There’s not much to do in Carp, New York. It’s a small town with few people and even fewer opportunities. So it is not surprising that graduating seniors would hold on so dearly to their one local tradition - Panic. Each year, to bid farewell to their high school years, members of the graduating class participate in Panic. It is a game the tests the strength, nerve, and fortitude of those who choose to compete. The game isn’t easy but the payout is high - enough money to start life outside of Carp.
Dodge and Heather both enter Panic for very different reasons. Heather wants to prove to herself and to others that she is more than a cast-off girlfriend, more than a trailer park kid with a mom that parties too much. Dodge’s motivation is more simple - revenge. They do have one thing in common, a shared desperation to rid themselves of their sad circumstances and have better lives. Which is why, as the summer progresses, Heather and Dodge take greater risks to stay in the game.
Panic is not a roller coaster of action. The book jacket may lead readers to think this is a dystopian adventure story. If that is what you are looking for, look elsewhere. Panic feels more like a slow motion car wreck as you watch Dodge, Heather, and their friends race towards their own self-destruction. We are left to wonder how far they will go to achieve their goals and what they will lose along the way.
Panic is not a roller coaster of action. The book jacket may lead readers to think this is a dystopian adventure story. If that is what you are looking for, look elsewhere. Panic feels more like a slow motion car wreck as you watch Dodge, Heather, and their friends race towards their own self-destruction. We are left to wonder how far they will go to achieve their goals and what they will lose along the way.