The Book of Shhh

Delirium

by Lauren Oliver

A perfect companion to Lauren Oliver’s bestselling Delirium trilogy, The Book of Shhh expands on excerpts included in the original series. Lauren Oliver delves deeper into the world created in the Delirium trilogy and provides fans with an in-depth look at the terrifying society that her characters live in. This free novella includes case studies, exercises, invocations, quotes, proverbs, and detailed information on amor deliria nervosa.

The Book of Shhh, or the Safety, Health, and Happiness Handbook, describes the perils of amor deliria nervosa. In today’s society, thanks to the cure and its enforcement, our citizens are more productive and committed to their jobs, political organizations, and social impact than ever before. The following excerpts are meant to give portability to a small portion of its materials so that elements of its wisdom may be available for reference on the go. 

Do not rely on the following excerpts to diagnose, treat, or address evidence of amor deliria nervosa. Should you believe that you or someone in your family might be infected, call the National Health Services hotline immediately, or seek the care of a professional physician at once.

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Short Stories, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Novella

49 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 17, 2016

About the author

Lauren Oliver is an author, screenwriter, and media entrepreneur. She is the author of the upcoming novels THE GIRL IN THE LAKE (June 1, 2026) and its sequel, THE SLEEPWALKER (May 5, 2027). Her previous works include multiple New York Times bestselling novels for teens, including Before I Fall (which spent seventeen weeks on the list and was adapted into a feature film released by Open Road), the Delirium trilogy (a two-million-copy-selling dystopian series translated into thirty-five languages), and Panic, which she later adapted into the streaming TV show on Amazon Prime of the same name, for which she wrote every episode and served as Executive Producer. Along the way, Lauren founded the IP company StoryGiants and helped to package and edit nearly one hundred other novels. She is also the co-founder of Incantor AI, a self-scaling digital media engine built on a new and proprietary foundational model of artificial intelligence that respects copyright by providing both IP attribution and royalty shares to contributing sources. Raised in Westchester, New York, Lauren attended the University of Chicago and got her MFA from NYU. She now divides her time between Maryland and Los Angeles. Subscribe to my Substack! laurenoliverbooks.substack.com

Reviews

[Chesca (thecrownedpages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It kills you both when you have it, and when you don’t.”

Revisit the world of Delirium through The Book of Shhh (Safety, Health, and Happiness), a companion to Lauren Oliver’s Delirium trilogy.

This book is the basis of the law in the world of Delirium. It contains details about the cure and its procedure, and other important things related to the disease Amor Deliria Nervosa or ADN.

It is a must-have! If you’ve read Delirium or if you plan to read it, you should get a copy of this handbook. It will help you understand further how Lena’s world viewed love and its effects on people. It is really interesting.

What will you find in this book? Basically, you’ll find every sign or symptom of falling in love. The author must have researched on these and/or maybe experienced them herself because they are all legit.

“A home should have no more than a dozen books on the shelves at any time, or else literacy begins to look like a desire to escape.” This quote is unacceptable to everyone of us. Agree?

“Organization is the external sign of internal health.” So, yes, it kind of includes a few things on how to keep a sound mind and environment. Some parts look like a guide on how to keep your surrounding clean. They’re kind of not related to love anymore but they make so much sense, and the author was able to cleverly relate them to ADN.

The guidelines on how parents should teach their children about certain things really are ways on how to scare the crap out of their kids. I think no parent in their right mind would do those things, unless they want the little ones to cry. It’s disturbing, but honestly, it’s kind of hilarious. (Okay, I think I shouldn’t have said that.)

If a handbook like this was ever used to govern the people, I might be the first one to rebel. Everything seemed too organize for my liking! I now understand it more when the invalids called them zombies. People didn’t want to feel hurt so the cure made them feel nothing! I think I couldn’t last a day in their environment. It’s so boring. How could they take that! Imagining myself under this government makes me feel itchy.

This is a really fun and meaningful read. I suddenly miss Lena, Alex, and Julian. Lauren Oliver has never failed me! Once again, she has created a masterpiece that will touch people’s lives.

[farith · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

To be honest, I don't know what I was expecting from this book and for sure I didn't like it but I didn't hate it. It didn't gave me anything new about the Delirium world.
Now, if you liked the Delirium trilogy, this novella might be for you, but it just didn't work for me.
It's a matter of complete indifference to me.

[Carrot :3 (on a hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice companion to the world of delirium. My favourite section is this:



{Here follows a small sampling of updated proverbs, insights, and lines of fine verse, prepared for approved use in our peaceful times.

Sanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and enjoying consistent results.
—Albert Einstein

The true sign of intelligence is knowledge, not imagination.
—Albert Einstein

Love is composed of a single disease inhabiting two bodies.
—Aristotle

The deliria that does not kill us makes us weaker; more susceptible to future deliria.
—Friedrich Nietzsche

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and be grateful.
—Mark Twain

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one indicated safer by a sign
And that has made all the difference.
—Robert Frost

Think different and you risk an all-too-common devastating fate.
—Steve Jobs

Follow your handbook.
—Joseph Campbell

It is better to have never loved
Than to have loved before the cure.
—Lord Alfred Tennyson

Updated Proverbs and New Translations:

The pen and the sword are as mighty as what motivates them. If it is amor deliria nervosa, both are weapons of mighty danger.

