Now Is Not the Time to Panic

For my full review, visit https://literaryquicksand.com/2022/07/review-now-is-not-the-time-to-panic-by-kevin-wilson/

First of all, what a unique story. There are stories out there about teens who feel like they don't quite fit in, but how many stories are there about what happens when those teens create something that goes so viral and out of control, that life goes nuts?

Yeah, probably not too many.

It was amazing the detail that Wilson is able to go to to show what's going through these kids' minds as they create and obsess about their creation. I felt so much love for Frankie and wanted to hug her, but also had a hard time identifying with her intense obsession with the art that she creates with Zeke. Even though I had a hard time identifying with her, I was still just so captivated by her thoughts.

Also, I grew up in a small town where I could totally see something like this happening...that quick spread and takeover of the town. Small town teenager books just speak to me, since I was one of those.

Meeting Frankie as a “normal” adult with a family was so interesting and added an element to the story that I really liked. She's able to look back on everything she did as a teenager with kind of that hazy clarity that we all have about what happened during our teenage years.

At any rate, this was a book that I couldn't put down.