The Maze Runner by James Dashner is the bestselling novel that has recently been made into a film. The book is centered on a sixteen year-old named Thomas, who has been placed inside a community that is surrounded by a maze. He arrives remembering nothing from his life before he woke up in the cage. The book is about him working with people in his situation to try and escape the maze that the teenagers have been suffering inside of for the past two years.

Seniors Mathew Vonderaar, Allison Cawthon, and Tyler Blagg shared their opinions of the book.

“It doesn’t come off as an action book despite having elements of action in it,” Mathew Vondersaar said. “It’s largely about mystery and the characters trying to escape the world they’re in.”

When asked about his favorite character, Vondersaar picked Teresa, the only girl in the novel who mysteriously shares an inexplicable bond with Thomas.

“Teresa came with a severe case of amnesia, yet she was a legitimately supporting character,” Vondersaar said. “The main character was still the focus of the book, but without her, the story wouldn’t have progressed nearly as fast.”

Allison Cawthon agrees that the book is a good read. She specifically included what she liked about the book.

“I really enjoyed the book because it had a lot of action in it,” Cawthon said. “It was nice how they could concentrate less on emotions and more on the plot. It would appeal to different age groups because it’s such a fun novel.”

Cawthon’s favorite character is Minho, the keeper of the Runners.

“Minho has very strong opinions and he stands by what he says,” Cawthon said. “He has a good head on his shoulders and many great leadership qualities, but he’s not afraid to give up his leadership position if need be.”

Tyler Blagg’s favorite character was Thomas, who eventually becomes a Runner under Minho’s command.

“Thomas was my favorite character because of the fact that he remembered only his name, yet he was still able to figure everything else out,” Blagg said.

Blagg concurred with Vondersaar and Cawthon that The Maze Runner is worth the read.

“It was well-written,” Blagg said. “It expressed a lot of detail. Overall, it was just a great book.”

The Maze Runner was released in theatres on Sept 19. Readers that are interested in sci-fi and mystery should absolutely give this book a chance.