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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
I loved that this book didn't take place in a post apocalyptic future like so many books do now days. Instead this deadly game takes place in modern day small town America. Lauren Oliver does a wonderful job making this seem real, like it could be going on somewhere in small town America. Lauren Oliver is becoming one of my favorite YA authors. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
This Book had me feel mostly anger and annoyance. But it still entertained me because it was suspenseful and the characters were pretty interesting... Even though the characters were the most annoying factor here. Weird.
I must say, that the finale disappointed me a bit action-wise. But I almost wished the last chapter didn't exist and it had ended earlier. That would have been a better ending. But overall I really liked this book.
I must say, that the finale disappointed me a bit action-wise. But I almost wished the last chapter didn't exist and it had ended earlier. That would have been a better ending. But overall I really liked this book.
Enjoyed the story but wasn't my favorite YA book by far.
3 stars
I think this is one of the few instances where I found the tv show to be better than the book. I might be a little biased because I saw the show first but knowing that Lauren Oliver was the writer for the show as well makes me think that she definitely made it better than what the book is. Also, I feel like Dodge and Heather had more chemistry together in the book.
I think this is one of the few instances where I found the tv show to be better than the book. I might be a little biased because I saw the show first but knowing that Lauren Oliver was the writer for the show as well makes me think that she definitely made it better than what the book is. Also, I feel like Dodge and Heather had more chemistry together in the book.
Panic? More like Disappointment.
Lauren Oliver is a fantastically talented writer. Delirium is a phenomenal trilogy; With Before I Fall she made me hate and love the characters all at the same time as being completely unable to put it down. But Panic feels so thinly spread - as though all the ideas and set up are here, but haphazardly put together with a total lack of emotion. I wonder if Oliver had a deadline to meet, because it does feel rushed without time to develop or for the reader to become fully immersed.
Major plot points felt obvious, and several times just as suspense is beginning to build, it's cut down with an anti-climatic reveal or line or chapter-end. The characters lives and motives feel so thin and shallow - I really felt that the entire novel was lacking any depth.
There did feel some strong similarities to Before I Fall in tone, and to JK Rowling's The Casual Vacancy in characters and set-up. But where Casual Vacancy picks up in the last third and charges forward, Panic never really gets going.
I think the Delirium trilogy possibly succeeded so well in terms of storyline mostly in having a longer span of development, but Panic feels cut down, with too many events for the amount of pages. Oliver has no problem with creating plots that pull the reader in, but I feel that pacing is possibly her biggest flaw.
The ending felt lack-lustre. I enjoyed that it was a new beginning that felt as though the story would continue on without the reader - a more successful attempt at this than the end of Requiem. But with so much build up throughout the book and no real release, along with no genuine connection to any of the characters, I was almost hoping for another death to rock the boat.
With this in mind, I would love to see this as a TV series adaptation - with longer for the story and characters to develop, back stories to build and and an in-depth exploration into motives and relationships, I think we'd get the satisfaction and immersion that the book is so severely lacking.
Lauren Oliver is swiftly becoming one of my favourite authors, but this is not her shining moment. That being said, if this is her low point, I am ecstatic with excitement for her next offering.
Lauren Oliver is a fantastically talented writer. Delirium is a phenomenal trilogy; With Before I Fall she made me hate and love the characters all at the same time as being completely unable to put it down. But Panic feels so thinly spread - as though all the ideas and set up are here, but haphazardly put together with a total lack of emotion. I wonder if Oliver had a deadline to meet, because it does feel rushed without time to develop or for the reader to become fully immersed.
Major plot points felt obvious, and several times just as suspense is beginning to build, it's cut down with an anti-climatic reveal or line or chapter-end. The characters lives and motives feel so thin and shallow - I really felt that the entire novel was lacking any depth.
There did feel some strong similarities to Before I Fall in tone, and to JK Rowling's The Casual Vacancy in characters and set-up. But where Casual Vacancy picks up in the last third and charges forward, Panic never really gets going.
I think the Delirium trilogy possibly succeeded so well in terms of storyline mostly in having a longer span of development, but Panic feels cut down, with too many events for the amount of pages. Oliver has no problem with creating plots that pull the reader in, but I feel that pacing is possibly her biggest flaw.
The ending felt lack-lustre. I enjoyed that it was a new beginning that felt as though the story would continue on without the reader - a more successful attempt at this than the end of Requiem. But with so much build up throughout the book and no real release, along with no genuine connection to any of the characters, I was almost hoping for another death to rock the boat.
