Don't Panic

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Published: March 4, 2014 by HarperCollins
Panic is a game teenagers play in the town of Carp to show how fearless they can be. Each year every graduating senior is eligible to play, but only one will win the life changing prize money. Except while the game is supposed to test who is the bravest, instead reading it as an adult it seems to really be showing who is the stupidest. Yes, I realize these kids feel trapped in the tiny little town, but still the whole story makes me a little nauseous.

I went into this book knowing it took place in the modern day and not a dystopian society, and yet I had to keep reminding myself of that fact. I think it's because so much of the hardships these teens grew up with and what they're willing to do to escape their lifestyle, it's easier to think this couldn't actually be happening in the real world.

I'm not a parent, at least not yet, but if I was I think I'd have hesitations about my teenage kids reading this. In a way you could say it isn't as bad as something like The Hunger Games but I disagree there. The Hunger Games is set is an actual dystopian society where there really is no other way to escape. But the kids in Panic exist today and there are opportunities out there for them, and I just hate the fact that they had to resort to such extreme life threatening measure.

Obviously I have my problems with this book, but I wouldn't say it's awful. I can't necessarily imagine reading it again since it made me a little too uncomfortable, but I still would be willing to read (or even reread) anything else from Lauren Oliver.

3.5/5

Today I'm linking up with Blonde Undercover Blonde for Book Club Friday