Each week I will choose a character that I love, and I will tell you why I love them.
First up, is...
ALEX - from Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Oh Alex. You may be my favorite male character in any book, well...ever.
Here's a tip: DONT read this if you don't want to know too much about the plot of Delirium. I am trying my best to leave Pandemonium entirelyyy out of this post.
Moving on...
Why? Why do I love Alex? Because I find it impossible not to. Alex is one of those characters who consumes you. He makes you agree with him, and his way of life, and everything that he stands for. The proof? Lena.
Let's look at this realistically. The begininning of Delirium, Lena was a conservative girl who would not dare question "The Society". In fact, when her best friend Hana even expressed some disrespect towards The Society, Lena flipped out.
Enter Alex. Alex comes upon us like a tidal wave. He is seen from afar at first, but soon enough, we get to know what he is all about. His sorted past, and his confusing identity. All the while, we are fascinated by Alex. He has the ability to make Lena change her mind about the life she thought she knew. He has the ability to make her... LOVE.
Alex cares deeply about Lena. He takes her to his home, a place she once both feared and did not believe existed. He shows Lena where he was raised, and shows her what it really is to be an invalid. The dreaded word. It is at this point that Lena starts to see that the invalids are people too. That maybe the life she knew isn't the life she wants anymore. And Alex grants her happiness in a way she did not know possible.
Of course, due to you know; the amor deliria nervosa- none of this comes cheap. Lena has to burn some bridges to get to the life she now knows she deserately wants.
The life with Alex.
Alex is a romantic. He tends to Lena, and shows her new things, looks out for her safety. He leaves notes for her, and most importantly introduces her to poetry. All the while, in every movement he makes, he is above all; loving her completely.
Here's some real reasons I fell in love with Alex and his character..
From the first kiss (Lena as narrator):
“Are you sure that being like everybody else will make you happy?"
"I don't know any other way."
"Let me show you."
And then we're kissing. Or at least, I think we're kissing—I've only seen it done a couple of times, quick closed-mouth pecks at weddings or on formal occasions. But this isn't like anything I've ever seen, or imagined, or even dreamed: this is like music or dancing but better than both.” -Lena
Alex to Lena upon meeting her one of the first times:
“I told you," he whispers back. I can feel his breath just tickling the space behind my ear, making my hair prick up on my neck. "I like you."
"You don't know me," I say quickly.
"I want to, though.” -Alex
Lena's thoughts on love:
“And now I know why they invented words for love, why they had to: It's the only thing that can come close to describing what I feel in that moment, the baffling mixture of pain and pleasure and fear and joy, all running sharply through me at once.” -Lena
To sum it up; Alex makes Lena do something she never thought that she could. He makes her forget the way her life was before, and sweeps her off her feet. All in all, he is perfect. Or at least to me ;).
Voice your opinions below!
Can't wait for next week!
And of course,
Stay Reading.
