Requiem by Lauren Oliver Review (Spoiler Alert!)

Title: Requiem
Author: Lauren Oliver
Age Group: Teen/Young Adult
Series: Delirium, book three
Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The bottom line: The last book in the Delirium series, Requiem is full of surprises, told in the same lush, beautiful prose of Lauren Oliver, with a satisfying, simple ending. It's worth checking out.

I loved Requiem. I got it as an advance readers' copy here on Goodreads fortunately. It had a wonderful ending, bittersweet and beautiful. Lauren Oliver's writing is still beautiful and lush, the prose flowing on the pages like water, smooth and sweet, this time spanning between Lena and her former best friend, Hana.

Requiem begins where Pandemonium left off, Lena still in the Wilds with Julian and the other resistance fighters. Alex has also returned to the trilogy, miraculously alive after months of not turning up, bitter and angry that Lena has moved on to Julian, despite her thinking that Alex had been murdered by government regulators (soldiers). Lena is left reeling at his sudden appearance, as well as Alex's slow, cold retreat from her. Despite loving Julian, feelings for Alex and their memories together begin to resurface, causing her pain and guilt, especially when it seems Alex, too, has moved on, to a young new ingenue named Coral. Struggling with her jealousy,Lena tries to swallow it and move on, trying to do her work with the resistance and make her friends safe, all the while trying to navigate her still newly minted relationship with Julian.

Meanwhile, back in Portland, Hana has been cured, preparing for her wedding to Fred Hargrove, her pairing. Despite the supposed perfection her life offers, Hana is terrified as new feelings begin to surface, the past rearing its ugly head--she thinks of Lena, of her old life, of how she made previous steps to try to resist the norm, to be her own person, and she realizes with regret, sadness and surprise that it was in fact Lena who fought to be herself, and even ran away from Portland to fight for the cause. Hana begins to see a different, more frightening side of her fiance, reminding me of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde--just as likely to kill as he is to shake your hand. (She also finds information on Fred's first wife, Mealana, who is in jail because Fred tried to kill her and then convinced everyone they knew she was psychotic.) Slowly, the book goes back and forth between Lena and Hana, and eventually the two girls meet--Lena is let go by Hana, and Hana admits to turning Lena and Alex in to the government, and then she leaves Fred to die in the bomb in his house, walking toward a new beginning and a new life. Lena and Alex finally admit that they love one another, and the book ends at the perfect spot for me: The townspeople tearing down the wall separating them all--with a few surprises regarding Lena's family as well. I loved it. Thank you, Miss Oliver, and thank you, Goodreads!

Comments

  1. Replies
    1. But when Lena saw Julian she thinks, " I don’t know what will happen—to me, to Alex and to Julian, to any of us."
      It sounded to me like she's still debating whether it's Alex or Julian......

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    2. So glad otherwise I was boycotting the book. Had to find out first.

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  2. What happened to Julian? ;( Please tell me!! :((

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    1. Lena tells Julian she can't be with him anymore because she still has feelings for Alex. He also survives until I end.

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  3. Does Julian find a partner? Maybe Hanna or Coral???

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    Replies
    1. It actually doesn't say, but I certainly hope he found a partner! (In my head he ended up with Coral.)

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  4. AHH SERIOUSLY!?? u just made my life!! So she really ends up with Alex?!?!? IM SO HAPPY! I was confused because I asked someone who read the book and they said that it was a confusing ending, that she doesn't really end up with anyone...I REALLY HOPE THEY WERE WRONG! Do Alex and Lina kiss in the end? AHH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!

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    Replies
    1. ....I am dying to know! Thank you so much for putting out this information, you have no idea how much it means to me! :)--btw i love your blog

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    2. They do kiss in the end, Julia! And thank you so much for your support, it means a lot to me! :)

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    3. YES! Thank you so much for telling me. And your blog is fantastic, so I'm just pointing out the obvious! Okay, sorry about this but a few more quick questions (I really love this series, and I can't explain why). 1. Do we see Grace in the last book?
      2. Is there build up between Alex and Lena; any parts that almost seem like they will get together before the last part?
      3. Did Tack and Raven finally get together?
      4. In your opinion, were the resistance parts with Lena interesting?
      5. Does Hanna ever find love in this book?
      6. Does Lena get angry at Hanna for what she did?
      and finally 7. Does Julian get upset when Lena tells him she is still in love with alex, had Julian and Lena's relationship gotten intense?--
      You totally DON'T have to answer any of these. You've already told me such an amazing thing by saying how Alex and Lena get together in the end. Plus, I totally get if you are busy writing more amazing reviews! :)

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  5. THANK YOU THANK THANK YOU , you just made my life THANK YOU REALLY :)

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  6. Pandemonium was amazing, but Requiem wasn't up to my expectations.
    Read my review here:
    http://geekie-chic.blogspot.in/2014/01/pandemonium-and-requiem-delirium.html

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  7. I can't rate which one's my favorite - Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem were ALL good and breathtaking!! I could not stop reading and read for 3 days straight (: Thanks for this awesome review and I agree, it was a perfect ending for a perfect book. Feel free to read my quick opinion on the book here: http://allofthethingsstellar.blogspot.com/

    Thanks!

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  8. Quote where Lena dumps Julian. She makes up with Alex but she never breaks up with Julian.

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  9. Replies
    1. She kisses Alex, so I think she ended up with him, if I'm not mistaken.

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