Book Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

If my town had a Panic, I would have done it.

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them-and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

The plot has been well thought out. The game is obviously the centre and they do carry you through the novel wanting to know what happens next.  Nothing is really a surprise and the foreshadowing -hints really- was not very subtle at all.

The characters are all a very tragic fare, a desperate bunch with different reasons for playing Panic. They're so complex that their motives even change. Their motives are realistic and they all petty realistic that themselves. I felt rather discontented from them; more wanting them to get their comeuppance than feeling sympathetic towards them. I think with this novel it doesn't matter if you care about them. There is some romance, but it’s a tiny, tiny fizz.


This book is told in third person, but mainly from Heather and Dodge's point of view. I like how it goes through the days as well as having the chapters.
 
Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars for injured teenagers. I enjoyed reading it and it was an interesting idea. If you liked Oliver other stuff, then you should definitely check this book out.


I got this book off NetGalley for review. It's published tomorrow by Hodder & Stoughton.