They call it Amor Deliria Nervosa and you will be infected without the cure. It kills you when you have it and it kills you even if you don't have it. The cure is the only way you can be happy. Everyone when they turn 18 receives the cure. You can tell the cured from the uncured by a three pronged scar on the neck from a needle which immobilizes you during the procedure. It isn't safe for the uncured to be alone with other uncured of the opposite sex, to prevent infection of course. The disease is sitting like a ticking time bomb in all of us, waiting to spread. You will be safe from infection if you follow the rules. Curfew at 9pm for the uncured. Do well on your school board exams. Do well in your evaluations. You will be rewarded with a mate who is best suited for you. You will be happy once you have been cured.
Lena has been counting the days until her own cure since her Mother died of the disease. Lena is terrified of being infected. Lena's worst fear comes true when she meets Alex. She is infected with Love. There are the sympathizers and resistors of course, as there are with every insane government movement. There are even the invalids, those who have lived outside of the grid. Alex was born in The Wilds, the area outside of city limits. He is an invalid, uncured, infected, diseased. Lena discovers all the lies about the disease, her Mother, and herself through learning to love Alex.
This book gave me goosebumps several times. Not because, we as a society, are expecting people to line up for lobotomies but because we probably aren't far off. This book is what happens when you drink too much of the cool aid someone else is feeding you. There is the ever present totalitarian government, acting for the
safety of its people. Lies and fear are always effective in brainwashing people into thinking they need something fixed, cured, or changed which wasn't broken.( See cable news organizations)
I liked this book. I even liked that the ending isn't picture perfect. Most, if not all, endings aren't what we want them to be in reality. It is easy to want those pretty moments in books, but it is refreshing to have a book end on both a happy and depressing note. It makes the book feel more real. This book leaves several things unanswered. I have heard there will be a sequel coming out sometime next spring.
I recommend this book to those who like awesome writing, dig apocalyptic stories, and or political stories.
While writing this review I was listening to Poe - Terrible Thought off of Haunted.
