hana". Then I realized how dumb I was about that because Hana lived her whole life primped and primed to take her role in society. After I got past my initial anger, I ended up enjoying Hana's chapters more than Lena's. She is newly cured now, but can't seem let go of her old life completely: i.e. the cure didn't quite work all the way. She's a great actress though and can hide this from the press, her fiancee, her parents, everyone. Her story is one of discovery, about herself and about Fred... who's intentions might be much darker than what appears in the good-boy facade he emulates to the world. Most of the suspense is actually in Hana chapters. Lena gets the action, Hana gets the tension.
Alex is back everyone!
Yes, I was always an Alex girl. Julian was such a wimp...and he never really grew on me. I always though Alex was better for Lena. He joins Lena's group, meaning we've got a 3-way love story going. His and Julian's silent treatment of each other was actually quite amusing. There are parts of "Alex" I was really angry about though, but I'll get to that in the bad under "The Romance".
Annabel
This is Lena's mother, who also goes under the name "Bee" in Requiem. She doesn't have a huge role in the book, but I think her character is a good representation of sacrificing yourself for those you love. She has a noble concept, and I couldn't help but really like her despite not knowing much about her character.
The Bad
Romance
*sighs*. I'm an Alex girl. And he annoyed me for the first half of this book. He's broken on the inside, but I don't take that as an excuse to push everything and anyone he ever cared about away. It wasn't fair to Lena, not fair to himself. I wanted him and Lena to get back together and happy, because even Lena admits she's never loved anyone more than Alex (besides her mom I guess). Julian is messing the whole thing up to me. I don't like him, I think he switched sides to fast, and well he's a wimp. I'm into alpha-male type characters, and Julian...is not. Lena's indecision swamped me too. She clearly was still in love with Alex, couldn't break it to Julian, then decided that if she couldn't fess up she must love Julian. Ack. Her back-and-forth mindsets really annoyed me. There are no more stolen moments in this book like there was in Delirium and Pandemonium. The romance the reader gets come from mentality only.
The Ending
If this ending wasn't so awkward, I could've gotten over myself about the romance issues and given this book a good pat on the back cover, rate it 5 stars, and be done. I honestly don't know what to make of it. Lauren Oliver didn't write the ending to feel like a close of a series, It honestly felt like there was a 4th book on the way or something. There are so many questions unanswered, and the knots are not tied. I don't want to spoil anything, which is hard and leaves this part a little vague, but if you read this book you will understand. There isn't really an ending plot. Lauren basically leaves us with this inspirational comment about love, life, and fighting for your deepest desires, but it wasn't a closing. There was no finality, and the ending of this book really made me feel like I was hanging somewhere. It really disappointed me because we never find out the imminent futures for the characters, no definite HEA, just...emptiness. I don't know if she's trying to say "you can never predict your own future, so I'm not going to give you anything to predict my character's futures" or something like that. There just wasn't a good resolution to the conflict, which just made the ending to this series discouraging. It was a wonderful read until I realized that there was not more left of it when there should have been.
You might have noticed I didn't talk much about our protagonist, Lena. I just don't know where to put her on this spectrum since she was overall just "meh" to me in Requiem. I liked her during the action, I despised her during the romance. She was just okay.
Overall, this book is great while you are part of it, when your reading it, but once its over you feel like you've been crudely ripped away from a world you wish you could stay in longer. I do recommend it to Delirium fans, though read at your own risk.
From Steph @ http://awalkonwords.blogspot.com/
Was this review helpful to you?
I really wasn't as disappointed by the ending as most people seem to have been. I think it was a pretty satisfactory ending for the series overall. A lot of loose ends were tied up and answers given, and it left me feeling hopeful for the world's future.
However.
I was pretty disappointed by the ending situation with the boys. I would have much preferred a definitive answer and that Lena ended up with the guy I liked best. Instead, nobody wins and it's just a "we'll see what the future holds" situation.
However.
I was pretty disappointed by the ending situation with the boys. I would have much preferred a definitive answer and that Lena ended up with the guy I liked best. Instead, nobody wins and it's just a "we'll see what the future holds" situation.
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Requiem review
I really wasn't as disappointed by the ending as most people seem to have been. I think it was a pretty satisfactory ending for the series overall. A lot of loose ends were tied up and answers given, and it left me feeling hopeful for the world's future.
However.
I was pretty disappointed by the ending situation with the boys. I would have much preferred a definitive answer and that Lena ended up with the guy I liked best. Instead, nobody wins and it's just a "we'll see what the future holds" situation.
Was this review helpful to you?
Well…that was a disappointment. Requiem is another unsatisfying conclusion to an otherwise great series. I fell in love with Delirium, and still enjoyed Pandemonium, although not nearly as much. I was hoping that the ending would return me to that initial love stage, but it didn’t. Honestly, all three books are extremely different. If it weren’t for the fact that they are the same series, I wouldn’t know that they are, since they each read totally different.
The POV once again has changed. This time it alternates between Lena out in the Wilds and Hana back in Portland. I oddly found Hana’s chapters more interesting. I use to think that the cured people would be robotic, but after reading Hana’s POV, I see that’s not entirely the case. They still have thoughts and feelings, but they seem more…detached, but aware. It’s almost like they know something is off, but convince themselves that it’s clarity. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just strange. But, then again, Hana may not be a typical cured.
Out in the Wilds, Lena and her companions just keep running into crisis after crisis. There’s no shortage of action, something completely missing from the first book, but it gets super repetitive. They reach a new homestead or safe house, regulators show up shooting, people die, then they move on to a new homestead or safe house. Lather, rinse, repeat. All the while Lena is using Julian for comfort while pining after Alex who seems to be bonding with another girl in their group. It was all very blah. Everything I loved about Delirium has just been lost.
The ending was probably the worst part of the finale, which makes it worse. I had to read the last few pages twice, because I thought I had missed something. There’s war and chaos and death everywhere, and then it just ends. It feels like a cliffhanger with the promise of a fourth book rather than an open ending. Absolutely nothing is resolved. It just ends. Did the Resistance overthrow the DFA? Who’s in charge now? Is Lena going to form a relationship with her mom? Does she end up with Julian, Alex, or neither? How are the cureds and uncureds going to live together? What happened to Hana? I have no idea!
