The Maze Runner: Or Lord of the Flies with a Dystopian Twist
I realize my opinion might be unpopular, but after finally reading The Maze Runner I am less than impressed. I think the thing that surprised me the most about this book wasn't a plot-twist, but the fact that it is boring. I did not expect that at all. I kept waiting for it to grab me, but even when the action ramped up I remained detached and bored. So the question I've been asking myself is why? Where exactly does this book fall short for me?
I think it was a combination of factors. The characters are flat and uninteresting, if not downright unlikeable. The writing itself is less than amazing, and the ever present slang made the book feel more immature than I think the author intended. Most damning of all, the bulk of the plot revolves around people withholding information from one another, peppered with random bits of deus ex machina. In fact, the more that gets revealed the less the book holds together or makes sense. (I'll refrain from examples as I like to keep my reviews as spoiler free as possible.)
I probably could have forgiven this book for any one of these things, but in combination it made for a disenchanting read. Even though I found the concepts and setting really promising I just couldn't connect to the story itself nor the characters. I kept feeling like I was reading an uninspired Lord of the Flies ripoff spun together with current dystopian tropes. All in all it was pretty much a two star book, but I gave it an extra star for building a setting that will likely stick with me, and because despite all the weaknesses I am slightly curious about where the sequels will take the story. If I ever stumble upon copies of them for cheap I might give them a shot.