The Amateur Writer

Synopsis:


Thomas remembers nothing but his name. He joins a group of boys who live at the Glade, a small settlement located in a mysterious maze. For 2 years, the Gladers have been trying to escape the dangerous maze. Infested with the dangerous Grievers, a lot of lives were lost. Ever since Thomas joined the Glade, mysterious things start happening which caused unrest among the boys. It is getting more crucial for them to escape the maze.  They need to escape...before death catches them. 


Dashner's The Maze Runner could be one of the most over-hyped YA novel of 2011. I guess because it was advertised for fans of the Hunger Games and expectation was running high. The disappointment was apparent when I read the comments on Goodreads so when I first picked it up, I had low expectations. I tried reading the book for what it is, without expecting it to be as awesome as the HG trilogy. And I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.

I like the Maze Runner.

Looking at the general opinion on this novel, it seems that many people have problems with the mysterious element of the book. Most people felt that nothing actually happens in the Maze Runner. I don't wholly agree with this view because I think Dashner carries the suspense and mystery quite well. He unravels the mystery piece  by piece and I am really on the boat with it. The information gaps are placed nicely and the plot is well structured.

Although I can sympathize with people who are frustrated with the mystery. Questions to why the boys are in the maze in the first place or what are their real identities are questions often asked when reading The Maze Runner. To finish the book and still not know the reason can be annoying when you have to wait for the next book to come out. I have the luck of getting the whole trilogy and read straight till the end. So I can understand why some people can be put off because of this. The wait can be a total buzz kill.

When I first read The Maze Runner, it sort of reminded me of Golding's Lord of the Flies. But then when I finish the book, it really doesn not. I just have this thing where every time I see a book/movie that has a lot of boys in it instantly takes me back to LOTF.

Now you must be thinking, what about to the Hunger Games? Is The Maze Runner comparable to the trilogy?

My answer to that is...no. Dashner's book is completely different from the HG series. I wouldn't even compare it because it is totally different. Yes they do somewhat belong to the same genre but that's about it. I guess that's why so many people are disappointed with the book because it just doesn't live up to their expectations. I blame the marketing really. It really didn't do Dashner's book any justice.

My recommendation when reading this book is to completely see the book for what it is, without comparing to other books.

There are two aspects that I love about Maze Runner:

a) Dashner created an interesting set of vocabulary for the Gladers. It can be somewhat confusing at first, to figure out what these words actually mean. But after awhile you will find yourself surfing through the pages confidently and feeling  like every inch of a Glader.

b) My favourite boys: Minho and Newt. I don't feel much for Thomas because he seems like your typical protagonist. Special, brave, blah blah blah. Minho and Newt on the other hand are mighty foine. Haha! They have traits that I love most in my men. Strong, smart and a bit snarky. ;)


My only problem for the MR could be a personal issue or maybe Dashner fails to keep my attention consistently. I admit, the MR is a very slow read for me. It took me about 2 weeks to finish. Often if I really really enjoy the book, I can just finish it in one sitting but not for MR. The book's interesting and the plot is definitely fascinating but I can't seem to take it all in in one sitting. However the good news is, the ending gave me goosebumps and I immediately reached for its sequel, The Scorch Trials.


Rating: 3 out of 5.



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