Review of The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Warning: This post may/may not contain spoilers.
The Maze Runner series is one of the most famous science fiction series. In my opinion, although I thought the series was great as a whole, the first book in the series is the best one by far.
The story starts with a boy named Thomas waking up inside a box. He realizes he has no memory of events that happened previously in his life, such as where he is, why he is there, or who put him there. He soon finds out that he is trapped inside a massive maze that seems to have no way out. It is also full of other boys, all of which have lost their memories as well. Apparently, they have all been there for a lot longer than him, because they do not appear to be surprised by Thomas's appearance. In the first few chapters, Thomas learns many new things about the maze, such as the fact that there is a large area in the center of the maze called the Glade, where everyone is safe from the Grievers that wander the maze. The population of "Gladers" is divided into several groups, each one having a different job. One of these groups is the Runners, and their task is to explore the Maze in hope of finding a solution. To Thomas, this is the most important job a Glader can have, and wants it desperately. The story starts with both Thomas and the reader knowing next to nothing about the setting, meaning that as Thomas makes new discoveries, so does the reader. The author definitely intended for this to happen, and I think it was beneficial to the overall plot.
In a sudden plot twist, everything changes. Someone new arrives in the Box, which is already unusual a new Glader normally arrives once a month. Even more unusual, the new person is a girl, the first one ever to arrive at the Glade. She is unconscious when she appears, and in her hand she carries a note claiming that she is the last new Glader that will ever come to the Maze. It is rare for a book to have a plot twist this early in the story, and especially interesting that neither the reader nor Thomas really understands it. As the girl begins to wake up, Thomas discovers that the two of them have a special ability that could lead to something unheard of to the Gladers: an exit to the Maze.
After this point in the story, strange things begin to happen to the maze (much more strange to the other Gladers because they were there longer). At night, for the first time, the Walls do not close, meaning that the Glade is not protected from the Grievers. However, instead of killing everyone in their way like they usually do, they seek one victim each night. All of the Gladers now realize that they will need to work harder than ever to find an exit if they wish to survive. Eventually, they discover that the answer to their question lies in the last place they thought it would. (I won't say anything more about the actual plot to avoid spoiling the book.)
Overall, The Maze Runner was an interesting read. The suspenseful moments, such as when Thomas has to spend an entire night outside the safety of the Glade, the vivid descriptions of the setting and the abundance of completely unexpected plot twists all contribute to the book's success in my opinion. However, like all books, it has its flaws. One of the biggest things I noticed about the book that I would have changed was the lack of character development. Thomas, the main character of the book, has significant growth as a character and acquires many new traits that benefit him in the long run. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the other characters. Although they each have their own personality, these personalities hardly change at all throughout the book.
The Maze Runner was mostly a great book, and for the reasons above I will rate it 4.6 out of 5 stars, and I definitely recommend it for anyone who likes science fiction with suspense and plot twists.
The Maze Runner series is one of the most famous science fiction series. In my opinion, although I thought the series was great as a whole, the first book in the series is the best one by far.
The story starts with a boy named Thomas waking up inside a box. He realizes he has no memory of events that happened previously in his life, such as where he is, why he is there, or who put him there. He soon finds out that he is trapped inside a massive maze that seems to have no way out. It is also full of other boys, all of which have lost their memories as well. Apparently, they have all been there for a lot longer than him, because they do not appear to be surprised by Thomas's appearance. In the first few chapters, Thomas learns many new things about the maze, such as the fact that there is a large area in the center of the maze called the Glade, where everyone is safe from the Grievers that wander the maze. The population of "Gladers" is divided into several groups, each one having a different job. One of these groups is the Runners, and their task is to explore the Maze in hope of finding a solution. To Thomas, this is the most important job a Glader can have, and wants it desperately. The story starts with both Thomas and the reader knowing next to nothing about the setting, meaning that as Thomas makes new discoveries, so does the reader. The author definitely intended for this to happen, and I think it was beneficial to the overall plot.
In a sudden plot twist, everything changes. Someone new arrives in the Box, which is already unusual a new Glader normally arrives once a month. Even more unusual, the new person is a girl, the first one ever to arrive at the Glade. She is unconscious when she appears, and in her hand she carries a note claiming that she is the last new Glader that will ever come to the Maze. It is rare for a book to have a plot twist this early in the story, and especially interesting that neither the reader nor Thomas really understands it. As the girl begins to wake up, Thomas discovers that the two of them have a special ability that could lead to something unheard of to the Gladers: an exit to the Maze.
After this point in the story, strange things begin to happen to the maze (much more strange to the other Gladers because they were there longer). At night, for the first time, the Walls do not close, meaning that the Glade is not protected from the Grievers. However, instead of killing everyone in their way like they usually do, they seek one victim each night. All of the Gladers now realize that they will need to work harder than ever to find an exit if they wish to survive. Eventually, they discover that the answer to their question lies in the last place they thought it would. (I won't say anything more about the actual plot to avoid spoiling the book.)
Overall, The Maze Runner was an interesting read. The suspenseful moments, such as when Thomas has to spend an entire night outside the safety of the Glade, the vivid descriptions of the setting and the abundance of completely unexpected plot twists all contribute to the book's success in my opinion. However, like all books, it has its flaws. One of the biggest things I noticed about the book that I would have changed was the lack of character development. Thomas, the main character of the book, has significant growth as a character and acquires many new traits that benefit him in the long run. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the other characters. Although they each have their own personality, these personalities hardly change at all throughout the book.
The Maze Runner was mostly a great book, and for the reasons above I will rate it 4.6 out of 5 stars, and I definitely recommend it for anyone who likes science fiction with suspense and plot twists.
I have read many Maze Runner reviews, but all of them still feel unique in their own way. Your conversational tone of voice in your review keeps the reader interested. The summary gave a good idea of what is going on before you explain your reaction to those events. After seeing so many reviews of the Maze Runner series, I think I might read it myself. Nice review.
ReplyDeleteNice review! I liked your detailed and lengthy summary of the story. Your criticisms of the book reminded me of when I read the book. The descriptions were very vivid and made the book extremely suspenseful. I also agree that some of the secondary characters could have undergo more changes, but this also accentuates the development of Thomas, but the sequels definitely fix this problem. Love the review!
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