The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Earlier this year, I had one or two students reading the Maze Runner. I looked at the back cover and read the description, and was certainly intrigued. It was definitely going onto my list of books to read this summer. I just needed to go buy it!

Well I purchased it a week ago, and was excited to tear into it. Part of the reasoning was because it was part of the Young Readers Choice Awards, a Nominee for 2012 in the Intermediate category (more on that later). After finishing it, I really enjoyed it. I just need to figure out if I am going to bring it into my classroom (and when!).

Synopsis: There is a maze. No one knows where it is, why it is there, or how anyone has gotten there. There are boys in the maze. One comes out of this box (think elevator shaft that transports them there) every month. There are also things called grievers that come out at night and can shock or kill. Oh... and no one has any previous memory, as it appears to have been wiped clean.

Then a boy named Thomas arrives. All is the same, he has lots of questions, and life continues on. Thomas has hazy, fleeting feelings that he remembers something about this place. Everything changes the following day... a girl arrives, which is odd for two reasons: 1) no girl has ever arrived and 2) it breaks up the two year pattern of one person, once a month. From there you can say the book gets running. Thomas yearns to become a runner, someone that maps the maze looking for an exit. He gets his chance after saving two boys trapped in the maze. His skills are needed as their world appears to be rapidly speeding towards a conclusion. I'll save any more, for fear of giving away too much.

I liken the book to the Hunger Games. This past year I didn't bring out the Hunger Games until January because it was so advanced. I'll likely do the same with the Maze Runner. There are elements of the book that I question (example: they save shuck it, which is an obvious allusion to the curse). That being said, I felt like the same conversations I had with kids about the Hunger Games would apply here.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (lost the .5 because of the shuck it business mentioned above).