Title: Raven
Author: Lauren Oliver
Year Published: 2012
Synopsis: This captivating 50-page digital-original story set in the world of Lauren Oliver’s New York Times bestselling Delirium series focuses on Raven, the fiery leader of a rebel group in the Wilds.
As a teenager, Raven made the split-second decision to flee across the border to the Wilds, compelled to save an abandoned newborn—a baby girl left for dead and already blue from the cold. When she and the baby are taken in by a band of rebels, Raven finds herself an outsider within a tight-knit group. The only other newcomer is an untrustworthy boy known as the Thief until he finally earns himself a new name: Tack.
Now she and Tack are inseparable, committed to each other, the fledgling rebellion, and a future together. But as they both take center stage in the fight, Raven must decide whether the dangers of the revolution are worth risking her dreams of a peaceful life with Tack.
As her story hurtles back and forth between past and present, Raven transforms from a scared girl newly arrived in the Wilds to the tough leader who helps Lena save former Deliria-Free poster boy Julian Fineman from a death sentence. Whatever the original mission may have been, Raven abides by a conviction that she believes to her core: You always return for the people you love.
By turns surprising, revelatory, and poignant, Raven’s story enriches the Delirium world and resonates with a voice that is as vulnerable as it is strong.
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I think that of all the stories about the girls (Hana, Annabel, and Raven), this one is my favorite. Raven is so guarded in Pandemonium and Requiem that it's hard to really get to know her and see how she feels. We know she and Tack are in love, but we don't know how intensely or what their dreams are or even how they met. This glimpse into Raven's mind really gives so much more depth to her, and even to Tack. And it makes everything she does in the novels make so much more sense.
We also get to see the cure from a different perspective. Although Raven is against it, she came from a home where maybe the cure wasn't so bad. It helped to calm her drunk, abusive father, although it still wasn't enough to keep her away from the Wilds. But if she hadn't, she never would have saved Blue. And I love Blue, although not as much as Raven.
And then, the ending! It makes Requiem so much sadder, because I don't think anyone knew Raven's secret except for maybe Tack. I was so sad about Raven's fate without knowing, and now it's just heartbreaking. Curse you, Lauren Oliver, for making a terrible situation even worse. All Raven wants is to run away with Tack and have lots of children and just love each other, and it seems like she'll never have that dream, even when it's within sight.
I think everyone who has read any of the Delirium series, especially the last two books, should definitely read this. I would give this story at least a 4/5.
--Ashley
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