Stephen used to be a normal child. But then his father fell prey to the Flare, a deadly disease which damaged the brain and rendered victims insane, and eventually dead. He then lived with his mother, but before he turned five years old, she sent him away to WICKED. Then, WICKED gave him a new name; Thomas.
I believe that this is an enjoyable novel which was entertaining and suspenseful. Like in his other books, Dashner writes in a style with much suspense and you want to discover what happens in the end. I liked how the author developed the characters carefully and slowly, in such a way that the audience itself feels immersed in the story line. However, I felt that there was not a lot of actual plot to describe, and so at times, the book’s pace was dragging. Overall, this was a good read, and I would recommend it to those interested in stories of action and adventure.
Much of this book stuck out in my head, but a particularly memorable aspect was the infliction of pain. In certain parts of the book, the adults of WICKED inflicted immense pain upon various children without feeling any remorse. This made me wonder if such things would happen in an apocalyptic future.
Reviewed by Shivram, Grade 9, Gayton Library
HCPL TeenScene's Read + Review 