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Requiem (Delirium #3) by Lauren Oliver,
performed by Sarah Drew
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Format: Audiobook (10 hrs 13 min)
Source: Publisher
Genre: Dystopian, Young Adult
Buy: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | iTunes
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. (Goodreads)
Requiem is the third and final book in the Delirium series, and told in dual perspectives between Lena and Hana. Though I’m sad to see this series end, I’m looking forward to whatever Lauren Oliver has in store for us next! I’ll be keeping this review short and sweet, since I don’t want to spoil anything for the series.
I think what stands out most about this series is how much the characters grow and change over the course of the series. Lena, Hana, Alex, and Julian all change, but I really appreciated Lena’s character arc. At the end of Requiem, she’s an entirely different person than the naive girl she was in Delirium. I also really liked reading from Hana’s perspective, and seeing the differences in her after she was cured, and what it was like living among the “zombies”. More than once, it made me think of the book/movie Warm Bodies (I highly recommend both versions!).
What I love most about this series is how Lauren Oliver explores all the facets of love and how it impacts our lives. Love between parent/child, friends, family, and also how being able to love changes how we generally treat each other, even strangers. This book made me think about all those aspects, long after I’d finished each book. I can’t think of another series that has resonated with me so strongly.
I fell in love with Lauren Oliver’s writing while reading Delirium. The entire series is beautifully written and masterly crafted. Though Requiem is my least favorite book of the series, I think that may be because I was expecting more romance. I was a bit surprised by the ending because there’s not a lot of closure, it’s left open. However, I was able to picture my own ending, and overall I was satisfied.
I listened to Requiem on audiobook, and really enjoyed it. I appreciated how Sarah Drew performed the book, and didn’t just simply narrate it. Though I didn’t like all her voices for the characters, I think she gave a great performance. Her tone, and the inflections of her voice captured the emotions brilliantly. I loved the interview with her at the end, and hearing what she thought of the characters and the story.
I highly recommend this series, and I can’t wait to read more from Lauren Oliver! I’m stalking her website for what’s next!
Author Links: website | blog | twitter | facebook | goodreads
Twitter: LizaWiemer
says:
As always, I appreciate your perspective. I’m 1/2 through the book and am looking forward to getting to the end. Huge Lauren Oliver fan, but I haven’t listened to any on audio. May just give this one a try. xx
Liza Wiemer recently posted..Waiting on Wednesday (9): The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler
Twitter: bookandlatte
says:
Thanks Liza! I can’t wait to hear what you think of it. AND… to see you at BEA!
Jen recently posted..I’m participating in Bout of Books 7.0!
I have this sitting on my shelf and I am trying so hard to get caught up on my review books. Can’t wait to read it. Great review.
Jenea @ Books Live Forever
Jenea @ Books Live Forever recently posted..Review for The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise
Twitter: bookandlatte
says:
Thank you! I hope you really enjoy it. I look forward to hearing what you think!
Jen recently posted..I’m participating in Bout of Books 7.0!
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed Requiem! I was beginning to feel like the odd one out. I agree that it was my least favourite of the series, but like you mentioned I think Oliver did a great job letting her characters develop and grow over time. I also like the open ending because it could be whatever you wanted it to be. But I still hoped for more romance as well 😉
Christa recently posted..Dewey’s 24 Hour Read a Thon
Twitter: bookandlatte
says:
I had heard such mixed things about this book that I was a little afraid of reading/listening to it! Glad we feel the same :).
Jen recently posted..The Sunday Post (35): Book Haul & Blog News
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. I know there are a few people who didn’t like how the series ended, but I actually loved that nothing ended so happy and tied up. I also completely agree with you about seeing how the characters all grew over the series. Lauren Oliver is definitely a must buy author for me after this amazing series.
Andrea @Cozy Up With A Good Read recently posted..Review: Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham
Twitter: kimbacaffeinate
says:
I am so glad you enjoyed this series as much as I did, so many people were disappointed and I thought it ended wonderfully. Great review Jen:)
kimbacaffeinate recently posted..Review: Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan
Twitter: fakesteph
says:
I haven’t finished this series yet, but maybe I’ll check out the audio.
fakesteph recently posted..Babe In Boyland by Jody Gehrman