With this in mind, I would love to see this as a TV series adaptation - with longer for the story and characters to develop, back stories to build and and an in-depth exploration into motives and relationships, I think we'd get the satisfaction and immersion that the book is so severely lacking.
Lauren Oliver is swiftly becoming one of my favourite authors, but this is not her shining moment. That being said, if this is her low point, I am ecstatic with excitement for her next offering.
I was initially wary of starting this novel, so I put it off for a couple of months. The summary makes it sound far to similar to the Hunger Games and I wasn't sure that I was ready for that just yet. Being on a bit of a reading kick lately. I decided to finally pick it up. Thankfully,the summary is a bit misleading and the similarities to the Hunger Games are minimal. Heather is a motivated and well rounded character. Her growth through the Panic competition is realistic and invigorating Refreshingly, while there is a romance subplot, it is minor and does not involve a love triangle. I found the lengths to which Dodge was willing to go to be a little extreme. My favourite part of this novel was the setting. The prose really brings Carp off the pages and you really get the small town vibe while you're reading it.
I enjoyed Oliver's content and the fast pace of the narrative. However, sometimes it felt like new information was brought up by the characters as if the reader had backstory, when there wasn't any. Meaning, I would read a sentence or paragraph and think, "wait, when did that happen?! I must have accidentally skipped something..." But I hadn't.
I really liked this book more than I thought I would. It got some extra bonus points for not being in first person. Certain details on the game Panic does have me a little confused, but I guess I could overlook them enough to enjoy the story. I haven't read anything by Lauren Owen before, so this book helped me discover her. I did feel, though, that I didn't exactly get much closure on Dodge's perspective.
(Who in the world is categorizing this as Science Fiction/Dystopia? Stop putting things on the shelves based on the description! This is about a group of teens that play a crazy game, this isn't The Hunger Games -- it's just a bad choice in jacket copy.)
While reading this book I had flashbacks to my Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine reading days. No idea why...it's been years (maybe even a couple of decades) since I read either author. Maybe it was the game itself (or the vast group of teenagers making really bad decisions). Panic tests to see how much fear you can handle and even despite fear, how long you can last in certain situations. It's not a game for the faint of heart.
That part of the book was interesting -- seeing the tests these characters are put through. I also generally liked the characters. I could relate to being the tall girl that wears flats and slouches so she doesn't look like a giant next to her friends.
In fact, the thing that bothered me most about this book was kind of silly and is probably me being a little nit-picky. Carp is a town of 12,000 with a graduating class of around 100 -- it has a BUS SYSTEM?! I grew up in Florida so maybe I'm incorrect in thinking that bus systems are only in large, more urban areas, but a town that small with public transit? Is there a county system that covers this in upstate New York?
I had more thoughts as I was drifting off to sleep last night about other things I found a little too absurd, but now I've forgotten.
Bottom line: It doesn't have all the feels of [b:Before I Fall|6482837|Before I Fall|Lauren Oliver|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361044695s/6482837.jpg|6674135], which is kind of what I was expecting. But it's a good read, just not Oliver's best.
While reading this book I had flashbacks to my Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine reading days. No idea why...it's been years (maybe even a couple of decades) since I read either author. Maybe it was the game itself (or the vast group of teenagers making really bad decisions). Panic tests to see how much fear you can handle and even despite fear, how long you can last in certain situations. It's not a game for the faint of heart.
That part of the book was interesting -- seeing the tests these characters are put through. I also generally liked the characters. I could relate to being the tall girl that wears flats and slouches so she doesn't look like a giant next to her friends.
In fact, the thing that bothered me most about this book was kind of silly and is probably me being a little nit-picky. Carp is a town of 12,000 with a graduating class of around 100 -- it has a BUS SYSTEM?! I grew up in Florida so maybe I'm incorrect in thinking that bus systems are only in large, more urban areas, but a town that small with public transit? Is there a county system that covers this in upstate New York?
Spoiler
AND she forgave Bishop?! Seriously? And the kidnapping of Dodge? Too much.I had more thoughts as I was drifting off to sleep last night about other things I found a little too absurd, but now I've forgotten.
Bottom line: It doesn't have all the feels of [b:Before I Fall|6482837|Before I Fall|Lauren Oliver|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1361044695s/6482837.jpg|6674135], which is kind of what I was expecting. But it's a good read, just not Oliver's best.