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A review by moomoo_reads
The Kill Order by James Dashner
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK BUT WANT TO.
This was my second time reading this book.
The first time I read it, I gave it 3 stars. I enjoyed it for the plot, but that was the only thing that kept me hooked and reading, because I loved The Maze Runner world and wanted to know more about what happened before the maze and lead up to everything that happened in the main story. But the characters themselves, I felt nothing for. I feel connected to them or like I got to know them so any deaths left no marks on me, I felt nothing. I hadn't been given a reason to care for them. Especially early on, with Darnell, Toad and Misty. But even later on. The story moved so fast, I never had the chance to get to know the characters. So while I enjoyed the insight into the past and how the virus started, the characters and their struggles I couldn't have cared less about. Therefore, I gave it 3 stars.
Now, my second time around was quite different. I think it's also important to note that I've been in a huge reading slump for the past year, and this is the first book I've read in many months. I've been wanting to reread the entire Maze Runner series, since it's been so long and I needed a refresher for the new book that came out. Plus, I've also just wanted to reread the entire series chronologically since I first finished it. And I can say that through reading this book, my love for reading has been rekindled. And mind you, this was my lowest rated/least favourite of the series.
Since I'd read it before, I already knew the characters a little and Mark and Alec already had a little place in my heart, especially Alec. And after I first read it, I didn't want to/feel the need to ever read it again, but by this time (4 years later) I was actually looking forward to it. I wanted to revisit the stories and characters and see Alec and Mark again. And I really enjoyed reading the first half to 2/3rds of the book, but after they escaped the headquarters and went to rescue Lana, Trina and Deedee, I kinda became disinterested for some reason. But the last few chapters had me engaged again. All of the deaths throughout the book still didn't really affect me this time around. Still didn't feel any more for Darnell, Misty or Toad, since their parts in the books are so tiny. But even Lana's death, didn't make me feel anything. I felt more for Alec in that moment and how it affected him, than for Lana herself.
So, originally when I first started reading it I could see myself bumping my rating up to a 4. But once I started getting disinterested again I was only going to bump my rating up to 3.5, because while I did enjoy reading it more as a whole and loved the writing and felt a little more connected to the characters and story, in the end I felt disinterested again and didn't really care what happened to the characters, cuz I knew they were all gonna die anyway, except for Deedee of course. However, within the last 4 pages I started getting emotional. The first line that made me tear up, was when Mark had just stepped out of the Berg with Deedee and Trina, and Alec left with the Berg. When I read the line "Mark was barely holding onto his mind, but he felt a sudden, unbearable sadness. He'd never see the only bear again." boom, I was instantly getting tearing eyed. And then by the last paragraph I was crying, especially the last few sentences. Even just rereading it now, has made me cry again. I was so surprised that it made me cry, I really did not expect to be crying or emotional from the ending. But because this book was able to make me burst into tears by the end, I had to bump it up to 4 stars.
I'm really glad I reread this book. It's become so much more enjoyable and likable to me. Alec, is for sure my favourite, and I can't even explain why. I just love the Old Bear.
The first time I read it, I gave it 3 stars. I enjoyed it for the plot, but that was the only thing that kept me hooked and reading, because I loved The Maze Runner world and wanted to know more about what happened before the maze and lead up to everything that happened in the main story. But the characters themselves, I felt nothing for. I feel connected to them or like I got to know them so any deaths left no marks on me, I felt nothing. I hadn't been given a reason to care for them. Especially early on, with Darnell, Toad and Misty. But even later on. The story moved so fast, I never had the chance to get to know the characters. So while I enjoyed the insight into the past and how the virus started, the characters and their struggles I couldn't have cared less about. Therefore, I gave it 3 stars.
Now, my second time around was quite different. I think it's also important to note that I've been in a huge reading slump for the past year, and this is the first book I've read in many months. I've been wanting to reread the entire Maze Runner series, since it's been so long and I needed a refresher for the new book that came out. Plus, I've also just wanted to reread the entire series chronologically since I first finished it. And I can say that through reading this book, my love for reading has been rekindled. And mind you, this was my lowest rated/least favourite of the series.
Since I'd read it before, I already knew the characters a little and Mark and Alec already had a little place in my heart, especially Alec. And after I first read it, I didn't want to/feel the need to ever read it again, but by this time (4 years later) I was actually looking forward to it. I wanted to revisit the stories and characters and see Alec and Mark again. And I really enjoyed reading the first half to 2/3rds of the book, but after they escaped the headquarters and went to rescue Lana, Trina and Deedee, I kinda became disinterested for some reason. But the last few chapters had me engaged again. All of the deaths throughout the book still didn't really affect me this time around. Still didn't feel any more for Darnell, Misty or Toad, since their parts in the books are so tiny. But even Lana's death, didn't make me feel anything. I felt more for Alec in that moment and how it affected him, than for Lana herself.
So, originally when I first started reading it I could see myself bumping my rating up to a 4. But once I started getting disinterested again I was only going to bump my rating up to 3.5, because while I did enjoy reading it more as a whole and loved the writing and felt a little more connected to the characters and story, in the end I felt disinterested again and didn't really care what happened to the characters, cuz I knew they were all gonna die anyway, except for Deedee of course. However, within the last 4 pages I started getting emotional. The first line that made me tear up, was when Mark had just stepped out of the Berg with Deedee and Trina, and Alec left with the Berg. When I read the line "Mark was barely holding onto his mind, but he felt a sudden, unbearable sadness. He'd never see the only bear again." boom, I was instantly getting tearing eyed. And then by the last paragraph I was crying, especially the last few sentences. Even just rereading it now, has made me cry again. I was so surprised that it made me cry, I really did not expect to be crying or emotional from the ending. But because this book was able to make me burst into tears by the end, I had to bump it up to 4 stars.
I'm really glad I reread this book. It's become so much more enjoyable and likable to me. Alec, is for sure my favourite, and I can't even explain why. I just love the Old Bear.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence, Torture, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, and Gore