Review: Panic by Lauren Oliver

Summary 

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. 

Review 

                            

I had requested to review Panic through Bookbridgr and I was so intent on getting it and reading it the minute it came through the letterbox. The concept behind all high school graduates participating in a game called "Panic" focusing on you and your most horrible fears really interested me, to face your major fears is a big thing. So I had started this novel, expecting a relationship to blossom between the main protagonist but there wasn't, which confused me.

This is probably the first book I've read where the main characters are in love with someone else, which is fine but it took more time for me to get more involved in the book. The concept behind Panic is to mainly to spend your summer holidays in a game but also get a "pot" of money if you won. But there's a twist expect the unexpected and by that It means there'll always be someone's death ready to make everything more complicated. But that's not the most shocking news they know or will find out, after all this is a legendary Carp game. But will what Heather finds out change everything for everyone? Will Dodge's "friends" help him with his revenge? But most of all what is this secret that Bishop seems to be hiding? 

We see this novel through Heather and Dodge, the point of views alternating between the two, varying at certain points, changing at times that made you want to grind your teeth because of where the chapter has left off from. Yes, there where some amazing parts of this novel that kept me gripped until the view changed to the other person. Various parts making you want to read on until there was nothing left to read, parts that make you want go on and write your own fan fiction about it. Tempting? I know. 

Various challenges are given but I must say the most heart stopping one was to run across the road blind-folded with on going traffic. This one showed how all characters have developed, mainly Heather who at first joined Panic because of her ex boyfriend but turned in to a quest to save her sister and herself from starvation. Anne was another character who I really enjoyed reading about, she help Heather and her sister in time of need and kept them safe as her own daughters. But those tigers, boy are those tigers something else indeed. Did I say tiger? YES I did.

Lauren Oliver has done a good job bringing this contemporary novel about life and survival and for some, revenge. It took some time for me to get in to the novel to be a part of it but I still couldn't, I felt like I was always at the edge of the plot line, never at the heart of it with the characters, but still a good read and an amazing cover. This novel brings you the small city of Carp, a generations old game that will either break you or make you, and in this case Heather is about to experience it all for the sake of family. And Dodge is about to learn that revenge isn't everything. 

Panic - Lauren Oliver 3.5 Stars