The Maze Runner - Book Review

***** Spoiler Alert *****

Synopsis: If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

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.

Everything is going to change.

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

Remember. Survive. Run.

Spoiler Alert, once again, because if you plan on reading the books, you wouldn’t want the plot revealed. And, much of it won’t make much sense either. Rest is your call.

I’m not sure if I’d call it a review but it’s a fair representation of the thoughts that popped up after I finished the book today.

Okay, okay, okay, fast breathing. It’s the first (or maybe the second) page-turner book I’ve read and those are the thriller feels it gave me all through the while.

I had the library copy of the book and no doubt it wasn’t in perfect shape, I mean, not that I complain, it does equally good in serving its purpose as a book. The words matter more anyway. But, this isn’t applicable to any of my books that I lend you, alright? Besides, it’s not about my obsession to keep my book as perfect and as new as I bought it, so let’s get to the point.

The main protagonist Thomas looks a little different in my head unlike the actor Dylan O’Brien who plays the role of Thomas in the movie adaptation of the book. So did Chuck (more about Chuck later) and so does Teresa who are also imagined pretty differently from the movie actors. No, I haven’t seen the movies but only the book cover of the movie tie-in edition and the trailer of the movie.

Other characters – Minho, Alby, Newt, Gally – I don’t have a very clear picture of how they look in my head,  its difficult, I don’t know them by their imagined faces but I’ve got a fairly good idea of their personality and their disposition by their role in the first book.

The Glade was so perfectly designed, functioning exceptionally well. The Runners had their jobs, they even had a Council, all things in perfect flow. They managed to build a world in that square patch of land, a lotta smarties in there. But the arrival of Teresa literally turned the whole book around. And the maze code? It didn’t make much sense then, the random words, neither does it now, but at least it worked.

The point where Thomas went through the changing- it was impossible to put down the book from there on. Impossible.  

Chuck.

One word.

The worst part of the book. No, I can’t say it. Chuck. Aaa!!!

Do you know the feeling of being on fire? I guess you don’t. Neither do I. But I felt as if I were on fire when that dagger flew right into Chuck.

I hate the author for that. But then again, it’s a basic plot structure I’ve read quite often about: kill a dear character just when they achieve what they wanted most. It’s an advice to writers which reappears on my Pinterest feed every other day.

I’d suspected a major death in the book. I don’t know how but I could tell. It’s like when you’ve read  enough number of books – okay fine I’ll admit it – I think I saw it on some fandom picture (of the actors playing the characters) on Pinterest. But I wasn’t sure which character was it as I had no idea who played what character in the movies. Yeah, it’s really difficult to avoid spoilers when you use Pinterest ain’t it? But come on, anyone but Chuck!

Ugh! It’s a sweet torture.

Usually, before writing a book review, I think it over until it’s convincing enough. But this book got me into agreeing immediately.

I can’t believe I’ve picked up this book twice before and left is after a few chapters because it wasn’t interesting. But James Dashner is, no doubt, a writer whose words cast a spell, a thrilling one. Um, now that I’ve said it, it maybe isn’t a spell, cause they’re so close to reality. But I mean, is advanced currently-non-existent tech fantasy? Reality? Or science fiction? Whatever, the lines between different genres often gets blurry.

It was probably the first/second book that got me so bad that I was unable to put it down. Yes, it’s a thing. First one was The Girl On The Train – but I don’t remember it to be as exciting as this one. 

This was the only book for which I stayed up till 1.30 am on a school night for sure!

I don’t know what to call it or how to explain it but I was very much living the thrill. It’s a thing about books, a thing I love. Admittedly, I feel like I’ve been reading the wrong genre till now – young adult- but I guess I did fairly well making this the third book (non-young-adult-genre) I finished this month.

If you find this enthusiasm and passion for bookish worlds to be weird, I’m pretty sure you’re somebody who hasn’t read the book but chose to read the review anyway. I don’t mind that except, you gave the spoilers to yourself and well, I’m now living in the bookish world of The Maze Runner 

Book 2- The Scorch Trials anyway. Anybody minding isn’t going to change that.

Few questions bug me but I won’t pose them knowing that some people who read this might know the answers I wish to figure out myself.

Lastly, I mean to say it as a request, but it may sound rude. Nevertheless, I have to say it because it is incredibly important. If you’ve read the books, be a dear and keep the spoilers to yourself. We’ve got a lot of terrible people around anyway.