Book Review: James Dashner – “The Maze Runner” Trilogy

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

Remember. Survive. Run. (Source: amazon.com)

It took me a hell of a long time until I finally decided to give the series a shot – mostly due to the fact that in a few days, the 1st movie is going to be released here in Germany and I was intrigued (which has absolutely nothing to due with Dylan O’Brien playing the lead role, of course not…), so I figured starting with the book first would be a good thing. However, I had heard and read very different opinions; people being disappointed of the 2nd and 3rd book, complaining about the main character’s attitude and the multiple deaths of characters they had grown close to. But after all, it was announced as something between “The Hunger Games”, “Divergent” & “Lord Of The Flies” – three of the things I love to pieces, so curiosity got the better of me and I finally started the series 6 days ago.

And hello, am I glad I did. This series is a GEM.

#1 The Maze Runner

As probably everybody who has read this book, I was into the story right away. Of course, the choice of words was weird at first, words I had never heard before, but I soon grew used to “shuckface”, “slinthead” and all the likes. After all, it was easy to imagine what the characters were saying. Plus, I clicked with Thomas right away, despite the fact that I’m female. His insecurity, yet his curiosity, and his will to find out the truth were very intriguing. Moreover, each of his characteristics made me like him the instant he showed up. He’s a character that people can identify with – I myself can imagine being taken completely aback if I’d ever been thrown in a situation that he’s been thrown in, with all my memories and past being wiped out. And also all the other characters were so well-written that you can’t help but feel with them – even with Gally.
The fact that the truth behind the “Maze” is only revealed in the last pages of this first book might be something that annoyed people – I, however, liked that way of approach done by James Dashner, because it somewhat reminded me of the series “Prison Break” and its 1st season. Everyone had a feeling they’d break out, and they had to wait until the very last episode of Season 1 to see it happen. And after it was clear that the “Maze” wouldn’t hold the kids’ future any longer, it was clear for me that they’d leave, and from that point on it was impossible for me to put the book away. The way it was written was highly entertaining and just the way I like my books to be.

#2 The Scorch Trials

The 2nd book thankfully picked up exactly where the 1st one left off – something I thought was a good move. With what the kids had to face, it would’ve been highly illogical to let time pass between the escape and the “new start”. For me, it was also very interesting as to how the characters would develop from now on. We have Thomas, who had regained some of his memories due to one very stupid deed in the 1st book, and who grew more and more confident of himself and the place he starts to take over in the small group of kids. The reader feels how he gets stronger, how he knows what he wants, despite the fact his past still is a mystery to him. And the reader also feels with him as his thoughts about who to trust and who to mistrust keep him in a constant inner agony. To some people (according to the reviews on amazon and from a friend of mine), that was somewhat annoying – the constant reminder of the horror Thomas had to go through at the end of the 1st book, and the whining over and over, his seeming inability to let things go, to move on; but I, personally, liked it. It made him very human to me, struggling with himself and the people he’s closest to – something I can very well relate to (although not in that exact way as he experienced it, of course).
But the character I grew the closest with, the character I started to like more than anyone else, about who’s life I was in constant fear – that was Minho. I utterly loved his development since the 1st book, I absolutely enjoyed the change James Dashner has put him through – willingly or not. The snippy comments, the “Dude!” outbursts, the constant sarcastic/wry remarks – it was the thing I mostly enjoyed about “The Scorch Trials” over everything else, over the story, the chills and the suspense. Had James Dashner only broached in very small glimpses what kind of boy Minho is, he played it out very well from the moment that he took over a bigger role in the whole story in this 2nd book. And I have nothing but praise for that.

#3 The Death Cure

All in all, that might be the weakest book of the three, up until a certain point closer to the end. I understand why people kept complaining about the “downfall” of the series with every book, and I have to admit, partly, it annoyed me, too, how the characters of Thomas and Teresa behaved. I understand a lot of the younger readers thought of them as maybe some kind of Katniss & Peeta from the “Hunger Games” series – what with them ending up happily ever after at the end of the series, – and that constant discussions and fights were nothing they wanted to have. The whining and moaning of Thomas didn’t stop in this book (I’m not gonna lie about that), and without bringing in more spoilers than I already have, they are increased with every new shock, terror and task that Thomas and his friends have to face. But let’s be honest: this is the last book of the series, and every reader who expects it to sugarcoat things, to go down easily just doesn’t understand book series like that. Because at the end, “The Death Cure” surely does everything else but sugarcoat, and somewhat even exaggerates with using brutality. The long journey of Thomas, Minho, Teresa, Newt and everyone else is finally coming to an end, and I, personally, wouldn’t have wanted it any other way than how it was done by James Dashner. It was the right way, and I loved it.

