Requiem by Lauren Oliver Series: Delirium #3
Published by Harper Teen on March 5, 2013
Genres: Dystopian
Pages: 391
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.
As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.
I was very hesitant to read Requiem. I had an ARC for months before it came out but I just couldn’t force myself to read it. All I had seen was pretty bad reviews and I just didn’t want to end up hating the final book in a trilogy that I adored. Finally though I couldn’t put it off any longer. While I didn’t love it nearly as much as the first two books, I was happy with how things ended and I felt that everything tied up nicely.
Requiem was a very slow read for me. After devouring the first two books, I expected to do the same with this one. That was not the case. Things progressed very slowly and I found my attention wandering while reading. There’s more buildup than actual action in Requiem and I was most disappointed with that. The revolution has arrived! Why isn’t anyone actually doing anything though? Don’t expect to be on the edge of your seat with this one.
I was also really disappointed with the whole love triangle aspect of this book. Really, I was disappointed with it for the whole trilogy. I understood Alex and Lena’s relationship in the first book and I loved it. When the second book came out I didn’t know what to expect based on the ending of the first book. I was really upset when some new guy was introduced and we were expected to believe that Lena was in love with him and not Alex anymore. It just didn’t work for me. With Lena’s personality, her reluctance for her relationship with Alex, and so on, I just didn’t see it as realistic. I really didn’t get it in Requiem. Lena came across as this insecure girl who couldn’t stand on her own two feet and instead needed a man to help her with everything. Then of course there was Alex. He’s not the same Alex from the first book, that’s for sure, but boy did I still love him. Julian just never did it for me and no matter what I’m team Alex all the way.
Lucky for me, Lauren Oliver’s fabulous writing really held the book together and made me continue reading. I could quote this whole book to you guys, it’s just so gorgeous. Lauren Oliver manages to take a completely bleak and almost hopeless world and make it beautiful. I adore that about her writing.
As for the ending, I know that’s what I was really worried about when I started Requiem. While I admit it was a little abrupt, I felt that everything readers needed to know was included in the book and to me, the ending was pretty much perfect. It’s a very open ended ending, that’s for sure, but in this case, there’s nothing wrong with that. Also, no matter what anyone says, Lena definitely made her choice as to which guy she was really in love with. It wasn’t a huge focal point at the end but it came across very clear to me and I really don’t see how people think she didn’t choose. I was more than satisfied with the way this trilogy ended.
Overall, while not perfect, Requiem was a good ending to the Delirium trilogy and I really do think fans will enjoy it.
Looking for more reviews of Requiem by Lauren Oliver?
Mundie Moms’ review
Uncorked Thoughts’ review
Beauty and the Bookshelf’s review
Queen Ella Bee Reads’ review
The ending was abrupt, the love triangle didn’t seem fully resolved, not even to Lena herself which is the least Oliver could have given us and I would’ve been satisfied.
AND THANK YOU, yes, the revolution aspect was disappointing in this installment because I was expecting so much like heartstopping thrills. I’m happy that you could dig this book, though, even though I couldn’t.
I’ve been waiting for you to review this one! Your review is much more positive than mine, but I appreciate what you’re saying. I hated that love triangle. It didn’t bother me in the first two books but the last one, just ugh. I wanted to scream at Lena the entire time. I wasn’t very happy with the ending, either, but I can see where you’re coming from. I think my outrageously high expectations got in my way for a lot of my reading of it.
Great review. Glad you enjoyed it.
So happy to see another not too disappointed review! I too was hesitant before reading but ending up being pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed the ending. Yes it was abrupt but it was just enough to satisfy me! Amazing review Katie <3
Jasmine
Nice review! I was surprised by how slow this one was and I didn’t like the ending, but I completely agree that Oliver’s writing is fabulous!
Nice review 🙂
I too, have been putting this one off due to less than stellar reviews. However, I think it’s about time for me to suck it up and finish off this trilogy – great review!
I had to quickly scroll down this page so I didn’t see any spoilers! I just started the first book last night! I will no doubt be reading this one extremely soon though, so until then I can actually read the review haha 🙂 A Review of Delirum will be up on my channel soon!
-Bee
Overall it was a good ending. But it felt like nothing was resolved in the end, to me. Which lets me wonder but somehow it always feels more real when the author writes it instead of me imagining the rest of the story. However Requiem was interesting and the writing was good 🙂 Thanks for the review!
I’ve just started this one today, and I can already tell that the love triangle is brewing. I’m a little pissed about it to be honest because Lauren Oliver always talked about how it “wasn’t a love triangle” and readers just needed to wait and see what was going to happen, but no. LOVE TRIANGLE. Oh well. I’m glad you thought it was a good ending to the series, even if the book as a whole wasn’t quite as good as it’s predecessors. Hopefully I’ll enjoy the ending like you, and not be disappointed. *fingers crossed*
We needed an extra chapter, a flash forward to see what happened after!
It was a good ending, the writing was good, but it was just too open-ended.