Lauren Oliver
Rating: ⭐⭐½
Genre: Dystopia + Young Adult + Romance
This is the second book in the Delirium series. The story continues with Lena escaping the society that was controlling her, including her emotions, and running in the Wilds, where she is forced to survive in the harshest conditions. Living in such conditions with other fugitives who rejected that same system is a big challenge. Every single day is a test of her endurance, resilience, and identity.
Unlike the first book, which was linear, Pandemonium is split into two timelines: “Then” that is the period which follows Lena’s life in the Wilds after her escape. “Now” is the time Lena is taking a new identity and working in disguise for the Resistance. In the “Now” period, Lena becomes involved with Julian, the son of a powerful figure tied to the old system, complicating both her mission and her emotions. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares for larger moves against the government, but nothing is simple or stable.
As usual for young adult books of that era, a love triangle is thrown into the mix. It feels very cliché and predictable, and honestly, it doesn’t add much beyond manufactured tension. The emotional conflict often feels like it is being prioritized over the actual dystopian world-building, which weakens some of the stakes.
While the pacing is noticeably better than book one, the dual timeline structure didn’t really work for me. I was genuinely tempted more than once to just read all the “Then” chapters first and then go through the “Now” sections afterward. The constant switching broke the flow instead of enhancing it.
I can clearly see Lena’s character development and how she becomes more decisive and resilient compared to the first book. However, the supporting characters don’t get the same attention for such development or growth. To me, they often felt like they were fixed most of the time. I was hoping for some meaningful evolution.
Many parts of the book also felt repetitive, especially in the Wilds sections, where survival struggles and camp life start to blend together after a while. And with Book 1 ending on a cliffhanger and Book 2 doing the same, it becomes frustrating. This isn’t a TV series—each book should feel like a complete story rather than a setup for the next installment.
Overall, Pandemonium is an improvement in pacing and gives Lena a stronger arc, but it is weighed down by clichés, structural choices that don’t fully land, repetitive sections, and an overreliance on cliffhangers. A 2.5-star read: readable, sometimes engaging, but uneven and frustrating in key areas. Now only book three is left to finish this series.
- Love
- Control
- Survival
- Resilience
- Freedom
- Grief
- Resistance
