December 20, 2010
In her sophomore novel, Oliver (Before I Fall) presents an intriguing but disappointing thought experiment, set in a dystopian future in which American borders are sealed and civil order is enforced by regulation, vigilantism, and "the procedure," a coming-of-age lobotomy that excises amor deliria nervosa, or love. Nearly 18, Lena Haloway welcomes the prospect; her mother underwent three unsuccessful procedures and eventually committed suicide, so Lena deeply believes that love equals suffering. Still, there's a subversiveness to her thoughts and actions, from nurturing the motherless child Gracie to reading Romeo and Juliet because it is "beautiful," not the cautionary tale it's presented as. When a strange, handsome boy begins to intrude on her life, strictly against the regulations, the "beauty" of that tragic trope begins to play out swiftly and relentlessly. The prose is accomplished, and the Portland, Maine, setting wonderfully evoked. However, Oliver's nightmare future lacks a visceral punch, primarily because of the weakness of the world-building. Her America has undergone a seismic shift, but the economic, religious, and cultural ramifications are all but ignored. Ages 14–up.

Starred review from January 1, 2011
Oliver's artfully detailed prose reveals, brick by brick, the sturdy dramatic foundation of an initially implausible premise. In her dystopian America, love has been outlawed as the life-threatening source of all discord. Citizens submit at the age of 18 to a neurological procedure that "cures" them of amor deliria nervosa, the chief symptoms of which are passionate feelings about anything. Poetry and contact between members of opposite sexes are forbidden; the authoritarian government rules with suspicion, violence and bureaucratically arranged marriages. As Lena, the soon-to-be-18 narrator, approaches the date of her procedure with both trepidation and relief, she meets Alex, a boy who inspires feelings that upend everything she has believed about her community and herself. Lena's gradual awakening is set against a convincing backdrop of totalitarian horror. Chilling epigraphs from the government's rewritten histories begin each chapter, providing contextual propaganda so thorough that they've even reinterpreted the Bible to suit their message. The abrupt ending leaves enough unanswered questions to set breathless readers up for volume two of this trilogy. (Science fiction. 14 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from April 1, 2011

Gr 8 Up-In this gripping dystopian novel set in a future Portland, ME, everyone is safe, unhappiness can be cured, and the freedoms we take for granted have been relinquished in the name of "security" and "the common good." There is no risk and no pain, or at least there won't be for 17-year-old Lena Haloway and her outspoken friend, Hana, once they turn 18. They will then be eligible, in fact forced, to undergo the procedure that will render them impervious to delirium-the disease that was formerly known as love. You can see, of course, right where this is headed, but the ride is well worthwhile. Lena is an engaging and believable protagonist, at first compliant, then questioning, and finally desperate to save herself and the irrepressible emotions blooming within her. Her journey to understanding is both painful and exhilarating as she meets free-spirited Alex, succumbs to delirium, and wrestles with the social code she's been taught so well. Ultimately, Lena gets a shocking glimpse into the world outside the city's borders and witnesses the barbaric underpinnings of the "safe" world in which she has lived. Especially heartbreaking is her discovery of the fate of her mother, who was unable to stop loving her husband and daughters and paid a terrible price for her transgression. On the other hand, Lena's caring but numbed-out aunt and her scrupulously compliant older sister make clear the consequences of obedience to tyranny. Strong characters, a vivid portrait of the lives of teens in a repressive society, and nagging questions that can be applied to our world today make this book especially compelling and discussable.-Carolyn Lehman, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2010
Grades 9-12 Olivers follow-up to her smash debut, Before I Fall (2010), is another deft blend of realism and fantasy. The hook is irresistible: its the near future, a time when love has long since been identified as a disease called amor deliria nervosa, and 17-year-old Lena is 95 days away from the operation that everyone gets to cure themselves. Can you feel the swoon coming? Enter Alex, a rakish daredevil who, as it turns out, is one of the Invalidsa tribe of uncured who live on the lam in the surrounding wilderness. With the clock ticking down to her surgery, Lena is drawn into Alexs world, one of passion and freedom, while her emotionally castrated family members hope to turn her into yet another complacent zombie. Olivers masterstroke is making a strong case for love as disease: the anxiety, depression, insomnia, and impulsive behavior of the smitten do smack of infirmity. The story bogs down as it revels in romanceAlex is standard-issue perfectionbut the book never loses its A Clockwork Orangestyle bite regarding safety versus choice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

March 1, 2011
In a near-future United States whose borders are closed to the rest of the world, the government has created a cure for the "deadly" disease amor deliria nervosa -- a.k.a. love. Following a long line of literary dystopias, Oliver depicts a controlled society in which the sanctioned way of life is bland and predictable, while human emotion is considered a dangerous element. High school senior Lena Haloway counts the days until she has the "procedure" on her eighteenth birthday, knowing it will make her "happy and safe forever." Since her incurable mother committed suicide, Lena is afraid that she, too, could succumb to the disease. However, Lena's passion for running and her close relationship with best friend Hana reveal a spirited girl beneath the fear. Lena is clearly destined to fall in love, and readers will instantly recognize amber-eyed Alex as the worthy romantic hero. The unlikely setting of Portland, Maine, proves well suited to the narrative: the growing heat and humidity of summer mirrors the rising tension, and the stirring ocean air hints at a thriving world beyond the dry, sterile community. In a thick climate of fear, Oliver spins out a suspenseful story of awakening and resistance with true love at its core. lauren adams

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

"In [Oliver's] dystopian America, love has been outlawed as the life-threatening source of all discord. Lena's gradual awakening is set against a convincing backdrop of totalitarian horror. The abrupt ending leaves enough unanswered questions to set breathless readers up for volume two of this trilogy." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Strong characters, a vivid portrait of the lives of teens in a repressive society, and nagging questions that can be applied to our world today make this book especially compelling and discussable." — School Library Journal (starred review)

"Oliver's follow-up to her smash debut, Before I Fall (2010), is another deft blend of realism and fantasy...the book never loses its A Clockwork Orange-style bite regarding safety versus choice." — Booklist

"In a thick climate of fear, Oliver spins out a suspenseful story of awakening and resistance with true love at its core." — The Horn Book

"Oliver's deeply emotional and incredibly well-honed prose commands the readers' attention and captures their hearts. With a pulse-pounding tempo and unforeseen twists and turns, Lauren Oliver has opened the door on a fantastic new series; the second book can't come soon enough." — New York Journal of Books

Praise for Before I Fall: "Oliver's debut novel is raw, emotional, and, at times, beautiful....readers will love Samantha best as she hurtles toward an end as brave as it is heartbreaking." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Praise for Before I Fall: "Samantha's attempts to save her life and right the wrongs she has caused are precisely what will draw readers into this complex story and keep them turning pages until Sam succeeds in living her last day the right way." — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (Starred Review)

Praise for Before I Fall: "Oliver, in a pitch-perfect teen voice, explores the power we have to affect the people around us in this intensely believable first novel...This is a compelling book with a powerful message and should not be missed." — ALA Booklist

Praise for Before I Fall: "This story races forward, twisting in a new direction every few pages, its characters spinning my emotions from affection to frustration, anger to compassion. You'll have no choice but to tear through this book!" — Jay Asher, author of the New York Times bestseller Thirteen Reasons Why

Praise for Before I Fall: "Before I Fall is smart, complex, and heartbreakingly beautiful. Lauren Oliver has written an extraordinary debut novel about what it means to live—and die." — Carolyn Mackler, author of Tangled and The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, a Printz Honor book