It makes me so sad when a series starts out strong and leaves me with a feeling of utter excitement only to steadily head down hill and fizzle out. Requiem was almost three stars for me, but then that abrupt ending happened. I don’t mind open endings, but this one just feels unfinished.
The POV once again has changed. This time it alternates between Lena out in the Wilds and Hana back in Portland. I oddly found Hana’s chapters more interesting. I use to think that the cured people would be robotic, but after reading Hana’s POV, I see that’s not entirely the case. They still have thoughts and feelings, but they seem more…detached, but aware. It’s almost like they know something is off, but convince themselves that it’s clarity. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just strange. But, then again, Hana may not be a typical cured.
Out in the Wilds, Lena and her companions just keep running into crisis after crisis. There’s no shortage of action, something completely missing from the first book, but it gets super repetitive. They reach a new homestead or safe house, regulators show up shooting, people die, then they move on to a new homestead or safe house. Lather, rinse, repeat. All the while Lena is using Julian for comfort while pining after Alex who seems to be bonding with another girl in their group. It was all very blah. Everything I loved about Delirium has just been lost.
The ending was probably the worst part of the finale, which makes it worse. I had to read the last few pages twice, because I thought I had missed something. There’s war and chaos and death everywhere, and then it just ends. It feels like a cliffhanger with the promise of a fourth book rather than an open ending. Absolutely nothing is resolved. It just ends. Did the Resistance overthrow the DFA? Who’s in charge now? Is Lena going to form a relationship with her mom? Does she end up with Julian, Alex, or neither? How are the cureds and uncureds going to live together? What happened to Hana? I have no idea!
It makes me so sad when a series starts out strong and leaves me with a feeling of utter excitement only to steadily head down hill and fizzle out. Requiem was almost three stars for me, but then that abrupt ending happened. I don’t mind open endings, but this one just feels unfinished.
| Overall rating | 2.3 | |
| Plot | 1.0 | |
| Characters | 2.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Requiem
Well…that was a disappointment. Requiem is another unsatisfying conclusion to an otherwise great series. I fell in love with Delirium, and still enjoyed Pandemonium, although not nearly as much. I was hoping that the ending would return me to that initial love stage, but it didn’t. Honestly, all three books are extremely different. If it weren’t for the fact that they are the same series, I wouldn’t know that they are, since they each read totally different.
The POV once again has changed. This time it alternates between Lena out in the Wilds and Hana back in Portland. I oddly found Hana’s chapters more interesting. I use to think that the cured people would be robotic, but after reading Hana’s POV, I see that’s not entirely the case. They still have thoughts and feelings, but they seem more…detached, but aware. It’s almost like they know something is off, but convince themselves that it’s clarity. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just strange. But, then again, Hana may not be a typical cured.
Out in the Wilds, Lena and her companions just keep running into crisis after crisis. There’s no shortage of action, something completely missing from the first book, but it gets super repetitive. They reach a new homestead or safe house, regulators show up shooting, people die, then they move on to a new homestead or safe house. Lather, rinse, repeat. All the while Lena is using Julian for comfort while pining after Alex who seems to be bonding with another girl in their group. It was all very blah. Everything I loved about Delirium has just been lost.
The ending was probably the worst part of the finale, which makes it worse. I had to read the last few pages twice, because I thought I had missed something. There’s war and chaos and death everywhere, and then it just ends. It feels like a cliffhanger with the promise of a fourth book rather than an open ending. Absolutely nothing is resolved. It just ends. Did the Resistance overthrow the DFA? Who’s in charge now? Is Lena going to form a relationship with her mom? Does she end up with Julian, Alex, or neither? How are the cureds and uncureds going to live together? What happened to Hana? I have no idea!
It makes me so sad when a series starts out strong and leaves me with a feeling of utter excitement only to steadily head down hill and fizzle out. Requiem was almost three stars for me, but then that abrupt ending happened. I don’t mind open endings, but this one just feels unfinished.
Do You Recommend?
No
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I totally loved the whole trilogy and I can't wait to also read the three short stories that go along with it :)
| Overall rating | 4.7 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Requiem was a fantastic ending
I totally loved the whole trilogy and I can't wait to also read the three short stories that go along with it :)
Good Points
I Bought Requiem by Lauren Oliver off of Amazon to read and share my honest review. Requiem is the continuation of the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver, it is the third and final book in the trilogy. Taking that into consideration I obviously cannot share every detail because it is the last book but I will share what I can.
I enjoyed the plot in this story because there is not just one place. Since there are two point of view’s in the book, the plot bounces back and forth between Lena’s hometown of Portland, and then the wilds. The more interesting chapters in my opinion were the ones in the wilds, and the reason I say this is because whenever you were with the invalids there was never a dull moment something was always happening. The chapters in Portland kind of annoyed me because I got bored with them so quickly but some of them did make the story.
I did not enjoy Lena’s character in the first book Delirium but since then in the second book Pandemonium and now in the last book Requiem her character has really developed into someone that I enjoyed reading about. She no longer seems weak and unable to speak her mind, which is good because watching her sit there and take orders and mope around in the first book got old quickly. We saw more of Hana (Lena’s best friend from Delirium) in this book as well, now I cannot really tell you much about her because it will ruin what you find out about her but lets just say she has changed as well since the first book, but right now I am not quite sure if she changed for the better or for the worst.
A character that we met in Pandemonium also showed up as well as we all knew he would and that is Julian whom you will know if you read the second book. I enjoyed his character very much he starts to branch out and be adventurous which I think surprised Lena as much as it did me. Lets talk about Alex for just a second (this is not a spoiler if you read Pandemonium so do not worry!) I have to say that even though I fell in love with Alex in the first book I absolutely hated his character throughout this whole book. Everybody has definitely changed in their own ways but Alex changed in awful ways!
Overall the story was great seeing people fight for what they believed in throughout this whole trilogy is very inspiring. It shows that no matter what people know the difference between right and wrong and they knew that what the society was doing to these people was very wrong. The book gets a 4 out of 5 stars and I cannot wait to pick up more of Lauren Oliver’s books!
