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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
A real review! Yay!
This young adult dystopian thriller is not as much of a favorite to me as Hunger Games and Divergent, which it often gets compared to, but it is still an incredibly engaging and fun read. At some points I felt like it was talking down to me, like it was written for a younger audience, and at other times I felt like I was young again, loving every thrill and trying to solve the mystery with the boys. The premise is the best part because the author has created a dangerous and mysterious world and given us wonderful characters to experience it through. I did not always like the way the story was told and often thought the author was writing too simply, even for a younger audience, but the story and premise are intriguing enough that I would like to read the sequels in the future. 4/5 stars.
I've also reviewed a couple things this week on my new blog thingy if you want to check it out :) http://t.co/Xb2KRZze4n
This young adult dystopian thriller is not as much of a favorite to me as Hunger Games and Divergent, which it often gets compared to, but it is still an incredibly engaging and fun read. At some points I felt like it was talking down to me, like it was written for a younger audience, and at other times I felt like I was young again, loving every thrill and trying to solve the mystery with the boys. The premise is the best part because the author has created a dangerous and mysterious world and given us wonderful characters to experience it through. I did not always like the way the story was told and often thought the author was writing too simply, even for a younger audience, but the story and premise are intriguing enough that I would like to read the sequels in the future. 4/5 stars.
I've also reviewed a couple things this week on my new blog thingy if you want to check it out :) http://t.co/Xb2KRZze4n
3.5 stars:
Maze Runner--heat-pounding action, plot that moved forward at breakneck speeds, twists and turns: all the makings of a real page-turner. I finished the book in 48 hours and if I don't think about it too much I feel satisfied. Maze Runner is entertaining, exciting, and a fast read. The world-building is vibrant and the dystopian society we see glimpses of in the first book is at least pretty unique to the YA genre (no Big Brother tropes, as far as I can tell). I will absolutely read the rest of the series.
But it's not perfect. For one thing, Dashner's writing of the one female character in the entire book was flawed. Teresa (at this point in the series) seems to exist merely as Thomas' partner. She doesn't do much--in or out of the coma--except talk to Thomas telepathically. The rest of the boys conveniently ignore her. Dashner seemed to have trouble writing his one female protagonist and often places her in isolation from the rest of the group, as if he's not quite sure what to do with her.
Characterization was bumpy at best. Most of the boys had the same personality except Chuck and Thomas. Newt and Alby were pretty much interchangeable. We never got to meet more than a handful of the 50-some-odd boys in the Glade. They were totally nameless faces in the background until killed by Grievers.
*******SPOILERS*************
I saw Chuck's death coming from a mile away. Much like Rue in The Hunger Games, the innocent, younger child signs his own death warrant as soon as the protagonist utters the words, "I promise to protect you."
Finally, for a book that is so clearly influenced by Lord of the Flies and Casino Royale, the boys get along suspiciously well. No sacrificial killings and very few scuffles (most of which were not physical). Chuck supposedly represents Darwin, so it would make sense for the boys to fight for Survival of the Fittest, right? Well their little almost utopian society runs pretty smoothly until Thomas comes along: mostly everyone doing their jobs (save the occasional Griever accident), a microscopic community created in just TWO YEARS that seems far-fetched at best. Dashner could have dug deeper into the psychological implications of the experiment. Surely madness would have run rampant among the "rats running in a maze"?
Maze Runner--heat-pounding action, plot that moved forward at breakneck speeds, twists and turns: all the makings of a real page-turner. I finished the book in 48 hours and if I don't think about it too much I feel satisfied. Maze Runner is entertaining, exciting, and a fast read. The world-building is vibrant and the dystopian society we see glimpses of in the first book is at least pretty unique to the YA genre (no Big Brother tropes, as far as I can tell). I will absolutely read the rest of the series.
But it's not perfect. For one thing, Dashner's writing of the one female character in the entire book was flawed. Teresa (at this point in the series) seems to exist merely as Thomas' partner. She doesn't do much--in or out of the coma--except talk to Thomas telepathically. The rest of the boys conveniently ignore her. Dashner seemed to have trouble writing his one female protagonist and often places her in isolation from the rest of the group, as if he's not quite sure what to do with her.
Characterization was bumpy at best. Most of the boys had the same personality except Chuck and Thomas. Newt and Alby were pretty much interchangeable. We never got to meet more than a handful of the 50-some-odd boys in the Glade. They were totally nameless faces in the background until killed by Grievers.
