Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic is a jaw-dropping dark contemporary novel which explores the idea of a dangerous competition in which teenagers complete death-defying tasks in order to try to win the pot of money.

This book is definitely a heavy-impact read that resonates with the reader long after the last page. Lauren Oliver has excellently crafted the duel point of view section of this book and the two plotlines intertwine. This has a great effect that left me shell-shocked and anxious for the characters on multiple occasions. Whilst I wasn't noticing an absolute beauty in the writing, I did really enjoy how the book was written. It was easy to follow and well-structured whilst also having lots of different intricacies that worked well with the plot and concept.

The characters are clean-cut and well fleshed out. They have unique and original personalities that stand out from each other. I really enjoyed their chemistry together and I loved watching how they worked together. The main character, Heather, went through a HUGE transformation in the duration of this book. I felt connected to the characters and I found myself holding my breath each time they faced a new Panic challenge.

The whole concept of the game "Panic" was well thought out and strongly structured. It was clearly explained and there was no new language that the reader needed to learn.

This was my first Lauren Oliver book and it definitely made me want to pick up more of her books.

The intensity of the plot was awe-inspiring. This is book really turns the page by itself and it kept me on the edge of my seat the WHOLE time!

I would recommend to: Y.A readers who love a thrilling, darker contemporary read, anyone who is having trouble getting into the contemporary genre (like I am) but wants a great contemporary read!

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Review by Jess