Thomas is a teenager who is sent into an environment called the Glade, an area surrounded by a colossal maze. He has no memory of how he got there, who his parents are, or anything about his life. He is greeted by other kids, the Gladers. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know anything about how they got there. The only things they know are that every morning, the colossal doors to the maze open up, every thirty days, a new boy is delivered through the lift, and that you don’t want to be stuck in the maze after dark. The Gladers expected the arrival of Thomas. But two days after that, a girl is sent into the maze, along with a even more surprising message. And as things get even worse, Thomas is forced to unlock the secrets in his head, at any cost.
I really loved the way this book was written, and how the Maze and the Glade are described. The characters are really portrayed in-depth, and over the course of the book, the challenges that are posed to them really show their character. The situations are also very challenging, and really keep the story moving forward. The writing was very smooth and flowing, with a surprise at the end of every chapter. I felt that the book needed a little more humor to lighten up the story. Overall, I think that the book was great.
One memorable thing about this book would be how the kids sent into the maze built a society within there. The Glade is like a village, with different sections that kids work in based on their skill set. Each section has a Keeper, who manages their section, and is usually the best in what they do. I was amazed on how they built a working society that kept them alive.
Reviewed by Adithya, Grade 7, Twin Hickory Library
HCPL TeenScene's Read + Review 