Book Review

Book title: The Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner

Genre: Dystopian Science Fiction

Book Summary: Thomas wakes up in a dark metal room, remembering nothing but his name. He learns to survive in a new home called ‘Glade’. Things start to change upon his arrival, he proves to be one of the most intelligent and the bravest one among all. Finally, he figures out the codes and help others escape the maze, with the help of the only girl, Teresa.

Ø  Likes:

·         It never really gets boring: contains a lot of suspense, always keeps you guessing what may happen next. Excitement is build-up constantly

·         Contains a lot of imagery: I absolutely love imagining. And this book keeps its readers imagine different things like the Glade, the Grievers, Flares etc.

·         Female character: I also loved the fact that instead of making the only female character a love interest, the writer has also made her braver, stronger and tougher than many other boys. The best thing about this book is that it’s a lot more than just romance.

Ø  Dislikes:

·         No humor: This book lacks humor, in my opinion, the writer should add a bit of humor to keep the readers interested.

·         Slow start: The plot line is pretty slow; all the action and suspense happen in the end of the book. Most of the book is about how Thomas adjusts in the Glade.

Favorite Characters: My top three favorite characters include:

·         Thomas: The main character, Thomas, I feel a connection with him as he shows how to tackle the situations, we all face in our life, having no friends, or trying to adjust in a completely new place, and he’s always brave and saves the lives of many Gladers.

·         Chuck: He’s one of the friendliest boys in the Glade. Thomas’ best friend and the most innocent kid. He tries his best to make everyone happy. He helps Thomas and Teresa in escaping the maze but ends up killing himself to save Thomas.

·         Newt: Really caring and supportive unlike other leaders who are arrogant at times, Newt’s pretty frank with the Gladers. He’s everything one could ask for in a post-apocalyptic dystopia.

1-1  statement/dialogue I liked:

“There are no rules. There are no guidelines. You have a few supplies, and there’s nothing to help you along the way. Go through the Flat trans at the time indicated. Find open air. Go one hundred miles, directly north, to the safe haven. Make it or die.”

It excites the reader about what’s coming next and deep down creates hope.

1-1  Statement/dialogue I disliked:

“You’re the shuckiest shuck faced shuck in the world!”

It kind of looks unnatural, as no one uses too much slang in reality.

Overall impact of the book:

The main theme is succeeding, it’s more of a ‘Survival of the fittest’ kind of a story.

It teaches us to stay determined and Thomas clearly plays the best role in doing so.

It also proves that not everyone has the courage to step out of the comfort zone and take the risks. Everything happens for a specific reason and nothing lasts forever, there’s always an ending to a rough start.

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