The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Maze Runner Review

{Book was borrowed from library}

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is black. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as they could remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark. The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival. But the next day, a girl springs up—the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might be able to find their way home . . . wherever that may be. But it’s looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable. And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers—if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

Wow. Just wow. I saw this book at the library and I grabbed it on a whim. Little did I know that this book would be one of my favorite reads of 2010.

The book started off slow for me. After reading 30 pages, I was still a bit "iffy" on the book because nothing was happening which made it boring. However, the story started to pick up after 80 pages and so, and from there on, it was smooth sailing. The plot was interesting and fresh; it had originality which is nice to see every once in awhile. Also if YOU have read this book, tell me right now that you WEREN'T wondering when they talked about stuff like WICKED. (You know you were wondering; you know you were!) "What does WICKED mean?" and "Who are these Creators" are some of the few questions that the plot leaves you wondering till you turn the page!

The characters were likeable and easy to understand; just because they were Gladers doesn't mean that they're not human beings like us. They can be scared, happy, sad, angry, just like us. I think that's where James excelled in writing; his characters. James weaved these characters so beautifully and realistic, which is a nice big plus for me. The Gladers' slang (like shuck-face and shuck) was a bit hard to understand at first. But bit by bit in reading this story, you get so used to it, you can practically use it in everyday language if you'd want!

I'm eagerly waiting for its sequel, The Scorch Trials, which comes out later this year.

The bottom line: If you're looking for some adventurous, suspensful, dystopian type of book, this one's for you! Those who love those categories will finish this in no time at all; the perfect read to just get away from the world.

The rating: 4.5 Hearts!