Better to have lost one’s love, than never to have known contentment.

If you’re not working for the cure, you’re part of the disease.

Delirium loves company.

Idle minds are deliria’s playthings.

Two is controversy, three’s allowed.

Distance makes the heart grow stronger.

Always judge a book by its cover.

Men plan. God applauds.

An I needs an eye, or the world goes blind.

The road to hell is paved with small flirtations.

When one door closes, another one opens. Close both; a storm is afoot.}




Wow. I laughed so much at this! But a nice addition though.

[Yhen Villas]

OHMYGOODNESS!!! THANK YOU, LAUREN OLIVER!!!! I NOW LOST THE ABILITY TO EVEN!!!!

[Peppermint · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pen and the sword are as mighty as what motivates them. If it is amor deliria nervosa, both are weapons of mighty danger.

I started reading this book 10 minutes after it was released. And I was not disappointed. Delirium is one of my favourite books and this was a wonderful short story that would have fit perfectly between the pages of the original trilogy. To be honest, I would have enjoyed this much more if it had been published around the same time as the Delirium trilogy. Despite that, this was amazing!

Idle minds are deliria's playthings.

[Mica ☆☆☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm gonna be honest I didn't know this book existed til a few months ago lol but when I was a teenager and I read Delirium for the first time I always wondered about The Book of Shhh so I'm glad this exists

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice context to the Delirium series but a bit on the short side.

[Hari ~Brekker-Maresh~]

OMG I'm dying.

If anyone asks, I blame Lauren Oliver 200%

Yes 200% cuz TWO new books in ONE YEAR???

Damn 2016 is gonna be excellent.
Lauren Oliver, what did I ever do to you but thank you, I love you and I would much rather die of anticipation for your two new books than.... Idk... A bullet to the brain.

I take it back, I'd rather die WHILE I read your books. Then I'd resurrect myself somehow and read the endings.

Also HELLLOOOOO people THIS. IS. BIG!! This is THE. BOOK. Omg I can't even bye.

I mean it's not even a WHOLE book exactly and damn it's already published but I'm still dying so yeah.

[Jordan Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy that this novella sheds light on the society’s values that you see in the series and I’m now more excited to start my reread of the trilogy in the new year

[Crimelpoint · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jest to naprawdę fajny dodatek do tej serii. Dzięki tej książce możemy bardziej wczuć się w cały ten świat, możemy poczytać o zasadach, syndromach choroby czy case'ach o osobach zarażonych. Szkoda, że pozycja ta zawiera tylko fragmenty z tej księgi, którą czytali bohaterowie, ale mimo wszystko warto sięgnąć po ten dodatek. Zwłaszcza, że jest darmowy i znajdziemy go na amazonie.

[Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου · Rating 2 out of 5]

Για να είμαι ειλικρινής, δεν ήξερα τι ακριβώς περίμενα απ' αυτό το βιβλίο -ίσως κάτι παρόμοιο με αυτό που προσέφερε το ανάλογο βιβλίο των "Αγώνων πείνας", με τη διαφορά ότι η συγκεκριμένη σειρά είναι πολύ κατώτερη και η ιστορία της όχι τόσο ενδιαφέρουσα ή καλογραμμένη, ώστε να μας αφορούν ιδιαίτερα περισσότερες πληροφορίες γύρω από το σύμπαν που δημιούργησε η συγγραφέας.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok i honestly think this should be read before the actual trilogy! it really introduces the world and gives a lot of background information. it’s only 50 pages but it reads like a handbook (which it kinda is) so it was a little boring. but if you are planning to read or have read the delirium trilogy, definitely check this out! it’s free too! :))

[asia | read.with.asiaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.25/5]

niby spoko, ale spodziewałam się czegoś lepszego! ale mimo wszystko cieszę się, że Księga Szzz została przerobiona na osobną książkę (rok temu, jak czytałam Delirium, sama wpadłam na taki pomysł, a ostatnio tak sobie patrzę i mam reakcję: "kurde to istnieje serio 😮")

[Kersi · Rating 3 out of 5]

while reading the introduction i expected way more, but it was still informing for knowing the world of 'delirium' a bit better

[Erin Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but Dull

I was really excited when I heard that Lauren Oliver was writing a companion novella to her Delirium trilogy. I thought it would be fun to dive back into that world and see things through the eyes of the government.

It reads like it should, as a handbook. While it's interesting to see what is expected of people in the post-deliria world, it reads as a bit stuffy and dull. I know that if it were a real handbook meant to govern my life. I would make the same choice as Lena and leave.

