BOOK REVIEW: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner

Genre: YA Dystopian

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: January 1st, 2009

Book Summary:

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

Buy Links:

Amazon

MY REVIEW

This started off great. We're thrust right into the action, and I felt just as lost and confused as Thomas when he first entered the glade. And then it all changed. Suddenly, I found myself putting the book down as I couldn't get into it. Deciding to give it another chance, I picked it up and started from the beginning some months later. It was no better the second time round, which was a real disappointment as I needed to read one great book this year and I thought this would be it.

I absolutely thought I was going to love the book from the way it started off, but ten chapters in, I started to become frustrated with the slow pace and Thomas's lacking presence. It actually took me a while to finish this book. I just found it hard to connect with the characters, for their personalities was wholly portrayed through the ineffective method of the authorial perspective. With everything being told to me, the characters didn't come alive. I couldn't form an opinion of them and, therefore, didn't care what happened to them and didn't care much for their stories.

I continued reading because now and again something would happen that reignited the joy I felt when I first started reading, and then it would sizzle out again. For long periods of time, the plot lingered in one place, which made me question the length of the book. It should have been much shorter. It's fortunate I didn't set my expectations too high. The concept was interesting. The execution was a let down.

VERDICT:

BRONZE

Award: Bronze

Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Source: My own copy