The Maze Runner Trilogy by James Dashner: Book Review
After having it recommended by a friend, I decided to finally read James Dashner’s Maze Runner trilogy which had been on my ‘to be read’ list for so long. And I must say, I don’t regret it.
The book’s protagonist is a boy named Thomas. One day, he wakes up in a lift, with no memories, his name being the only thing he remembers. The lift then opens up into an area that its residents — a community of boys who were also similarly brought to this place via the lift with no recollection of their lives or families — call the Glade. Surrounding the Glade is a maze — one which is ever-changing, shifting — and nobody has ever made it through the Maze alive. When Teresa appears, she is the first girl to ever be sent to the Glade, and she brings with her the news that she “triggered the ending". Thomas and the others uncover the secrets of the Maze, discovering more about WICKED — the organisation which placed them there — in their attempts to escape both the Maze, and the later trials that they have to face.
The Maze Runner, the first book of the trilogy, was quite fast-paced, setting the tone for the rest of the series.
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The plot idea for the series itself was quite interesting, and was developed well. I really liked the writing, dialogue, and overall style and feel of the books. The writing was mostly simple but also quite effective — with a good range of vocabulary too. The use of literary devices was great, such as the onomatopoeia. There were also little details added into the story which made it more immersive. One example of this was how there were phrases and ‘slang’ that the Gladers — which is what the boys who lived in the Glade called themselves — had created and used.
The characters were also quite relatable — they stood up for what they thought was right, but sometimes they made mistakes too, and they were more realistic in that sense — and I also grew attached to them as the story went along. However, I still found most of the characters to be quite annoying at times. Their emotions were also displayed well, and it was almost as if we were there feeling the same feelings as the rest of the characters.
There are quite a few quotes from the books that really struck a chord with me, such as Thomas and Teresa’s conversation, where Thomas says, “Holy crap, I’m scared.” And Teresa replies, “Holy crap, you’re human. You should be scared.” I feel it really shows how it is only human to be afraid, and true courage is facing that fear, not having no fears at all. Minho’s dialogues were also a work of art. Some quotes which I think are worth mentioning would be “A wall is a wall is a wall. Solid.” and “Be careful […] Don’t die.” Truly, he is an inspiration to humankind.
There are some things about the book that didn’t sit that well with me, such as how it played into ‘chosen one’-ish cliches — understandable, but regretted. The love interests weren’t developed as well as I would like, seeming more like an afterthought. The protagonist also acted like he was the main character and he knew it, with everyone else just following after him.
Overall, though, the series’s plot was compelling and intriguing, and I quite enjoyed the books! If you prefer science fiction or dystopian fiction, then you should enjoy this trilogy, however I would recommend it particularly to teenagers and young adults. Please do let me know if you decide to take me up on my recommendation and tell me how you liked it!
Thank you for reading and please comment if you want me to do book reviews on any particular books!
