Panic by Lauren Oliver Book Review

    Panic by Lauren Oliver is a YA thriller novel. It was published in 2014 by Harper Collins. It has 3.6 stars on Goodreads. Here are my thoughts. 

    Panic is about a girl named Heather and a boy named Dodge who live in Carp, New York. Every year, the graduating class at their high school plays Panic. Panic is a game where players compete in a series of dangerous challenges to win a pot of money. This year the stakes are raised, because when someone dies during the game, the police have outlawed it. The game continues, but in secret.

    The plot of Panic is hair-raising. Each of the challenges had me on the edge of my seat. It is realistic because the game is invented by bored teenagers in a small town who wanted something exciting in their lives.
    The main characters in Panic are Heather, Dodge, and Natalie. The character development in this book is evident. Heather learns her own self worth when she gets far in the game. Dodge becomes less vengeful and sees the good in his life. Natalie gains the confidence she needs to pursue her dreams. These characters are relatable because they all succumb to their flaws at some point during the book, as all people do.
    The writing of Panic is riveting. I found myself immersed in Heather and Dodge's struggles. The dialogue adds to the importance of issues, such as addiction and death, that are discussed.
    In conclusion, I would give Panic by Lauren Oliver 4 stars. I liked the rules and complexities of game of Panic. I would have liked for more character development from Natalie in particular. I would recommend this book to readers looking for books about friendship, drama, and/or suspense.