Readers who expect Alex to miraculously pop up unscathed and continue his starry-eyed relationship with Lena will be disasppointed that Alex is only featured in Lena's memories and that she's eventually drawn to someone who's Alex's opposite.īecause the romance (Oliver's strong suit) in this book feels somewhat like a betrayal to the central one that started the series, there's an underlying sense of conflict and tension that readers will feel right along with Lena about her new relationship. Eventually it's clear that there are two time frames for the story - the immediate aftermath of Lena's escape and her life as part of the rebellion. The romance, while described intensely, doesn't lead to any full-out love scenes - just a few passionate kisses.Īt first, teens may be confused about why Lena is sitting in a Brooklyn high school, when the last time we saw her she was watching the love of her life bloodied and bruised. Although the language is fairly standard for teen books, there's more swearing than in Delirium (including a few instances of 'f-k'). The protagonist and supporting characters must defend themselves by injuring or even killing their pursuers. The first half has some somber sequences about the hungry and impoverished uncured population, but the second features a great deal more violence than the original book: People are killed or die of disease and starvation. Parents need to know that the dystopian thriller Pandemonium, a sequel to Delirium, is a classic second installment, featuring lots of plot-furthering action, violence, and a splash of romance. A character is known to smoke in private.ĭid you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Lena and the other Invalids pass a bottle of whiskey around.

Pandemonium lauren oliver