Review: Alex (Delirium #1.5)

Alex (Delirium #1.5)

Lauren Oliver

Published By: Harper Collins

Publication Date: November 25, 2017

Date Read: May 16, 2020

Genre: YA - Dystopia

Source: Bought

Format: E-Book

Pages: 37

 

From Goodreads:

This captivating digital original story set in the world of Lauren Oliver's New York Times bestselling Delirium series focuses on Alex, Lena's first love.

When Alex sacrificed himself to save Lena, he thought he was committing himself to certain death, but what he got was almost worse. Imprisoned and tortured by the guards, his mind forces him to relive a past he would rather forget. But in the dark he grows stronger. Both hopeful and terrified, he fights to find his way back to her and the love he still clings to.

In this digital story that will appeal to fans of Delirium and welcome new admirers to its world, readers will learn of Alex's time after the events of Delirium, as well as the dark past that he has tried to forget.

"Maybe it would be better if we didn't love. If we didn't lose, either. If we didn't get our hearts stomped on, shattered; if we didn't have to patch and repatch it until we're like Frankenstein monsters, all sewn together by who knows what."

Delirium is a book that I read and loved years ago. I read it back in 2012 when I was on a major dystopia obsession and I remember loving this set up of what if love was a bad thing and people getting the cure from love. I also remember the ending absolutely killing me. I was left reeling and I couldn't wait for the next book. Fast forward 8 years and I still hadn't read the rest of this series. I remember deciding to wait until the final book released before I continued and then I just saw so many mixed things I put it off. Well as part of my 2020 Series Catch Up Challenge I finally decided to pick this series back up and I thought before diving into Pandemonium, I would pick up this novella first.

I really enjoyed Alex. It's a super short novella that centres on what happened after Alex was captured and presumed dead. Honestly it was quite difficult to read in places because of the horrors that Alex went through. It was so good to see that he was alive but man, my heart broke for him for all this shit that he was going through. 

I'm definitely looking forward to continuing this series. I think Alex is definitely worth the read, especially if you have had a large break between reading book 1 and continuing. It reintroduced me into the world and the story and it just cemented my love for Alex. I can't wait to dive into Pandemonium.

"And how she looked at me like I could save her from everything bad in the world. This was my secret: she was the one who saved me."