Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic

by Lauren Oliver

Soon to be a major Amazon Prime Video series.

An utterly gripping thriller from bestselling author Lauren Oliver.

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.

In this gritty, spellbinding novel, bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping narrative of friendship, courage, survival, and hope.

Reviewed by lindsey on

2 of 5 stars

Share
I really wanted to like this book, but I was sorely disappointed. The premise sounded intriguing, even if it was similar to The Hunger Games, as far as teenagers competing in a high-stakes "game", but that's as far as the similarities go.

Panic is a game that graduating seniors participate in every year. It's supposed to be highly secretive, but everyone in town knows about it, including the cop, who have got to be the worst cops I've ever read about in a novel. I don't understand how these kids plan and set up these elaborate challenges without getting caught every single time. Even when they are caught, it seems like there are no major repercussions, apart from a slap on the hand. One of the characters even turns himself in after one of the challenges turns deadly, and nothing is done about it, besides a little community service.

Another problem I had with this book is the fact that this is a seemingly poor town, yet the seniors are able to collect almost $60,000 for the winner. Really? That's a lot of money for any organization to collect, but for a group of teenagers to raise that much - even if they are being coerced - is a little far-fetched.

And then we come to the characters. Even though most of them got on my nerves, I have to admit that Ms. Oliver perfectly captured the whiny angst and reckless behavior that's prevalent among today's teens. Most of the adults seemed even less mature than the teens, which is really saying something. I thought Anne was really well-written, however, and even though she wasn't featured too often, she was probably my favorite character. Though, to be honest, there wasn't much competition.

I don't like for my reviews to be so full of negativity, but there wasn't much I liked about Panic. That being said, I do like the author's writing style, and I will continue to read any books she publishes in the future.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 27 December, 2014: Finished reading
  • 27 December, 2014: Reviewed