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campbellsgrl1512's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Grief, Blood, Child death, Death, Violence, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Vomit
meesha_mo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I ended this book and had so many questions. This was mostly a good thing because it makes me want to read the rest of the series. Some parts, I saw the obvious foreshadowing but that's what happens when you're an adult reading YA. I hated losing Chuck but it seems like a necessary plot device to move into the next book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Murder, and Kidnapping
Minor: Suicide
taraaleitz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Re-read this for the first time since it first came out and I still really enjoyed it!! Despite so many new distopian-type books having been published since 2014 when this was released, this still stands as a decent book.
I was on a distopian/sci-fi kick from the time of The Hunger Games until the time of Fifth Wave, so all of the books blend together for the most part, but as I was re-reading this I was able to recall some details that goes to show that this book was unique enough to stick out in my memory.
Of course the complexity of the plot line and such is lacking a little bit, but I credit that to this being a YA sci-fi book and also the fact that this is a series—the author probably didn’t want to get too deep in the first book so that there is still a lot to be left up in the air for readers to want to pursue the rest of the series. Also, it’s funny looking back and reading this because the author does a play on profane words and creates new words like “shuck”, “klunk”, “slinthead” and “shuckface” to keep this more YA; it’s something I don’t think I ever picked up on when reading this when I was younger. Don’t love that, but I do appreciate the fact that there isn’t profanity.
I have never read any other books in the series, but I think I’m going to now since it was never spoiled for me!
I was on a distopian/sci-fi kick from the time of The Hunger Games until the time of Fifth Wave, so all of the books blend together for the most part, but as I was re-reading this I was able to recall some details that goes to show that this book was unique enough to stick out in my memory.
Of course the complexity of the plot line and such is lacking a little bit, but I credit that to this being a YA sci-fi book and also the fact that this is a series—the author probably didn’t want to get too deep in the first book so that there is still a lot to be left up in the air for readers to want to pursue the rest of the series. Also, it’s funny looking back and reading this because the author does a play on profane words and creates new words like “shuck”, “klunk”, “slinthead” and “shuckface” to keep this more YA; it’s something I don’t think I ever picked up on when reading this when I was younger. Don’t love that, but I do appreciate the fact that there isn’t profanity.
I have never read any other books in the series, but I think I’m going to now since it was never spoiled for me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood and Suicide
Minor: Vomit and Murder
bella_01's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Bruh. I received this book as a Christmas present like 5 years ago, and I finally got round to reading it, and I'm honestly surprised. Since the synopsis was quite vague, I wasn't 100% sure what to expect - the book went in an entirely different direction than anticipated. I feel like some parts of the story were disconnected from each other, and I wish the ending happened at a bit of a slower pace to match the rest of the book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
Moderate: Gore and Kidnapping
Minor: Suicide
fe_aye's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was a really, really well constructed mystery dystopia. I finally got around to reading this and I do not regret it at all, it’s tense, emotional, and everything works together until the very end.
Thomas is such a fun protagonist and I love seeing his interactions with the others, Chuck, Teresa, Minho, Alby. They’re all such fun. To anyone who has any doubts about this series do check it out, it was worth all the fuss.
Thomas is such a fun protagonist and I love seeing his interactions with the others, Chuck, Teresa, Minho, Alby. They’re all such fun. To anyone who has any doubts about this series do check it out, it was worth all the fuss.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Confinement, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicide, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
_ren's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Death, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement
Moderate: Kidnapping, Torture, Emotional abuse, Bullying, and Blood
Minor: Sexual harassment, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and War
livreads16's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The last 50 pages were wild. The rest of the book was just okay. The movie definitely did not do this story justice. Then again, the characters lack a lot of depth. I now they are supposed to be kids remembering who they are after being brainwashed and manipulated but lots of them have like no personality… All in all not a bad book, I think the next one will be more interesting. The whole plot twist with the creators at the end is really eerie and I’m excited to see what happens next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Murder, Violence, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Grief, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Child death, Vomit, and Suicide
megmro's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
Fast-paced and full of action. The mystery keeps you turning the pages in hope of figuring out why the characters are there. The first night in the maze was fascinating and tense; I was rapt watching Thomas race to solve problems. I also really liked when the boys start figuring out the mystery of the maze patterns. Those portions felt like Ender's Game, with the emphasis on high-stakes puzzle-solving.
The book is violent, and much of the violence is upsetting. I'd put it on a similar level as The Hunger Games. (It reads similarly to Hunger Games in general.) Lots of very-minor-character deaths, lots of gravestones of previous runners, and a few deaths that we "witness."(Vague spoilers to follow.)Teenage boys attack each other, and rescue one another by killing the attacker(s). One character is shot through the face with an arrow. One is banished, and forced out into the maze via a leather collar and straight pole as the doors close. (He's begging for mercy -- super upsetting.) A character dies by knife, etc.
Teens would probably still be interested, but the author really leans into the bleakness of the world. It makes you roll your eyes at the chokehold that YA dystopians had on us back in the aughts. They're all pretty much the same book. I'd say Grade 10+ for this.
The book is violent, and much of the violence is upsetting. I'd put it on a similar level as The Hunger Games. (It reads similarly to Hunger Games in general.) Lots of very-minor-character deaths, lots of gravestones of previous runners, and a few deaths that we "witness."(Vague spoilers to follow.)
Teens would probably still be interested, but the author really leans into the bleakness of the world. It makes you roll your eyes at the chokehold that YA dystopians had on us back in the aughts. They're all pretty much the same book. I'd say Grade 10+ for this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
Minor: Suicide
dassahzoe's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Confinement, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Suicide, and Physical abuse
psliz's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
good first book. learn as thomas does so info-dumps aren’t a problem
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Gore, Gun violence, and Suicide