E. C. Ecchor's Reviews > The Maze Runner

**Also published on my YA Book Blog**

When I first started this, I thought, "This'll be a one star for sure."

Halfway through, I thought, "Okay, maybe three and a half."

By the end, I was back down to two. Then, the epilogue and now I know: I have to read book two.

So, let me break it down. This is the second time I started this and the first time I don't think I made it through the first chapter. It was so focused on boys (which is hard for me as I am not a boy) and what is it with boys and poo anyway? Then there was all the weird language, the slang... It just wasn't the book I wanted to read. But this time, I was determined to finish. I made it through the "Idk who I am, oh woe is me!" (thankfully). Then I started to get attached. To Minho who was just a regular, hard working guy. And to Newt, because how can you not like a guy named Newt? And Ably was such a pain, and I just imagine spittle flying from Gally's mouth... But the maze was this puzzle I wanted to decipher, too. There were all these clues and I thought I was smart enough to figure it out.

But I wasn't.

And that made it all the better. Teresa's appearance was good, if annoying. The only girl in the whole datn book (almost) and she sleeps through like 75% of it? That'll annoy the klunk out of you.

But things got good. The development was slow, but maybe that was part of the reason it ended up being good. Investment. I've read so much, I can't walk away now. Except, at the end, I almost wanted to. I didn't care for how it unraveled finally, but then there was that twist in the end. The epilogue changed my world and made me give this book 4 stars for sheer frustration, determination, and the urge to strangle the author. I'm rather impressed actually.

Do I recommend this book? Yes, yes I do. But only to those stout and clever and willing to suffer a little frustration. Pick it up. Give it a try.

I dare you.