Pandemonium

By: Lauren Oliver

Narrated by: Sarah Drew

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare, pushing aside thoughts of Alex, pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school, push, push, push, like Raven taught me to do. The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times best seller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

©2012 Laura Schechter (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Remarkably Mature for YA

As an editor at Audible there are a couple awesome perks of my job. One of the best ones is that occasionally I can get my hands on the pre-pub galley of a book before it hits the shelves of any bookstore . And sometimes there is a book I’m simply DYING to get my hands on as soon as possible, like Pandemonium. I read this book way before the audio recording was even ready – devouring it over a weekend, ignoring all but the most critical commitments. This is one of those series that crosses formats for me. I love it so much that I read it (twice) and am now listening to it too. If there was a movie I’d probably line up with girls half my age and squeal until being let into the theater. A lot of YA titles work like this – they are so readily consumable and the stories are so fast-paced that you just get swept along and want to experience the story over and over and in different ways.

Not everyone is going to love this book (and series) the way I do. I know it’s not for everyone, but it totally worked for me. Lauren Oliver has come up with a decidedly compelling dystopian concept: Love is illegal and surgically removed from everyone at the age of 18. Her heroine is perhaps less unique: Lena originally believes in the strict society and all of its rules, but as she falls in love she turns against them. But don’t dismiss this as a teenage first-love sob-fest – though Delirium could be accurately described this way. Pandemonium breaks the grand tradition of sophomore trilogy slumps. It is more mature and action packed than its predecessor and it appeals to my grown-up brain as well. Oliver explores other types of love in book two, notably parental love, in a way she hadn’t before. The characters in this book aren’t just rebelling against this society so they can make out in public – it’s so they have the freedom to love their children as well. There’s something really interesting and chilling about this.

Oh, and before I forget,Sarah Drew is one of my all-time favorite narrators. She captures the teenage psyche in a way that in the same instant reminds you why you never want to go back, while making you not want to put the book down.

My all-time FAVORITE YA book!

This series is simply the BEST! Of all the YA books I've read (and I've read a bunch) this is hands down my FAVORITE!! I am absolutely speechless after reading this book. It simply took my breath away and I'm not so sure I will recover before book 3 is released.
As with the first one in the series it is so well-written and brilliantly performed by Sarah Drew. I could go on and on gushing about this book, but I will spare you the details and just say GO GET THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!

Didn't keep me engaged in the storyline as much a1

I enjoy reading Lauren Oliver's books, and this is certainly a really good series. However, like most series (especially young adult trilogies), the first book is the best of the 3. While I enjoyed this 2nd book in the series, I think it's telling that I have yet to read the third and final book (even though I own the third book and read the 2nd one over a year ago).

Slow start into a cliffhanger

Would you listen to Pandemonium again? Why?

Yes, but I didn't think I would at first. The storyline surrounding Lena in the wilds after the loss of Alex at the fence in the first book felt overly detailed and kind of dragged in places. However, it was a lot of good character development when I look back on it now and a lot of setup for the

What other book might you compare Pandemonium to and why?

I would compare this book to Matched. The dystopian society's had close to the same ideals. Girl chooses to follow her own path instead of the plan that society has set for her.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite? There were a few that I don't want to spoil things by divulging. However, I felt the last hour or so of the book was probably the best.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

A big..

Any additional comments?

Definitely looking forward to the third book in this trilogy.

A really good book!!!

The book is good, don't get me wrong I liked it and it's well worth a credit and a listen. The only complaints I have is that Lana isn't stronger then she is, the whinying she does, and she is still really gullible. I don't think that this book made a lot of progress within the story, where most of it was spent in "the tunnels" but still she done a decent job, I think it just could of been "more"!!! The only thing I really hate is the ending, im happy that it turns out that way, but aggravated because it's so heartbreaking at the predicament she's got herself into. I can't say much more then that without giving away spoilers but I no myself and I would have never left and went anywhere without knowing for a fact, so honestly it serves her right. I just hate the writer done this because thats not what the forbidden 4 letter word is all about, that's not what we as people are supposed to be about. You don't leave without knowing......

Wonderful!

Would you listen to Pandemonium again? Why?

Yes. The story was well crafted and the performance was the best of any audiobook i've heard.

What other book might you compare Pandemonium to and why?

Delirium, its predecessor, as the entire trilogy is well done.

Have you listened to any of Sarah Drew’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, the previous two in this trilogy, which are also great.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Off the top of my head, "how far would you go to have the right to choose, even if you choose the wrong thing?"

Any additional comments?

I thought it was a wonderful performance and trilogy. Well done!

Love this series!

The reader was a bit slow, there was many instances when I read ahead and had to go back but other than that, I enjoyed it. Loved it even.

Listened to 3 Oliver books; this is the best by far!

THE STORY: Having listened to, and loved Delirium, I was super excited to dive into this second book in the trilogy. I found the pacing of this book quicker and more attention grabbing than the first. Lauren gives description without halting the forward progression of the story, which was not as successfully achieved in Delirium. As other reviewers have pointed out, this book does jump from a past and present situation. But both timelines were captivating and had stories that left my emotions on edge. I cried twice while listening and it was for a scene in both the "then" and "now" timeline. I found Pandemonium to be superior to Delirium which makes me excited for the final book in this trilogy.

THE NARRATOR: let me be real with you for a second...Sarah Drew sucks at male voices. I listened to "Before I Fall" and had to stop at times as her interpretation of male dialogue was grating. Having said that, she absolutely NAILS all the voices in this book. Her pacing is spectacularly on point. And her inflection really drew me in more on this book than the previous two book performances of which I listened. I would listen to this book again.

OVERALL: The congruent stories of the two timelines was a great writing choice. I was a little disappointed that one storyline kinda fell off in the end and I would have loved more resolution with the details of that storyline/timeline. However Pandemonium is my favorite Lauren Oliver book thus far!

Not as good as the first book in the series.

This book was predictable but still interesting. It's very similar to the selection series where the girl hates what the guy stands for but ends up living him only to run back into her ex. I'm giving it s 4 because it makes an interesting set up for the 3rd book which I hope to start soon.

So many flaws

Any additional comments?

I was intrigued after the first book, but this one just annoyed me. First of all, does anyone realize that Portland is about 3,000 MILES from Manhattan? Is Lauren Oliver insinuating that they walked 3,000 miles in the wilds?? I hope this gets touched on in the 3rd book because, yes I understand this is a fictional story, but that's a stretch.
I also hated that the narrator changed how she pronounced names. And now that I'm into the 3rd book, I feel like the narrator has taken yet another approach to reading the story.There's not a good flow between the 3 books. I got the 3rd book because I do want to see how it all comes together but so far, this is not my favorite trilogy.