REVIEW OF: The Maze Runner,by James Daschner

REVIEWED BY: Nicole

The Maze Runner by James Daschner is a thrilling story filled with action, horror, and mystery. Thomas, a teenager whose memory has been wiped, is trapped and hidden inside a place called the Glade; surrounding all of it is The Maze.  Over time, sixty boys have been brought there and trapped.  Each boy who is transported to the Maze is itching to have the same questions answered: Who am I, and how did I get here? Thomas, though, has questions bursting inside his head at every second of the day. He wants to know what Grievers are, what the Changing is, why bugs with WICKED written on them spy on the Gladers, and why did the Creators of the Maze bring them here? Thomas watches in wonder as the thick, heavy, ivy-covered stone walls that keep the teens safe at night move. All of that is not new to the other Gladers; but then another new person is sent to the Maze… the first girl!  Things start to get so out-of-whack that the Gladers begin to want Thomas dead. The Gladers blame Thomas when the walls don’t close at night and become suspicious when he becomes the first person to survive the Maze at night.  Thomas only has a few friends that believe that he’s not a spy from the Creators.  He must get everyone out of the Maze, but an invisible hole, monsters who shoot weapons, and a sky that turns gray defies any kind of logic.  Can they get out or will they be trapped forever?

I loved this book and thought that is was thrilling.  I enjoyed the mystery of the unanswered questions that keep you reading.  It also has humor, sadness, and excitement that make you feel like you are in the book.  The author makes the story feel like you are traveling in it with Thomas.  I admire that the Gladers have to learn to trust each other and that Thomas builds friendships with some of the boys.

I think that even though the book is about a ton of boys, girls will love the novel too.  If you love to solve a huge puzzle, then this book is perfect for you.  It has a few gross and scary parts, so I recommend The Maze Runner for kids 11 and up. Anyone who takes the time to read this intriguing story will be astonished at how good it is.