The Maze Runner (2009)

From School Library Journal
Grade 6–10—Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies from below. A new boy arrives every 30 days. The original group has been in "the glade" for two years, trying to find a way to escape through a maze that surrounds their living space. They have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change. There are some great, fast-paced action scenes, particularly those involving the nightmarish Grievers who plague the boys. Thomas is a likable protagonist who uses the information available to him and his relationships (including his ties to the girl, Teresa) to lead the Gladers. Unfortunately, the question of whether the teens will escape the maze is answered 30 pages before the book ends, and the intervening chapter loses momentum. The epilogue, which would be deliciously creepy coming immediately after the plot resolves, fails to pack a punch as a result. That said, The Maze Runner has a great hook, and fans of dystopian literature, particularly older fans of Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember (Random, 2003), will likely enjoy this title and ask for the inevitable sequel.—Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH END ( )

X meets Y: Average dystopian YA novel meets LOST

My thoughts: The book is ok but I feel like it was meant to make you buy the 2nd and 3rd ones. Like it was meant to work best as a trilogy and not as a standalone novel. Who knows? ( )

After 91 pages of frustration and eyerolling, I decided to forego powering through the rest of the story. I could not have cared less about the main character, Thomas, or any of the rest of the cast. I can't speak to the treatment of The Maze Runner's single female character because she was still in a coma, but the rest of the boys' mindset toward her did not bode well for her three-dimensionality.

The premise is interesting but Thomas is an arrogant shithead. He has no respect for his only friend, and his reactions are all over the place. Overall I would say this wasn't the price of a paperback book and I wish I hadn't spent the money. ( )

Pretty good, but it didn't stay with me afterwards. I wanted to understand the scale and structure and purpose of the maze better. I understand that's being saved for the sequel, but we should get at least a few answers in the first book. ( )

This is, unsurprisingly, a far better experience than the movie, though I definitely enjoyed the movie well enough and found that it actually followed the book pretty well. It's a fast, engaging read, and worth it if you found the movie plot at all intriguing. ( )