Trapped

I first picked up 'Trapped' hoping it would provide a thrilling tale of survival against the elements ala 'Hatchet' or perhaps a study of social dynamics as in 'Lord of the Flies' or even 'The Breakfast Club'. Considering the setting the author chose (seven kids stranded in the mother of all snowstorms) it shouldn't have been difficult to come up with an engaging story. Unfortunately, that isn't the case.

The story fails to deliver for three reasons. First is that Northrop failed to develop the characters enough that I could connect with them and care what happened to them. Little effort is made to develop their personalities or to get the reader in touch with their thoughts and fears. It would make sense that the students would be show more concerned about what their families are going through but hardly anyone mentions them at all. They all came off as two-dimensional and, as such, it was difficult to work up any concern for what happens to them.

The second problem I have with the story is that I found a lot of what happens implausible. I don't have a problem the storm, mind you, although I doubt such a massive storm would have happened with no warning whatsoever. My concerns are with what the kids did or didn't do in their efforts to survive. In the story they burned 2x4s in a can to keep warm which seems unlikely as they never mentioned where they got the 2x4s or how they cut them up. It would have made more sense to light bunsen burners in the chemistry lab or acetylene torches in the shop to keep warm. If I were in such a situation I would have ransacked the lost-and-found and every room, desk drawer and closet trying to find extra clothing, cell phones, spare batteries, or anything else that might help keep them alive. Aside from some half-hearted searching on day one, though, very little is of that is done. Fortunately, though, they found a portable radio with a battery that never ran out, even though once they worry that it might. In the end, the author didn't put enough thought and effort into imagining what kids in that position would think about, worry about or do to stay alive.

The biggest reason that I was disappointed in this book though is because of its total lack of suspense. With all the challenges facing these characters the author should have had no trouble making us really worry about what would happen but he never quite pulled it off. I'm sorry because I really wanted to like this book but I didn't and I can't recommend it. show less

~~Reviewed by Toby Palevsky Smith of Toby's Nerd-Cave Library~~
A story featuring 7 high school students who are trapped in their high school during a massive historic snowstorm. The one teacher who was there with them at the beginning went outside that first night to ‘get help’ and never came back. They have no idea if he is dead in the snow or if he made it to shelter. That's when things get a bit tense between the remaining students in their bid to survive - and not all of them make it out alive.
I am reading this book while I am also snowed in during a historic snowstorm in my area so I think that has made this story a little more immersive and real for me. I am really enjoying the stream-of-consciousness narrative, the show more foreshadowing clues in the beginning and the way the main character narrates what's happening in both past and present tense. The realities of surviving in freezing temperatures with the very little supplies that can be found in a run-down public school building in the middle of open farmland are very compelling and interesting to think about. The plot itself seems to be missing, other than an “I survived” vibe throughout, and there is no clear cut resolution at the end. show less

What would you do if you were stuck inside your high school in a deadly snowstorm?

This is the basic premise of Michael Northrup's Trapped, a fast-paced and gripping thriller about a group of seven high school students who are literally locked inside their school after several feet of snow are dumped on it. Seems like a pretty innocent and basic plot, but when you think about these mismatched group of teens trapped inside this school, you can imagine the fight for survival that ensues.

I found the main character and the story's hero, Scotty, to be a pretty realistic teen boy. From the moment the snow starts to fall, he doubts the brilliance of the plan to stay at the school, even though his friends are intent on doing so. When all of the show more students but the group of seven are gone, Scotty seems to be the first to step into survival mode and is often the voice of reason and calm throughout the story.

Even more than Scotty, I loved the suspense in this novel. I teach in an old high school (it's being renovated right now) and can just imagine the structural issues that would cause our school to come crashing down if this old building were asked to hold several feet of heavy snow. It wouldn't be long before our building collapsed. But, in Trapped, you never quite find out what ends up happening to all of the kids or the school building itself. I loved this. You know that not everyone made it out alive, which is alluded to in the first chapters of the book, but never know the true extent of the damage.

This would be a great read for a reluctant teen reader, particularly male readers. It's short but not without a whole lot of "what would you do" questions. There are easy parallels between this book and others like Lord of the Flies, although this story is not too similar to be a snow-induced knockoff. A perfect read for a snowy day! show less

I was prepared to absolutely adore Trapped. Getting stuck in an eighteen foot, week-long mother of all snowstorms ranks right up there with experiencing the zombie apocalypse for me. The synopsis called out to me, sounding like a very unique disaster novel.

