The Maze Runner Reivew

The Maze Runner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Genre: Dystopian
Publication Date: Oct. 9th 2009 
Publisher: Delacorte Press  
Pages: 374 

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Synopsis:

"If you ain't scared, you ain't human." 

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

My Rating: 

  

Review:

The Maze Runner is exciting and action-packed, with mystery and suspense on every page. It's fast and fun while also being disturbing and terrifying. Most importantly, it sucks you in and doesn't let go.

The Maze Runner was a bit of a slow start for me. I had a hard time getting into the story because it was super confusing. I thought the setting was strange, the language the characters used made no sense, and the main character was annoyingly clueless. However, looking back, I can appreciate this rough start. In the beginning of the book, the main character was confused and scared and uncomfortable, so it makes sense that the book was written in such a way that the readers felt the same. It makes it easy to relate to Thomas, and as he starts to understand more of the world he's thrown into, so do the readers.

Once I got over that rocky patch in the beginning, I was completely hooked by the story. Something exciting seems to happen on every page, and there's no time for the readers or the characters to relax or take a break from the action. This book is difficult to tear yourself away from because you can't help but feel desperate for answers and explanations as to what happens next. The pacing of this book is fantastic. It's fast, but not too fast that things start to get rushed or confusing. 

The characters are surprisingly likable and well rounded. We don't get to know many of them, because shortly after Thomas arrives in the Glade (what they call where they live), things take a turn for the worse and they're running out of time. But the guys we do get to know are great and easy to root for (MINHO! NEWT!). I was also quite happy to find that Teresa played such a neutral part. It would've been so easy to make this all about the romance and lost memories and blablabla, but the story never loses focus, and that's one of its strengths.  

Ok, now I'm going to add my problems with this book, apart from it being too short.

I thought that he should have put more monsters. I don't like that sort of thing, but I was hoping there were more than just that one type. I was a little disappointed when there weren't other monsters. Also, what the crap were the monsters? They were like freaky! I mean don't get me wrong, they were amazing and crazy and just freaked me out like none other, and made my skin crawl. Also it was difficult to get a picture of the Grievers. he gives a very detailed description, don't get me wrong, but I just can't get a firm picture on them.I was a little confused about why there were Maze Runners, maybe that just because I read it so fast. I'm a little worried about his relationship with the girl. I'm worried that Dashner will make them relatives or something like that. Then it would be very odd, but whatever the Author can do what he wants.

All in all it's an interesting read. The world-building within the Glade is well-done, and getting to know the boys in such a secluded space makes you very familiar with them, they have their own slang, their own hierarchy and it's a great way to introduce us to the story, because Thomas is as much in the dark as the readers and we get to explore the whole thing together. 

It was definitely a good way to get me reading again, and that last part was the perfect teaser for the sequel.  

 

“You are the shuckiest shuck faced shuck in the world!” 

― James Dashner, The Maze Runner

This series was wonderful :)

-Alex