I enjoyed the plot in this story because there is not just one place. Since there are two point of view’s in the book, the plot bounces back and forth between Lena’s hometown of Portland, and then the wilds. The more interesting chapters in my opinion were the ones in the wilds, and the reason I say this is because whenever you were with the invalids there was never a dull moment something was always happening. The chapters in Portland kind of annoyed me because I got bored with them so quickly but some of them did make the story.
I did not enjoy Lena’s character in the first book Delirium but since then in the second book Pandemonium and now in the last book Requiem her character has really developed into someone that I enjoyed reading about. She no longer seems weak and unable to speak her mind, which is good because watching her sit there and take orders and mope around in the first book got old quickly. We saw more of Hana (Lena’s best friend from Delirium) in this book as well, now I cannot really tell you much about her because it will ruin what you find out about her but lets just say she has changed as well since the first book, but right now I am not quite sure if she changed for the better or for the worst.
A character that we met in Pandemonium also showed up as well as we all knew he would and that is Julian whom you will know if you read the second book. I enjoyed his character very much he starts to branch out and be adventurous which I think surprised Lena as much as it did me. Lets talk about Alex for just a second (this is not a spoiler if you read Pandemonium so do not worry!) I have to say that even though I fell in love with Alex in the first book I absolutely hated his character throughout this whole book. Everybody has definitely changed in their own ways but Alex changed in awful ways!
Overall the story was great seeing people fight for what they believed in throughout this whole trilogy is very inspiring. It shows that no matter what people know the difference between right and wrong and they knew that what the society was doing to these people was very wrong. The book gets a 4 out of 5 stars and I cannot wait to pick up more of Lauren Oliver’s books!
Bad Points
Alex annoyed me through the whole book! I was so mad!
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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My feelings for Requiem are mixed. It’s been months since I read it, and I’m still not sure how I feel. I put down Requiem and felt satisfied. I was content with the ending – I’m a firm believer that there was no perfect way to end this series and I think Lauren Oliver did a good job with the ending.
But I just wasn’t able to get the same emotion out of Requiem that I did out of Delirium and Pandemonium. I was sobbing – legit straight up sobs – while reading the first two books and I had essentially no reaction to Requiem at all. That could totally be my own problem, but it kind of lessened my enjoyment of it.
Overall, I was satisfied with the ending to the series and I’ll definitely be rereading all three books in the future, but I still wish I had gotten more feeling from Requiem.
But I just wasn’t able to get the same emotion out of Requiem that I did out of Delirium and Pandemonium. I was sobbing – legit straight up sobs – while reading the first two books and I had essentially no reaction to Requiem at all. That could totally be my own problem, but it kind of lessened my enjoyment of it.
Overall, I was satisfied with the ending to the series and I’ll definitely be rereading all three books in the future, but I still wish I had gotten more feeling from Requiem.
| Overall rating | 3.7 | |
| Plot | 3.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Mixed Feelings
My feelings for Requiem are mixed. It’s been months since I read it, and I’m still not sure how I feel. I put down Requiem and felt satisfied. I was content with the ending – I’m a firm believer that there was no perfect way to end this series and I think Lauren Oliver did a good job with the ending.
But I just wasn’t able to get the same emotion out of Requiem that I did out of Delirium and Pandemonium. I was sobbing – legit straight up sobs – while reading the first two books and I had essentially no reaction to Requiem at all. That could totally be my own problem, but it kind of lessened my enjoyment of it.
Overall, I was satisfied with the ending to the series and I’ll definitely be rereading all three books in the future, but I still wish I had gotten more feeling from Requiem.
Do You Recommend?
Maybe
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Well…that was a disappointment. Requiem is another unsatisfying conclusion to an otherwise great series. I fell in love with Delirium, and still enjoyed Pandemonium, although not nearly as much. I was hoping that the ending would return me to that initial love stage, but it didn’t. Honestly, all three books are extremely different. If it weren’t for the fact that they are the same series, I wouldn’t know that they are, since they each read totally different.
The POV once again has changed. This time it alternates between Lena out in the Wilds and Hana back in Portland. I oddly found Hana’s chapters more interesting. I use to think that the cured people would be robotic, but after reading Hana’s POV, I see that’s not entirely the case. They still have thoughts and feelings, but they seem more…detached, but aware. It’s almost like they know something is off, but convince themselves that it’s clarity. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just strange. But, then again, Hana may not be a typical cured.
Out in the Wilds, Lena and her companions just keep running into crisis after crisis. There’s no shortage of action, something completely missing from the first book, but it gets super repetitive. They reach a new homestead or safe house, regulators show up shooting, people die, then they move on to a new homestead or safe house. Lather, rinse, repeat. All the while Lena is using Julian for comfort while pining after Alex who seems to be bonding with another girl in their group. It was all very blah. Everything I loved about Delirium has just been lost.
The ending was probably the worst part of the finale, which makes it worse. I had to read the last few pages twice, because I thought I had missed something. There’s war and chaos and death everywhere, and then it just ends. It feels like a cliffhanger with the promise of a fourth book rather than an open ending. Absolutely nothing is resolved. It just ends. Did the Resistance overthrow the DFA? Who’s in charge now? Is Lena going to form a relationship with her mom? Does she end up with Julian, Alex, or neither? How are the cureds and uncureds going to live together? What happened to Hana? I have no idea!
It makes me so sad when a series starts out strong and leaves me with a feeling of utter excitement only to steadily head down hill and fizzle out. Requiem was almost three stars for me, but then that abrupt ending happened. I don’t mind open endings, but this one just feels unfinished.
The POV once again has changed. This time it alternates between Lena out in the Wilds and Hana back in Portland. I oddly found Hana’s chapters more interesting. I use to think that the cured people would be robotic, but after reading Hana’s POV, I see that’s not entirely the case. They still have thoughts and feelings, but they seem more…detached, but aware. It’s almost like they know something is off, but convince themselves that it’s clarity. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just strange. But, then again, Hana may not be a typical cured.