I loved both the concept of this novel and the writing. Michael Northrop is very good with the details, making it easy to picture the scene the teens faced. A description of the endless piling up of snow may seem like it would be tedious, but it was very well done. Couple that with a very unique chapter page styling and the situation was perfectly set. I read an ARC and I very much hope they keep this design for the official publication. Each chapter had a darkened upper portion with show more snowflakes and the writing began where the pile of snow started. As the book progressed, the white snowed in portion would move higher and higher up the page, indicating the show piling up in the book. Kudos to whomever came up with the idea, because the effect is phenomenal.

Trapped was an engaging novel, but it never really brought the tension one looks for in a disaster situation such as this. The kids were in a life and death situation. They fully realized this and acted accordingly. Yet, even when death occurred, it never invoked the sense of trauma it should have. I never felt scared for the kids.

At one point later in the book, there is a definite Breakfast Club feel. The characters are trapped together and most of them are from different cliques. While not as clearly segregated as that 80's movie, as Scotty considered each character in turn thinking how they were more than just the stereotype he's originally assumed, all I could picture was Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy. While I don't believe this was the author's intended effect, I personally enjoyed the comparison - even if only in my own head.

Michael Northrop could have inflicted more pain and suffering on his characters in Trapped. The novel flowed well and the story worked, but I was left with the feeling that they were all getting off a bit to easy. show less

Seven students get left at a high school waiting for their rides home, even though a blizzard as started and the school closes early. If you can suspend your disbelief that students would get left in a building without any adults (there IS an adult, but he goes for help early in the story), then Trapped is an enjoyable read. There were a couple scenes that I didn't see coming, and that always makes a book enjoyable for me. The only thing that would make this book better, would be if somehow it was possible to guarantee that while you were reading it, a blizzard was raging outside.

(I have an Advance Review copy)
Trapped is a wonderfully suspenseful novel about a group of students stuck in their high school during a major snow storm. There's no "Breakfast Club" shtick, but there is a constant feeling of foreboding and some terrific action. Northrop sets the scene (scariest high school experience since Carrie, without the schlock) so well I had to keep looking out the window to remind myself we have a normal amount of snow ang the roads are fine.

Living in a place that gets snow for a good six months, I often wondered what would happen if I ever got snowed in at school (back when I was in elementary and high school) with no way for anyone to come get me (almost happened at work, once. I had to walk halfway home!). TRAPPED takes my question and answers it in the most extreme way possible.

Seven students are stuck at their high school when a snowstorm hits. At first, they don’t think that anything is wrong – they believe they will be picked up and safe at home before the day is over. As the storm continues to rage on, and the power goes out, they come to the conclusion that their rides cannot make it through the snow, and will be spending the night in the school. The snow keeps show more rising, and the days start to add up. As they run out of emergency light, scavenge the cafeteria for food, and get progressively colder, Scotty, Pete and the others trapped in the school hear an ominous creaking from the roof, and realize that not only is no one coming, but it may be possible no one even knows they’re there.

Through Scotty, our narrator, you get to know the seven teens as much as possible. Divisions and friendships change up as the situation becomes worse, and tempers are quick to flare. For all that you do get character insight, I saw the book more as a survival story than a character interaction/development story. The draw for me was the challenges that the seven faced and how they dealt with their situation. I didn’t need a whole bunch of back story – the few bits presented throughout the story as they’re needed were perfect. Michael Northrop has great mood writing; I was drawn right into the setting and storm, and the descriptions of the cold, the dark and Scotty’s worries really stood out and added depth to the story. It was easy to imagine the anger and lack of hope they feel when they begin realizing that things are a lot worse than they originally thought. Their worries for family members that may or may not have made it home from other places just adds to the stress you know they are all feeling.

I was happy to see the attention paid to details, like lights, cold, needing food, finding a radio, etc. I would have liked a bit more to the ending, I thought it was rather abrupt, but it does work with the book. It’s more personal preference that I wanted to see more of the “after” of the storm. TRAPPED is a bit of a slower book, like I mentioned above, it is definitely a survival story. Not too much action but a lot of development and enough tension to keep the book going at a good pace. The decisions the teens eventually have to make in order to survive were heartbreaking, and I have to say – the book gave me chills. show less