[Jill booksandescape · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book of Shhh by Lauren Oliver is a companion novella to the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver. This novella is the handbook that citizens are given to read and live by, and help protect everyone from getting infected with the 'disease' amor deliria nervosa in the Delirium series. This novella is very interesting because it shows how the society thinks it's doing the right thing by preventing love, but they are clearly not doing the right thing.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[audy ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

soo confused

[Elizabeth Aguilar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warning: homophobia, (mention) of suicide, (mention) homicide, (mention) of cheating, (mention) of alcoholism, (mention) of eating disorders

The Book of Shhh is a short companion piece, which explores the policies, expectations, and values within the Delirium universe. If you intend to read this short story, I recommend that you do so while reading Delirium or before starting Pandemonium.

I enjoyed the writing style because it reflected the language, layout, and feel of a handbook. Perhaps one of the reasons I enjoyed this so much is because I love reading people the characters would have themselves read. It gives insight into why they are the way they are, since some people rebel and others confirm.

There are a few notes I want to make about this book for any potential readers. This handbook include:
- a narrow view of the world
- problematic perspective on the LGBTQ+ community
- implied bullying

It reflects the type of society we find in the America of Delirium and it is incredibly flawed. However, it serves as an interesting and short perspective on the fundamentals of the world in the Delirium trilogy.

[Gabriela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't mind me, just making a list with my favorite quotes in here:

"Spotless hands, spotless hearts; disease roots only in darkness."

"We keep this book
in the hand of our heart;
may it grow heavy there."

"shh.
The worst is over now."

"This is, in fact, a secondary definition of deliria: A disease so insidious one always dies from its dominance. It kills you both when you have it, and when you don't."

"As the old saying goes: Idle thoughts are deliria's playthings."

"Pain has value. Pain lends meaning to life. There can be no happiness without pain."

"A home should have no more than a dozen books on the shelves at any time, or else literacy begins to look like a desire to escape."

[Sara☽༊‧₊˚ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The pen and the sword are as mighty as what motivates them. If it is amor deliria nervosa, both are weapons of mighty danger.”

― this world had so much potential, but none of it was explored in this series istg most of the stuff in this book is what I'm hearing of for the first time 💀 and there's so much you need to cover before forming a resistance and stopping this oppression, but all the last two books offered were 'alex pls i love you bb PLS' or 'love is GREAT YAS'
...................

anyway, I'm so done with this series which is really sad considering the first book IS MY LIFELINE

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this novella. I read it while also reading Delirium and I definitely recommend you read it before you start the trilogy. It had a lot of mind bending information and the author does a good job of building up the dystopian world. I laughed and gasped at a few parts. My favorite quote was “ The road to hell is paved from small flirtations.” A lot of the world building has truth to it, which is the mind bending part. I am going to go out a buy the rest of the trilogy and other novellas. Everyone should read these books.

[H.B. Jasick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was boring, but I think that was it’s exact purpose. it might actually be genius and clever, but it was still hard to read all the way through. Yes, I read this book from cover to cover. I’m not a quitter: It was definitely informational into the inner workings and mindset of the government that exists inside this series. It’s a reference that gives you a little bit of relatability towards the characters, and allows you to decide for yourself which side you’d choose.

[Lia Correia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uma óptima leitura para submergir ainda mais no mundo criado pela autora e perceber toda a conjetura social que as personagens enfrentam.
A pontuação de três estrelas é meramente por ser um livro de excertos, curto e demasiado "técnico" sobre o tema central da história.
Mas aconselho vivamente para quem adorou a trilogia e quer perceber um pouco mais sobre como é vista a doença que advogam e como o mundo quer fazer do amor e do amar o maior inimigo da sociedade ordeira.

[fäer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This companion book didn’t add much to the trilogy for me.

If anything, it turns amor deliria nervosa (the central concept of the entire series) into something that feels almost like a caricature of itself. The tone reads less like meaningful world-building and more like a parody of a bad 1970s infomercial, which made it hard to take seriously.

I didn’t actively dislike it, but I didn’t really enjoy it either. It just felt unnecessary.

[Jennifer Varnadore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect extra piece of literature for the series it corresponds to. I had honestly always wanted to see it come to life, and when I saw it had, I was ecstatic. After reading it, I have not been in the least disappointed. This is still one of the book series that impacted me most in my life.

"I love you. Remember, they cannot take it." 💞❣️

[NayDoubleU · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa

This was a crazy easy read. I actually felt like it was a real booklet and I kept think it my God. Is this serious!? This definitely makes me want to read the actual series and I look forward to it

[lettisha ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty much just okay. It is essentially just reading all the rules and laws of the dystopian society that the Delirium Trilogy is set in. It was a little dull for me, but if you're a big Delirium fan this might be of interest to you; plus, you can't beat the price (FREE!)

[Sacha Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a mega fan of Lauren Oliver, I loved reading this manual and getting a little more insight into her world building. Nice and short, its an awesome look at the dystopian aapects of their world.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining! I liked reading more of the absurd rules of this dystopia.