Out in the Wilds, Lena and her companions just keep running into crisis after crisis. There’s no shortage of action, something completely missing from the first book, but it gets super repetitive. They reach a new homestead or safe house, regulators show up shooting, people die, then they move on to a new homestead or safe house. Lather, rinse, repeat. All the while Lena is using Julian for comfort while pining after Alex who seems to be bonding with another girl in their group. It was all very blah. Everything I loved about Delirium has just been lost.
The ending was probably the worst part of the finale, which makes it worse. I had to read the last few pages twice, because I thought I had missed something. There’s war and chaos and death everywhere, and then it just ends. It feels like a cliffhanger with the promise of a fourth book rather than an open ending. Absolutely nothing is resolved. It just ends. Did the Resistance overthrow the DFA? Who’s in charge now? Is Lena going to form a relationship with her mom? Does she end up with Julian, Alex, or neither? How are the cureds and uncureds going to live together? What happened to Hana? I have no idea!
It makes me so sad when a series starts out strong and leaves me with a feeling of utter excitement only to steadily head down hill and fizzle out. Requiem was almost three stars for me, but then that abrupt ending happened. I don’t mind open endings, but this one just feels unfinished.
| Overall rating | 2.3 | |
| Plot | 1.0 | |
| Characters | 2.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Disappointing.
Well…that was a disappointment. Requiem is another unsatisfying conclusion to an otherwise great series. I fell in love with Delirium, and still enjoyed Pandemonium, although not nearly as much. I was hoping that the ending would return me to that initial love stage, but it didn’t. Honestly, all three books are extremely different. If it weren’t for the fact that they are the same series, I wouldn’t know that they are, since they each read totally different.
The POV once again has changed. This time it alternates between Lena out in the Wilds and Hana back in Portland. I oddly found Hana’s chapters more interesting. I use to think that the cured people would be robotic, but after reading Hana’s POV, I see that’s not entirely the case. They still have thoughts and feelings, but they seem more…detached, but aware. It’s almost like they know something is off, but convince themselves that it’s clarity. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just strange. But, then again, Hana may not be a typical cured.
Out in the Wilds, Lena and her companions just keep running into crisis after crisis. There’s no shortage of action, something completely missing from the first book, but it gets super repetitive. They reach a new homestead or safe house, regulators show up shooting, people die, then they move on to a new homestead or safe house. Lather, rinse, repeat. All the while Lena is using Julian for comfort while pining after Alex who seems to be bonding with another girl in their group. It was all very blah. Everything I loved about Delirium has just been lost.
The ending was probably the worst part of the finale, which makes it worse. I had to read the last few pages twice, because I thought I had missed something. There’s war and chaos and death everywhere, and then it just ends. It feels like a cliffhanger with the promise of a fourth book rather than an open ending. Absolutely nothing is resolved. It just ends. Did the Resistance overthrow the DFA? Who’s in charge now? Is Lena going to form a relationship with her mom? Does she end up with Julian, Alex, or neither? How are the cureds and uncureds going to live together? What happened to Hana? I have no idea!
It makes me so sad when a series starts out strong and leaves me with a feeling of utter excitement only to steadily head down hill and fizzle out. Requiem was almost three stars for me, but then that abrupt ending happened. I don’t mind open endings, but this one just feels unfinished.
Do You Recommend?
Maybe
Was this review helpful to you?
Unlike the first 2 books, Delirium and Pandemonium, Requiem is told from a dual personality from two different characters, Lena and Hana. As I have mentioned before, I love when stories are told from different point-of-views. However, at first, I was a bit disappointed that Hana was chosen. It didn't take long to realize that having Hana's side of the story and what was going on in her world was imperative and just as intriguing and intense as Lena's world.
There isn't much that I can tell you about the actual plot without any spoilers. But I am going to do my best in telling you why I think that this is one of the best endings I have ever read...
In book one, we saw Lena on the inside being kept safe from the disease. She was doing what she had to do to just get to her surgery date so she wouldn't have to worry about what happened to her mother happening to her too. That is, until she met Alex. And learned that there is another way to live, as long as you have something worth fighting for. In book two, we watched Lena survive, learn and grow out in the wilds. She creates a new life, new friends become her family. And she meets Julian, who is sweet, safe and exactly what Lena needs at this moment in her life. She makes new discoveries about people she cares deeply about and we watch her reactions and the consequences to that.
Now, Lena has come to the ultimate battle. Where does her alliance stand? With whom? What does she want out of her life - to make a stand and live with new consequences? Even death? Or will she try to take the easy way out, travel far, away from all the fighting and hide for as long as she can?
And, what most of us have been waiting for... who will Lena choose?
But there is so much more to just Lena's story. And Lauren Oliver makes it loud and clear, no matter what life brings, you always have a choice. Don't hide from anything, no matter how scary it may be, or how hard, you have the right to do what you believe in. Follow your heart. Yes, at times you may choose wrong, you may fall down many, many times. But in the end, what truly counts, is that you are honest with yourself, with others. And don't let anyone ever stop you from doing what you want to do.
The last page of Requiem, page 391, will forever stay with me. I've told many people already - I want to get another copy of this book so I can tear the last page out and frame it. It's something that I want to remind myself of. It's something that I want my kids to know...
"Tear down the walls."
Don't build barricades around yourself, or you'll always live in fear.
I highly recommend this series to everyone. Love is not a disease. Fear is.
There isn't much that I can tell you about the actual plot without any spoilers. But I am going to do my best in telling you why I think that this is one of the best endings I have ever read...
In book one, we saw Lena on the inside being kept safe from the disease. She was doing what she had to do to just get to her surgery date so she wouldn't have to worry about what happened to her mother happening to her too. That is, until she met Alex. And learned that there is another way to live, as long as you have something worth fighting for. In book two, we watched Lena survive, learn and grow out in the wilds. She creates a new life, new friends become her family. And she meets Julian, who is sweet, safe and exactly what Lena needs at this moment in her life. She makes new discoveries about people she cares deeply about and we watch her reactions and the consequences to that.
Now, Lena has come to the ultimate battle. Where does her alliance stand? With whom? What does she want out of her life - to make a stand and live with new consequences? Even death? Or will she try to take the easy way out, travel far, away from all the fighting and hide for as long as she can?
And, what most of us have been waiting for... who will Lena choose?
