Book-A-Review: The Maze Runner

Was this book truly a-MAZE-ing?

The Maze Runner was recommended to me by a friend and after seeing how much I enjoyed The Hunger Games, I figured, why not? Why not give this book a try? They're pretty similar in genre and I figured I'd be just as gripped with this book. Turns out, I wasn't.

Basic Synopsis:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Story Content: 6/10
Character: 3/10
Overall rating: 4.5/10

This book just didn't grab me like The Hunger Games. I literally couldn't focus even though I was only on the first page. The characters were great but they would have been much more 'realistic' and more engaging had they had some sort of personality. The main character,Thomas should have been given more character development and growth instead of conveniently "recalling" important information to advance the plot. The book also was filled with made up slang that I found off putting. Am I the only one who thought that? Like what the hell was with "Shuck-face" or whatever it was called and the Grievers were not at all scary or dangerous.

I also grew tired of reading just because the book had such a s...l...o...w  p.....a....c....e it was so fustrating after 150 pages and realizing there were still no answers. I know what the author was trying to do by deliberately trying to withhold information to "keep" the suspense but it did the opposite for me. This becomes not only fustrating for the protagonist of the story but also for ME! The spoilers for the book make it sound intriguing, but I can't sit down and read another 200 pages without passing out.

On a positive note, I was impressed with the authors ability to make the story unpredictable and although the characters acted naive sometimes (especially when the answers were right in front of them) it was far more realistic than them finding everything in one go!

Would you recommend others to buy it?

I'm going to pass and say no. Perhaps i'm just being to harsh but it really didn't click with me.

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