Panic by Lauren Oliver (Book Summary)

• Purchase Panic by Lauren Oliver via Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qFnKvx

“Panic” is a life-threatening game consisting of about 3 judges and 6 challenges, including the final round. Natalie (Nat), Heather Hill’s best friend, decided to join.

The first challenge was to jump off a cliff (there’s water below). Heather was just there to support Nat and to say “I love you” to Matt. However, she saw Matt kissing Delaney that day, so she decided to join the game and jump too. One player drank 5 shots of vodka before jumping, lost his balance, and fell on the rack with the sound of his head echoing.

The second challenge was to climb, and Heather successfully climbed, but the players after her got into a fight. Then there were cops, and everyone ran and started pushing people. Nat broke her ankle, and Heather didn’t know what to do because she couldn’t carry Nat, and they had to be fast – good thing another player, Dodge, helped them. Nat sabotaged Heather that whoever wins between the two of them would divide the cash. Heather also made a deal with Dodge. The price was about $60,000.

The next challenge was getting inside a crazy man’s house. That man has dogs and rifles. Dodge, Nat, and Heather were like allies, so they surpassed the challenge.

The next challenge was going inside a haunted house, and whoever stays the longest wins. Heather, Nat, and Dodge were already sleeping when they smelled smoke – the house was on fire, and they were locked inside the room. Nat went out of the room first by Heather and Dodge’s help because she was the smallest of the three. They simply asked her to look for help. In the end, Heather and Dodge woke up in a hospital. Someone died – little Bill Kelly.

The next challenge is crossing the street really fast with blindfolds on. Nat was eliminated, but one player beat up Diggin (the host), and he got disqualified, so Nat was back in the game. Meanwhile, Heather’s mother, Krista, is an alcoholic and drug user. When they smoked pot in the house and stole her savings, Heather took her car and decided to run away and be homeless. They lived at Meth Row for days until she got caught by the cop (although not arrested) for stealing a car. She called Annie, and she agreed to help them. Also, Dodge’s mother always goes on dates, and his sister Dayna stays at home because she’s half paralyzed. Dodge’s joined Panic to get even with Ray Hanharan because they have something to do with Dayna’s.

The next challenge is a solo one. Dodge with the spiders, Heather’s was Russian Roulette, and Nat was with the Tiger, owned by Anne. Nat didn’t pass. After all, by 9 seconds she ran out of the gate because she got scared. She’s out of the game. Then Heather forgot to lock the gates. The following day the 2 tigers are missing. One was later shot by another resident. The other one is still missing.

For the final round, they have to race. Dodge asked Heather to let him win. Since he wants to compete with Ray, he wants revenge. Heather agreed since they would still split the prize. However, Nat tied Dodge and left him so he can’t compete (she’s scared that someone could die) //I also don’t understand why Nat did that.

Heather competed with Ray, and the next thing was Ray was being pulled by 2 people out of the car. He swerved and crashed. Meanwhile, Heather got out of the car before it completely burned down, and she saw the Tiger standing in the middle of the road (probably the reason why Ray swerved). Fearless, she reached for the Tiger’s head and patted it. She won! (She divided the money with Dodge and Nat)

• Purchase Panic by Lauren Oliver via Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qFnKvx