But there is so much more to just Lena's story. And Lauren Oliver makes it loud and clear, no matter what life brings, you always have a choice. Don't hide from anything, no matter how scary it may be, or how hard, you have the right to do what you believe in. Follow your heart. Yes, at times you may choose wrong, you may fall down many, many times. But in the end, what truly counts, is that you are honest with yourself, with others. And don't let anyone ever stop you from doing what you want to do.
The last page of Requiem, page 391, will forever stay with me. I've told many people already - I want to get another copy of this book so I can tear the last page out and frame it. It's something that I want to remind myself of. It's something that I want my kids to know...
"Tear down the walls."
Don't build barricades around yourself, or you'll always live in fear.
I highly recommend this series to everyone. Love is not a disease. Fear is.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Amazing ending!
Unlike the first 2 books, Delirium and Pandemonium, Requiem is told from a dual personality from two different characters, Lena and Hana. As I have mentioned before, I love when stories are told from different point-of-views. However, at first, I was a bit disappointed that Hana was chosen. It didn't take long to realize that having Hana's side of the story and what was going on in her world was imperative and just as intriguing and intense as Lena's world.
There isn't much that I can tell you about the actual plot without any spoilers. But I am going to do my best in telling you why I think that this is one of the best endings I have ever read...
In book one, we saw Lena on the inside being kept safe from the disease. She was doing what she had to do to just get to her surgery date so she wouldn't have to worry about what happened to her mother happening to her too. That is, until she met Alex. And learned that there is another way to live, as long as you have something worth fighting for. In book two, we watched Lena survive, learn and grow out in the wilds. She creates a new life, new friends become her family. And she meets Julian, who is sweet, safe and exactly what Lena needs at this moment in her life. She makes new discoveries about people she cares deeply about and we watch her reactions and the consequences to that.
Now, Lena has come to the ultimate battle. Where does her alliance stand? With whom? What does she want out of her life - to make a stand and live with new consequences? Even death? Or will she try to take the easy way out, travel far, away from all the fighting and hide for as long as she can?
And, what most of us have been waiting for... who will Lena choose?
But there is so much more to just Lena's story. And Lauren Oliver makes it loud and clear, no matter what life brings, you always have a choice. Don't hide from anything, no matter how scary it may be, or how hard, you have the right to do what you believe in. Follow your heart. Yes, at times you may choose wrong, you may fall down many, many times. But in the end, what truly counts, is that you are honest with yourself, with others. And don't let anyone ever stop you from doing what you want to do.
The last page of Requiem, page 391, will forever stay with me. I've told many people already - I want to get another copy of this book so I can tear the last page out and frame it. It's something that I want to remind myself of. It's something that I want my kids to know...
"Tear down the walls."
Don't build barricades around yourself, or you'll always live in fear.
I highly recommend this series to everyone. Love is not a disease. Fear is.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
Huh...well that was...anti-climatic. Review to come...really have to think on this one. Went from 4 to 3 stars now. I just can't stand to give it more. I need to dwell a bit more. Will write this review tonight or tomorrow.
Ok, so I am finally going to review this. I will be honest and say that it was really hard for me to rate this book. There are things that I liked about, a lot. But I think the things I didn't like about it outweighed those and it brought my rating down. It actually pains me to give this only 3 stars when I rated the first and second book so much higher. I guess I had very high hopes for this book and they were just thrown to the wind. So, let's get on with it. I will try my hardest to keep this spoiler free, but I have to say that if you have not read the first or second book you might be totally lost and you will definitely read stuff you should not know.
Blurb from Goodreads:
They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.
Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.
Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge
So I'll start with the cover. To be honest, these covers with the girls face on them are just ok for me. They aren't spectacular. They give me a picture of what Lena might look like and that's about it. They tell me nothing of the story, or what is contained in the book. I would like to see something that reveals those things a bit more.
As for the characters in this book, I don't find they are really well fleshed out. I don't find you get the depth from them that you had in the other books.
Now, as for Lena, I disliked her a lot in this book. She did so much growing in the second book. She became this strong, tough woman who learned to fight for what she wanted and how to protect herself. But in this book, she fell back from that, becoming a wishy washy, dependent, annoying teen who was torn between her two "loves". In all honesty, I wanted to slap her across the face for most of this book. I felt like she was trudging along hoping that things would just work out. She could not make a decision to save her life. And she didn't fight for what she wanted. In book 2 she was strong and determined, in this one she was weak and almost uncaring.
As for Julian and Alex, well, let's just say that you don't get much of them in the story. You get what Lena wants to show you, and it's not much. You get Lena's struggle to figure out who she should be with, when all along she knows in her heart what she wants but does not go after it. Totally frustrating and annoying. She pines away and crawls back into the shell she lived in when we read Delirium.
While Hana's POV was interesting, I truly found that it was not necessary to the story. I understand how the two stories collided in the end, but honestly, I didn't need to hear from Hana's POV. She brought nothing to this story for me except to fill in what seemed like what would have been empty chapters otherwise.
I can say that I truly love Oliver's writing. It's very solid. She really knows how to put words to paper and, for the most part in this book, keep you interested in what was going on. But in all honestly, the plot was thin and fairly unmoving. Nothing grabbed me and had me saying "oh my goodness, I cannot put this book down!" I needed to know what happened in the end and that was the only thing that kept me going. I was almost disinterested in what happened to bring us to that point.
As for the conclusion, did it answer questions, not really. It kind of just hung there having me wondering why I even read the book. There was no closure and since I know this to only be a trilogy, I can't think of why Oliver would not let it go out with a bang. It was reminiscent of Mockingjay's ending, which I thought was rushed and also left things kind of undone and unsaid. And the fact that we really got nothing about Alex in this story, well, that was really disappointing. I want to know what happened to him while he and Lena were apart. Where was the swoon worthy Alex, the one everyone fell in love with in Delirium? If you're looking for him, you won't find him in this installment. If anything, he is annoying and really made me mad for most of the book, when he even made an appearance.
So, overall, I was totally unsatisfied with this conclusion. I am disappointed in Oliver and how she chose to end this series. It's as if she ran out of steam and focus and didn't know where to go with what she created. I missed the heart pumping thrill and overworked brain I got with the first two books. It saddens me to have to give this such a low rating. In all honesty, after talking with a few other reviewers, I almost dropped my rating to a 2, but I believe that Oliver's writing really deserves better.