*******SPOILERS*************
I saw Chuck's death coming from a mile away. Much like Rue in The Hunger Games, the innocent, younger child signs his own death warrant as soon as the protagonist utters the words, "I promise to protect you."
Finally, for a book that is so clearly influenced by Lord of the Flies and Casino Royale, the boys get along suspiciously well. No sacrificial killings and very few scuffles (most of which were not physical). Chuck supposedly represents Darwin, so it would make sense for the boys to fight for Survival of the Fittest, right? Well their little almost utopian society runs pretty smoothly until Thomas comes along: mostly everyone doing their jobs (save the occasional Griever accident), a microscopic community created in just TWO YEARS that seems far-fetched at best. Dashner could have dug deeper into the psychological implications of the experiment. Surely madness would have run rampant among the "rats running in a maze"?
I don't know why but this book was really interesting to me. I just loved following the adventure and the story. I had no idea what was going on, which I guess prompted me to keep on reading. I think I finished all three books in a week. (Which is a very short time considering I was in College taking up Nursing)
I couldn't put this book down, it was so good. It was excitement and every page had me wondering what was going to happen next. I found myself trying to figure things out before the characters did.
Suspenseful, beautifully written, and I can't wait to read the next one.
The environment Dashner has created is incredibly detailed and believable, and the characters are distinct and interesting. (Also, I think it would make a good movie. The Grievers! Can you imagine?)
I will definitely be recommending this book!
The environment Dashner has created is incredibly detailed and believable, and the characters are distinct and interesting. (Also, I think it would make a good movie. The Grievers! Can you imagine?)
I will definitely be recommending this book!
**Review based on audiobook**
Teens wake up with targeted memory loss in an enormous maze that does not appear to have an exit. Complicating matters are the wandering gruesome mechanized monsters who try to kill the teens on sight. Why are they in the maze? Why can't they remember who they are? And why do the two newest additions, Thomas, and the first ever girl, Theresa, seem so familiar?
Unfortunately Dashner's writing style and the poor narration did not absorb me into this world. I felt no connection to the characters and did not care if they died or prevailed. The world-building was lack luster, and the conclusion which answered the reasons why these kids were in this maze was completely unsatisfactory. Yahoo, another cliff hanger trilogy. Unfortunately I've read too many books that were akin to this one already.
Teens wake up with targeted memory loss in an enormous maze that does not appear to have an exit. Complicating matters are the wandering gruesome mechanized monsters who try to kill the teens on sight. Why are they in the maze? Why can't they remember who they are? And why do the two newest additions, Thomas, and the first ever girl, Theresa, seem so familiar?
Unfortunately Dashner's writing style and the poor narration did not absorb me into this world. I felt no connection to the characters and did not care if they died or prevailed. The world-building was lack luster, and the conclusion which answered the reasons why these kids were in this maze was completely unsatisfactory. Yahoo, another cliff hanger trilogy. Unfortunately I've read too many books that were akin to this one already.
The ONLY reason this book got even one star was because the concept had promise. The writing was so clunky I cringed on nearly every page, the plot was so obvious I had every major event guessed long before it happened, the characters were so flat I kept forgetting who they were supposed to be because their personalities were so similar, and the main character, Thomas, was just pathetic. The only thing that saved it was the concept (boys trapped in a maze full of deadly creatures while suffering memory loss), and even that felt wasted at the end by a plot twist that was completely obvious, and doomed it to join the ever expanding ranks of identical dystopian teen novels.
Meh. Suspense for suspense's sake. Little character development. Made-up swear words so that the main characters could swear without really swearing. No resolution, clear set-up for #2 which I will definitely be leaving on the shelf. Read The Hunger Games instead...at least there's some depth there, to mix in with the violence and depressing dystopian society. ;)
The Maze runner is a great, all gender, thrilling adventure book. I enjoyed the suspense and mystery.
So, what's a person to read when they want Hunger Games-like action, with an all male cast like Lord of the Flies or The Knife of Never Letting Go? The Maze Runner! Yup. Young boys trapped in the middle of a maze, minus the conch. Tracker Jacker-esque creations that have needles and induce hallucinations. The sudden introduction of a female into a community of all males, creating much confusion. I compare these elements to books that I really like, and they go together well, because I honestly loved this book! It's less of an accusation than it is a nod of gratitude for combining similar elements into a fast-paced book.