Resumé: Of course (especially in the 2nd and 3rd book) there have been turns in the destiny of Thomas and the other Gladers that were so numerous that they hovered at the edge of illogicality for me (the countless times they are able to escape certain captures or deaths are mostly to be named here). But in the end, when I think about it, they kept the story going, kept it flowing – just when the reader thinks “Now it’s over for them, definitely!”, they come out of it, almost unfazed, only to be thrown into the next mess when the same thoughts come back.
Of course there have been deaths throughout all three books that shook me hard – and I won’t be shy to admit I shed the one or other tear over the people dying; that’s how close I personally grew to the characters. But in the end, if I am honest, they were needed to put the characters through a development that was credible and entertaining (minus the whining), to keep them interesting enough that the reader wants to know how they deal with it. Especially the last death in the final book was hard – although part of me kind of knew what would happen, because I’m just that kind of a realist – and sometimes, things are just too good to be true.
Of course not everything in this series was perfect. There are barely perfect books out there.

But all in all, to me, James Dashner came VERY close to “perfect” with his “Maze Runner” series.

Well done.

 

Book Review: Veronica Roth – “Allegiant”

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?
(Source: amazon.com)

Beware: THIS ONE CONTAINS SPOILERS.

I just finished this last book of the series, and let me say one thing straight away: I honestly don’t understand why it got such bad critics on amazon. Sure, the end was nothing I had in mind when I started reading, plus, it was against almost everything I had read so far. I won’t say it didn’t satisfy me, but…well, let’s start at the beginning.

“Allegiant” was built up differently than its two predecessors; this time, Veronica Roth not only used Tris as a narrator, but Four, too – the first-person narrator almost changes with every chapter. I, personally, really enjoyed it, because it finally gives the reader an insight into Four’s mind, into his thoughts and struggles with himself. You finally get to see behind his facade, something I wanted to do whenever I read all the conversations he had with Tris; it drove me insane that sometimes, his motives didn’t seem clear enough, or even senseless and ruthless to the point of ignorance. “Allegiant” finally answers the questions the reader might get.

Plus, in comparison to the first two books, this last one goes without a lot of violence and war. Its emphasis is more put onto the truth behind the factions, the lies that all the characters have been told their entire life, and I admit that to some people, that might seem boring and dull, especially when you’re used to the war and killing of the first two books. I myself had some difficulties when over and over, the story lives of explaining facts of the human life, the differences between genetically damaged people – GD’s – and genetically pure human beings – GP’s, further known as the Divergent. I am not a biology expert, and I never had any interest in the things that a human being is all about, what makes them tick, so I understand why “Allegiant” seems dull and boring alot. But as the story goes on and people get hurt – and killed – once more, the dullness so many people might criticize fades away – at least for me. Because no matter how much knowledge you have of the human nature or not, how much interested you are in it, this book keeps you on its pages, simply because you need to know if the truth that is revealed is really everything there is. You need to know how it goes on, what Tris, Four and all her friends are making of all this input they get when they leave their home to untrigger the real reason behind their existence. And just when you think that there aren’t any secrets left, Veronica Roth presents another one, one that leaves Tris and Four making decisions that might change everything – including their relationship.

And that’s the only thing that annoyed me while reading: the constant fights between them, the constant questions the reader has: “Are they still together?” and “Have they broken up with each other yet or not?” Don’t get me wrong, I really am not the romantic story type at all, I hate stories that brim over with romance. It’s just that I got attached to these two characters since I started this series. I was always full of awe when they had nice, memorable and, yes – even romantic moments; maybe just like I was about Katniss and Peeta in the “Hunger Games” series. Seeing them fighting in almost each single chapter, just when you think that they have made up again…it’s annoying and kind of exhausting. I am a girl after all, and deep down, I always hope for a Happy End, I guess.

And that’s where it gets difficult now. Don’t keep on reading if you don’t wanna know it. You’ve been warned.

There is no Happy End. Just when you think there might be one, one of the main characters makes a decision that turns the reader’s world upside down and that – at least I – would’ve never expected like this. I admit, through the last few pages, I was crying to the point where I wished that the author would surprise me with a revelation that would change the inevitable; that it didn’t happen was heartbreaking to me, and unsatisfying at first. But on the last few pages, I changed my opinion – not completely, no, I would be kind of a cold-hearted person if that would be the case, – because the absolute end, as it is presented just before and during the epilogue is something I can live with. I will never like it, but my life won’t end because of it.

Plus, it teaches us what bravery is all about – what it really is about. The characters lost a lot of friends and family over a short amount of time, they fell to the ground more than once, but they always stood up again, one way or another, and they never lost their ability that things may change and get better again.

And that is what the message of this series, what true bravery seems to be. Not how many times you might risk your life for others but how many times you stand up again when you think you can’t.

It’s a beautiful and nice message that definitely makes the “Divergent” series my favourite reading material of all times. 5 out of 5 stars.

Well done, Veronica Roth.