So, should you read this book? If you read the first two, it really is a must, in my opinion. I don't think you can sit back and not finish it out. However, I would go in with lower expectations than you might currently have because, much to my chagrin, this book is highly over rated by most.
Ok, so I am finally going to review this. I will be honest and say that it was really hard for me to rate this book. There are things that I liked about, a lot. But I think the things I didn't like about it outweighed those and it brought my rating down. It actually pains me to give this only 3 stars when I rated the first and second book so much higher. I guess I had very high hopes for this book and they were just thrown to the wind. So, let's get on with it. I will try my hardest to keep this spoiler free, but I have to say that if you have not read the first or second book you might be totally lost and you will definitely read stuff you should not know.
Blurb from Goodreads:
They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.
Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.
Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge
So I'll start with the cover. To be honest, these covers with the girls face on them are just ok for me. They aren't spectacular. They give me a picture of what Lena might look like and that's about it. They tell me nothing of the story, or what is contained in the book. I would like to see something that reveals those things a bit more.
As for the characters in this book, I don't find they are really well fleshed out. I don't find you get the depth from them that you had in the other books.
Now, as for Lena, I disliked her a lot in this book. She did so much growing in the second book. She became this strong, tough woman who learned to fight for what she wanted and how to protect herself. But in this book, she fell back from that, becoming a wishy washy, dependent, annoying teen who was torn between her two "loves". In all honesty, I wanted to slap her across the face for most of this book. I felt like she was trudging along hoping that things would just work out. She could not make a decision to save her life. And she didn't fight for what she wanted. In book 2 she was strong and determined, in this one she was weak and almost uncaring.
As for Julian and Alex, well, let's just say that you don't get much of them in the story. You get what Lena wants to show you, and it's not much. You get Lena's struggle to figure out who she should be with, when all along she knows in her heart what she wants but does not go after it. Totally frustrating and annoying. She pines away and crawls back into the shell she lived in when we read Delirium.
While Hana's POV was interesting, I truly found that it was not necessary to the story. I understand how the two stories collided in the end, but honestly, I didn't need to hear from Hana's POV. She brought nothing to this story for me except to fill in what seemed like what would have been empty chapters otherwise.
I can say that I truly love Oliver's writing. It's very solid. She really knows how to put words to paper and, for the most part in this book, keep you interested in what was going on. But in all honestly, the plot was thin and fairly unmoving. Nothing grabbed me and had me saying "oh my goodness, I cannot put this book down!" I needed to know what happened in the end and that was the only thing that kept me going. I was almost disinterested in what happened to bring us to that point.
As for the conclusion, did it answer questions, not really. It kind of just hung there having me wondering why I even read the book. There was no closure and since I know this to only be a trilogy, I can't think of why Oliver would not let it go out with a bang. It was reminiscent of Mockingjay's ending, which I thought was rushed and also left things kind of undone and unsaid. And the fact that we really got nothing about Alex in this story, well, that was really disappointing. I want to know what happened to him while he and Lena were apart. Where was the swoon worthy Alex, the one everyone fell in love with in Delirium? If you're looking for him, you won't find him in this installment. If anything, he is annoying and really made me mad for most of the book, when he even made an appearance.
So, overall, I was totally unsatisfied with this conclusion. I am disappointed in Oliver and how she chose to end this series. It's as if she ran out of steam and focus and didn't know where to go with what she created. I missed the heart pumping thrill and overworked brain I got with the first two books. It saddens me to have to give this such a low rating. In all honesty, after talking with a few other reviewers, I almost dropped my rating to a 2, but I believe that Oliver's writing really deserves better.
So, should you read this book? If you read the first two, it really is a must, in my opinion. I don't think you can sit back and not finish it out. However, I would go in with lower expectations than you might currently have because, much to my chagrin, this book is highly over rated by most.
| Overall rating | 3.7 | |
| Plot | 3.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver: Mediocore at best
Huh...well that was...anti-climatic. Review to come...really have to think on this one. Went from 4 to 3 stars now. I just can't stand to give it more. I need to dwell a bit more. Will write this review tonight or tomorrow.
Ok, so I am finally going to review this. I will be honest and say that it was really hard for me to rate this book. There are things that I liked about, a lot. But I think the things I didn't like about it outweighed those and it brought my rating down. It actually pains me to give this only 3 stars when I rated the first and second book so much higher. I guess I had very high hopes for this book and they were just thrown to the wind. So, let's get on with it. I will try my hardest to keep this spoiler free, but I have to say that if you have not read the first or second book you might be totally lost and you will definitely read stuff you should not know.
Blurb from Goodreads:
They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.
Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.
Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge
So I'll start with the cover. To be honest, these covers with the girls face on them are just ok for me. They aren't spectacular. They give me a picture of what Lena might look like and that's about it. They tell me nothing of the story, or what is contained in the book. I would like to see something that reveals those things a bit more.
As for the characters in this book, I don't find they are really well fleshed out. I don't find you get the depth from them that you had in the other books.
Now, as for Lena, I disliked her a lot in this book. She did so much growing in the second book. She became this strong, tough woman who learned to fight for what she wanted and how to protect herself. But in this book, she fell back from that, becoming a wishy washy, dependent, annoying teen who was torn between her two "loves". In all honesty, I wanted to slap her across the face for most of this book. I felt like she was trudging along hoping that things would just work out. She could not make a decision to save her life. And she didn't fight for what she wanted. In book 2 she was strong and determined, in this one she was weak and almost uncaring.
As for Julian and Alex, well, let's just say that you don't get much of them in the story. You get what Lena wants to show you, and it's not much. You get Lena's struggle to figure out who she should be with, when all along she knows in her heart what she wants but does not go after it. Totally frustrating and annoying. She pines away and crawls back into the shell she lived in when we read Delirium.
While Hana's POV was interesting, I truly found that it was not necessary to the story. I understand how the two stories collided in the end, but honestly, I didn't need to hear from Hana's POV. She brought nothing to this story for me except to fill in what seemed like what would have been empty chapters otherwise.
