Review of PANIC by Lauren Oliver

(Blurb from Goodreads.com)

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 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.

The way I read it ~

DNF @ 55%

I expected to blaze a hot trail with this one but all I ended up with was a whole lot of...



and...

The story didn't pull me in. Lauren Oliver's writing wasn't lacking per say, I simply wasn't engaged and by the time I got to where I last read, I was neither excited nor curious. The characters felt very boring to me. Boring and fickle. I didn't connect with their fears, their anguish or their romantic inclinations. Even though the blurb did a good job of piquing my interest, I found there was no foundation to the first part that drove character emotion to carry through to the second half. I love Lauren Oliver's work but maybe it was the contemporary setting of Panic that did nothing for me. I felt like I'd read this story before. Girl has issues. Boy pines for girl. Tragic family past. Secrets that come between friendships. Yada yada yada.

She spoiled me with Delirium. Yes, she did.  

She spoiled me.

I must add that I adore Lauren Oliver's writing. However this one in particular just wasn't my cup of tea.

.....moving on.

RATED BLAND: 1 out of 5 Sugar cubes

Reviewed by Leelo