Let me start with the positives (and there were several, despite my negative tone in the first paragraph). The story line was super creative, complex, and well-developed. After finishing the series, I could tell that the author, James Dashner, knew where he was going to end up when the last book finished, and I appreciate that from a writer. The characters were round, if not somewhat dynamic, and I especially appreciated Minho's sarcasm throughout. He and Frypan were my favorites. The story was overflowing with conflict, which leads me into my biggest problem with the series.
IT HAD SO MUCH CONFLICT. I know, I know...stories are supposed to have conflict and lots of it. A story without conflict is like a picnic without ketchup, Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes, Halloween without Reese's Cups (why am I using so many food references? I think I'm hungry). I get it. But I felt like this book put me through the emotional wringer without a lot of reward or payoff. I don't want to spoil the series for those of you who haven't read it, so I will say there was a little bit of payoff, but for the most part, it just made me sad. The world in which they live is so broken, depressed, unhealthy, and cynical. I had a great quote marked that I was going to put in this post, but unfortunately my digital library loan ended and I lost my highlights (the down side of e-books). A vast majority of the population has this horrible disease called The Flare, which basically eats your brain and turns you into a crazy, cannibalistic animal. Ugh.
Would I recommend this series? It depends what you're looking for in a book and what type of genre you like. I think a lot of people would (and do) enjoy reading the story; it just wasn't for me.
What am I reading now? A book called The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson. I really like her other books, especially Speak, which I am sure many of you are familiar with, and this one has been getting a lot of buzz and recognition, so I thought I would try it. The cheerfulness factor isn't much of a step up from The Maze Runner, as it's about a 17-year-old girl who is trying to deal with her veteran dad's PTSD, but Hayley's voice (she's the main character) is distinct and entertaining. For example, when she is trying to figure out what kind of text message to send to her friend, with whom she is quite upset, she says, "I sent a simple smiley face, because my phone did not have a smiley face that was wrapping her hands around her own throat and beating her head against a wall" (89). HA.
What are you reading right now? Anything good? Any recommendations for me after this one is done? Happy reading!
I felt the same way about the movie. The characters were great and well developed and the plot line was awesome. but there was a lot of conflict and sometimes it was too much to keep track of. I haven't yet read the books but after seeing the movie I really want to read the series. :)
ReplyDeleteI just finished Maze Runner and I did not like the ending. I felt it was kind of rushed an d mashed up. It didnt really give me the cliff hanger I wanted. I mean it basically ended with the gladers eating pizza and going to bed like "all is well". I didnt really understand that. I also was hoping for some hints at the end that I could have connected back to the beginning and could have explained some of my whys. Im still pondering on weather I should read the rest of the series but I still want to watch the movie!!
ReplyDeleteI've read the first book of the Maze Runner series, and I agree with you. I think that there was too much conflict, and little relaxed reading. The conflicts that were given kept me on the edge of my seat the entire book, but I felt like I fell off my seat a couple of times, which I didn't like. Currently, I am reading the second book in the Inheritance cycle, Eldest. Eragon was the first book and it was a really good book. I think that you would enjoy that book.
ReplyDeleteI just watched The Maze Runner in theaters last weekend. Although I felt like the acting was phenomenal, the setting was perfect, and the characters has beautiful development: I was a tad bit disappointed. I loved the movie but the only thing I didn't like was how no good happened to the characters. Sure, they got out of the maze but then what happens? Phase Two. In the theater I was close to ripping my hair out. I highly recommend the movie but I agree that The Maze Runner (series) does have too much conflict.
ReplyDeleteI finished the series a few months ago, and I have to admit, the ending wasn't as good as it could have been. I feel like the author should have stopped after the first book, because as the series progressed, it just got worse. I felt like he wasn't sure what to do with the series. I agree that the book had too much conflict, it made it very hard to focus on what was going on. I really wish that the author had focused on a single main conflict.
ReplyDeletesaw the movie, The Maze Runner, a couple weeks ago and I was so excited to read the book but I wasn't able to because we were reading the Color of Water. Luckily, though, this post saved me from reading it because I know that I wouldn't have enjoyed it very much since books that put you in a bad mood are not really my type. It would seem kind of annoying for there to be so many conflicts because my favorite part of a plot is the pay-off. As for the new book that you're reading, it seems like a very interesting and thorough book based on the quote you shared.
ReplyDeleteIf you didn't like this book, you won't like the movie...at all. Not one little bit.
ReplyDeleteIf you did enjoy The Maze Runner or other sci-fi kind of genres, then you should definitely read the I am Number Four series, it is a very good series in my opinion.
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