I can say that I truly love Oliver's writing. It's very solid. She really knows how to put words to paper and, for the most part in this book, keep you interested in what was going on. But in all honestly, the plot was thin and fairly unmoving. Nothing grabbed me and had me saying "oh my goodness, I cannot put this book down!" I needed to know what happened in the end and that was the only thing that kept me going. I was almost disinterested in what happened to bring us to that point.
As for the conclusion, did it answer questions, not really. It kind of just hung there having me wondering why I even read the book. There was no closure and since I know this to only be a trilogy, I can't think of why Oliver would not let it go out with a bang. It was reminiscent of Mockingjay's ending, which I thought was rushed and also left things kind of undone and unsaid. And the fact that we really got nothing about Alex in this story, well, that was really disappointing. I want to know what happened to him while he and Lena were apart. Where was the swoon worthy Alex, the one everyone fell in love with in Delirium? If you're looking for him, you won't find him in this installment. If anything, he is annoying and really made me mad for most of the book, when he even made an appearance.
So, overall, I was totally unsatisfied with this conclusion. I am disappointed in Oliver and how she chose to end this series. It's as if she ran out of steam and focus and didn't know where to go with what she created. I missed the heart pumping thrill and overworked brain I got with the first two books. It saddens me to have to give this such a low rating. In all honesty, after talking with a few other reviewers, I almost dropped my rating to a 2, but I believe that Oliver's writing really deserves better.
So, should you read this book? If you read the first two, it really is a must, in my opinion. I don't think you can sit back and not finish it out. However, I would go in with lower expectations than you might currently have because, much to my chagrin, this book is highly over rated by most.
Good Points
Amazing writing from Oliver, as always. Her style flows well and is easy to read. Her descriptions sink you deep into her world and her plot line is interesting and engaging.
Bad Points
The dual POV took always from Lena's story. Hana's story was interesting but not essential to the plot or story. The romance took a back seat, which would have been fine but with the cliff hanger of the second book I think it needed to be explored. The ending gave no closure and left things unanswered. For a final installment, I was left feeling boggled and not at ease.
Do You Recommend?
Maybe
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Why I Loved It: *Warning* There may be spoilers from the first two books in this review. If you have not read Delirium or Pandemonium, back away slowly and get busy reading.
I have decided that this is a very hard review to write. When I finished the book, I was snooping through Goodreads because I had a feeling that there would be a lot of mixed reviews on the book. I mean Ms. Oliver took some risks, and I figured people would either love it or be like "bleh." I had decided when I got about halfway through the book that I would be including a definition of the word requiem in my review. When I found out what the title of the book was going to be, I was kinda surprised. It's an interesting choice. So I looked it up. And keeping the definition in mind when I read was actually kind of helpful. Surprise, surprise when I was looking through reviews, I came across Jenna @ Making the Grade's review. A) I love her blog. It's pretty fabulous. and B) I was pleasantly surprised to see just how much her review reflected my thoughts. I almost thought I could just post a link to her review and say "ditto", but that would be selling this great book short. It needs great reviews *not that I normally think mine are particularry great* so here we go.
According to Webster, Requiem means...
1: a mass for the dead
2 a: a solemn chant (as a dirge) for the repose of the dead
b: something that resembles such a solemn chant
3 a: a musical setting of the mass for the dead
b: a musical composition in honor of the dead
For me, that definition makes perfect sense with the direction Ms. Oliver takes this novel as the final book in the triology. The book was masterfully written, unconvential in the current trend of dystopian novels, and a joy to read. I should say that Delirium was not my favorite of books. I liked it enough, but the idea behind the book was what ensured that I read Pandemonium. And I loved Pandemonium. LOVED IT. What Delirium did have though was an awesome romance. That being said, the week before Requiem came out, I reread Delirium, read "Hana", then reread Pandemonium, and then read "Raven". I wanted to be prepared for this book because I had wished I had reread Delirium before Pandemonium when I got to the huge cliff at the end of Pandemonium with Alex's abrupt return. Drama, drama, drama *Runaway Bride voice*.
Here's the dealio. For me, Requiem was not about Lena's choice between Alex and Julian. It wasn't. That was a part of the book, but Ms. Oliver opened up this world even more to show that the problem was much bigger than any one person. I think if she wanted the focus to be on Lena's love life, Hana wouldn't have had any part of this book. Lena would have alternated with Alex or Julian or both or something like that. But no. Ms. Oliver chose the cured Hana to alternate POV's with the uncured Lena. Both girls have somewhat narrow views of their world seen through the lens cap of their circumstances. Through both of those views though, the reader gets an in-depth look into this futureistic United States, the restistance, and the ultimate problem. Love was never the issue. Control and power and the ability to use those key points to increase the individual is what the issue was. Love was just the key to get there. Requiem is real and powerful and incredibly action-packed and intense. Ms. Oliver is such a gifted writer, and I will read anything she writes.
The reader does not leave the triology with all their questions answered. You will have lots of questions most likely. However, I find that such is ok. We don't always get resolution in the real world. We might not like it as readers, but I came away from the ending with a mix of emotions. Heartbroken? Perhaps. Satified? Sure. Floored with my respect for the incredible writing I had just experienced over the day? You betcha.
More reasons to read this book NOW
Lena's mother has more attention
Alex's return with his awesome self
Julian gains more cool points
Hana's POV actually is pretty awesome
The Restistance kicks some serious butt
Alex's story is at the end of Requiem in the first print books *SO GOOD*
If you would like to see Jenna's review over at Making the Grade, just go on here.
I have decided that this is a very hard review to write. When I finished the book, I was snooping through Goodreads because I had a feeling that there would be a lot of mixed reviews on the book. I mean Ms. Oliver took some risks, and I figured people would either love it or be like "bleh." I had decided when I got about halfway through the book that I would be including a definition of the word requiem in my review. When I found out what the title of the book was going to be, I was kinda surprised. It's an interesting choice. So I looked it up. And keeping the definition in mind when I read was actually kind of helpful. Surprise, surprise when I was looking through reviews, I came across Jenna @ Making the Grade's review. A) I love her blog. It's pretty fabulous. and B) I was pleasantly surprised to see just how much her review reflected my thoughts. I almost thought I could just post a link to her review and say "ditto", but that would be selling this great book short. It needs great reviews *not that I normally think mine are particularry great* so here we go.
