Module 8: Fantasy and Science FictionThe Maze Runner by James Dasnher
Dashner, J. (2009) The Maze Runner [Kindle Edition]. Retrieved from Amazon.com
Plot Summary
The Maze Runner starts off with Thomas waking up in a metal box. He has no memory of his life before the box, who he is, or how he got there. The box is situated in the Glade, which filled with a community of young boys. Each month a new boy is sent to the Glade and each week supplies come up through the elevator which Thomas arrived in. Thomas is informed that beyond the walls that surround the Glade is the Maze, which is filled with monsters which the Gladers refer to as Grievers.If a Griever stings someone, they will go through what the Gladers call the Changing. Thomas witnesses this early on and it was quite traumatic. Chuck, one of the Gladers, befriends Thomas and he is the one who imparts most of the information.
Thomas also meets the two leaders of the Glade, Alby and Newt. Alby is the primary leader of the Gladers. Gally, another boy, seems very suspicious of Thomas and his arrival and tends to stir up trouble for Thomas. Thomas learns that there are Runners, who are the Gladers who go out into the Maze and attempt to map it out. The Runner's main objective is to find a way out for the group. Minho is the leader of the Runners.
The next day, the first girl is sent up through the elevator. Her name is Teresa, which Thomas knows by hearing her voice, and with her comes a note that says, "She is the last one ever." Everyone assumes that that means there will no longer be any more children sent to the Glade. Teresa falls into a coma after her arrival. Things in the Glade change after she gets there: the sun disappears, the supplies stop arriving, and the doors of the Maze stay open during the night. Because of this, the Grievers can get in and hunt the Gladers.
Thomas decides to be a Runner. He is later attached by a boy named Ben, who went through the Changing. Ben says that he knows who Thomas really is. Ben is banished by Alby. Thomas, as a Runner, starts investigating the Maze. During a trip into the Maze, Alby is stung by a Griever and Minho, Alby and Thomas are trapped in the Maze overnight. They are able to survive, but Thomas is sent to Glade jail for a day because he had entered the Maze to help Alby and Minho. Thomas theorizes that the walls aren't moving at random, but they are moving in a code. They are spelling out words. He also discovers that the Cliff is actually The Griever Hole, which is where the Grievers come in and out of the Maze. Lastly, he believes that the Changing actually brings back memories that can be used to get out of the maze. He gets intentionally stung in order to get his memories back.Teresa wakes up and she tells Thomas that they know each other and they can speak telepathically.
A group of Gladers decide to make a run for it in order to prevent being stuck in the Glade with the Grievers. They succeed only to discover that they are part of an experiment. It is being performed by the Creators and the WICKED. Gally, the Glader who hated Thomas, throws a knife at Thomas, but Chuck gets in the way and ultimately dies. The group gets rescued by a rebel group and brought to a safe haven. They are told about an apocalyptic event that killed off half of the population called "the Flare." It ends with a set up for the sequel.
My Impression
I am usually a big fan of young adult dystopian fiction, but I could get into this novel. I struggled through it. The concept of having to navigate the Maze was interesting, especially with the Grievers. However, the style of the novel was written in turned me off. I felt like the plot was primarily pushed forward by a lack of communication and egos. I found it more annoying than intriguing.
Reviews
Kirkus Review. (2010) The Maze Runner [Book Review]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/james-dashner/the-maze-runner/
"Dashner knows how to spin a tale and make the unbelievable realistic. Hard to put down, this is clearly just a first installment, and it will leave readers dying to find out what comes next."
Hawkes, R. (2014) The Maze Runner: have you read the book?. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/children_sbookreviews/11153394/The-Maze-Runner-have-you-read-the-book.html
"Dashner's clean, vivid prose gives the action passages a video-game like intensity, although there’s enough visceral detail to stop things ever feeling too artificial. Language itself also becomes vitally important: the boys' speech is peppered with made-up words – 'klunk', 'shuck' and 'shank' – that highlight their isolation. Even their names are revealed to be a clue – albeit an unguessable one – to the secret behind their predicament."
Library Suggestion
This is a popular example of dystopia and can certainly be used as a suggestion or display item for the genre. I also see this as a good choice for a book club. The Multnomah County Library posted a discussion guide (https://multcolib.org/maze-runner) for their book club and it seems like an excellent jump start to an interesting discussion.
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