When I first saw this book and read the description I
thought it would be another Hunger Games or something like it. I put it on my
Goodreads list and though it took many months to get to it, I was excited! I
opened the book and my expectations changed almost immediately.
Panic is a game played by teenagers in a small town. The
winnings are large (around 60K) and most are playing for money. Heather, the
main character is playing to save herself and her sister from their neglectful
mother. While Dodge, another main character is playing to avenge the damage
done to his sister in a prior game. Both end up teaming up early on only to
find that the game is full of secret agendas and mystery players.
The Good
I liked that each main character was well defined. Heather
and Dodge both came from less than ideal homes. Dodge's family had little money
but they had care and attention. Heather lived with her sister in a household
where her mother preferred drugs and partying over parenting. It was plausible
that both would be interested in the game to win the money. Over the course of
the story, each underwent growth due to the things they experienced in the
game. I loved the Heather finally found a family and that Dodge found acceptance
in a group of friends he didn't have before.
The Not So Good
Some of the characters did things that didn't make sense.
Dodge felt confusing at times. He was always an angry character and rightfully
so based on what he experienced, but there were times that I wasn't sure of his
motives. He liked Nat but he seemed to be romantically interested in Heather
early on. The use of the secondary characters could have been better as well.
Nat and Heather's friendship didn't feel reciprocated. Heather clearly cared
about Nat but sometimes Nat didn't seem to really care about her friend.
Teenage girls who are BFF's are always
inseparable and usually share a nearly psychic connection. I couldn't believe
that Nat didn't know about Heather's home life or wasn't the first call when
Heather decided to leave. Bishop was another character that perplexed me. I
didn't understand his role in the game or why he wouldn't just turn it down.
Love to me is not a justification for the lying and insanity that he created just
for money.
The Verdict:
The book was just an okay read. Fortunately, the ending
really made the difference. At least there was growth in the core characters so
it was clear that this experience affected them. I was still left with some
questions about some of the character's motives but overall it was a good
way to take a break from the summer heat.
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