According to Webster, Requiem means...
1: a mass for the dead
2 a: a solemn chant (as a dirge) for the repose of the dead
b: something that resembles such a solemn chant
3 a: a musical setting of the mass for the dead
b: a musical composition in honor of the dead
For me, that definition makes perfect sense with the direction Ms. Oliver takes this novel as the final book in the triology. The book was masterfully written, unconvential in the current trend of dystopian novels, and a joy to read. I should say that Delirium was not my favorite of books. I liked it enough, but the idea behind the book was what ensured that I read Pandemonium. And I loved Pandemonium. LOVED IT. What Delirium did have though was an awesome romance. That being said, the week before Requiem came out, I reread Delirium, read "Hana", then reread Pandemonium, and then read "Raven". I wanted to be prepared for this book because I had wished I had reread Delirium before Pandemonium when I got to the huge cliff at the end of Pandemonium with Alex's abrupt return. Drama, drama, drama *Runaway Bride voice*.
Here's the dealio. For me, Requiem was not about Lena's choice between Alex and Julian. It wasn't. That was a part of the book, but Ms. Oliver opened up this world even more to show that the problem was much bigger than any one person. I think if she wanted the focus to be on Lena's love life, Hana wouldn't have had any part of this book. Lena would have alternated with Alex or Julian or both or something like that. But no. Ms. Oliver chose the cured Hana to alternate POV's with the uncured Lena. Both girls have somewhat narrow views of their world seen through the lens cap of their circumstances. Through both of those views though, the reader gets an in-depth look into this futureistic United States, the restistance, and the ultimate problem. Love was never the issue. Control and power and the ability to use those key points to increase the individual is what the issue was. Love was just the key to get there. Requiem is real and powerful and incredibly action-packed and intense. Ms. Oliver is such a gifted writer, and I will read anything she writes.
The reader does not leave the triology with all their questions answered. You will have lots of questions most likely. However, I find that such is ok. We don't always get resolution in the real world. We might not like it as readers, but I came away from the ending with a mix of emotions. Heartbroken? Perhaps. Satified? Sure. Floored with my respect for the incredible writing I had just experienced over the day? You betcha.
More reasons to read this book NOW
Lena's mother has more attention
Alex's return with his awesome self
Julian gains more cool points
Hana's POV actually is pretty awesome
The Restistance kicks some serious butt
Alex's story is at the end of Requiem in the first print books *SO GOOD*
If you would like to see Jenna's review over at Making the Grade, just go on here.
| Overall rating | 4.3 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Pretty Much Amazing...
Why I Loved It: *Warning* There may be spoilers from the first two books in this review. If you have not read Delirium or Pandemonium, back away slowly and get busy reading.
I have decided that this is a very hard review to write. When I finished the book, I was snooping through Goodreads because I had a feeling that there would be a lot of mixed reviews on the book. I mean Ms. Oliver took some risks, and I figured people would either love it or be like "bleh." I had decided when I got about halfway through the book that I would be including a definition of the word requiem in my review. When I found out what the title of the book was going to be, I was kinda surprised. It's an interesting choice. So I looked it up. And keeping the definition in mind when I read was actually kind of helpful. Surprise, surprise when I was looking through reviews, I came across Jenna @ Making the Grade's review. A) I love her blog. It's pretty fabulous. and B) I was pleasantly surprised to see just how much her review reflected my thoughts. I almost thought I could just post a link to her review and say "ditto", but that would be selling this great book short. It needs great reviews *not that I normally think mine are particularry great* so here we go.
According to Webster, Requiem means...
1: a mass for the dead
2 a: a solemn chant (as a dirge) for the repose of the dead
b: something that resembles such a solemn chant
3 a: a musical setting of the mass for the dead
b: a musical composition in honor of the dead
For me, that definition makes perfect sense with the direction Ms. Oliver takes this novel as the final book in the triology. The book was masterfully written, unconvential in the current trend of dystopian novels, and a joy to read. I should say that Delirium was not my favorite of books. I liked it enough, but the idea behind the book was what ensured that I read Pandemonium. And I loved Pandemonium. LOVED IT. What Delirium did have though was an awesome romance. That being said, the week before Requiem came out, I reread Delirium, read "Hana", then reread Pandemonium, and then read "Raven". I wanted to be prepared for this book because I had wished I had reread Delirium before Pandemonium when I got to the huge cliff at the end of Pandemonium with Alex's abrupt return. Drama, drama, drama *Runaway Bride voice*.
Here's the dealio. For me, Requiem was not about Lena's choice between Alex and Julian. It wasn't. That was a part of the book, but Ms. Oliver opened up this world even more to show that the problem was much bigger than any one person. I think if she wanted the focus to be on Lena's love life, Hana wouldn't have had any part of this book. Lena would have alternated with Alex or Julian or both or something like that. But no. Ms. Oliver chose the cured Hana to alternate POV's with the uncured Lena. Both girls have somewhat narrow views of their world seen through the lens cap of their circumstances. Through both of those views though, the reader gets an in-depth look into this futureistic United States, the restistance, and the ultimate problem. Love was never the issue. Control and power and the ability to use those key points to increase the individual is what the issue was. Love was just the key to get there. Requiem is real and powerful and incredibly action-packed and intense. Ms. Oliver is such a gifted writer, and I will read anything she writes.
The reader does not leave the triology with all their questions answered. You will have lots of questions most likely. However, I find that such is ok. We don't always get resolution in the real world. We might not like it as readers, but I came away from the ending with a mix of emotions. Heartbroken? Perhaps. Satified? Sure. Floored with my respect for the incredible writing I had just experienced over the day? You betcha.
More reasons to read this book NOW
Lena's mother has more attention
Alex's return with his awesome self
Julian gains more cool points
Hana's POV actually is pretty awesome
The Restistance kicks some serious butt
Alex's story is at the end of Requiem in the first print books *SO GOOD*
If you would like to see Jenna's review over at Making the Grade, just go on here.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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