A review by bennylee
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

4.0

It was ok. I felt like I read an action novel, less and less about the actual plot. It was way too long. I really like the premise of this series, and the mystery is awesome. But the delivery is severely lacking.

Some notes:

-Every other page described Thomas falling asleep or passing out.

-It's weird how in both novels they have yet to explain the weird language/slang. I assume it has something to do with their intelligence and response to the "variables" though.

-Dashner has no faith in his readers and constantly describes the literary meaning of everything.

-"Thomas was no doctor, but.." Why even say that?

-"I'd push my own mom down the stairs..." WHAT?

-They constantly tell each other to be quiet and listen/save their questions until the end. Every character. Every time.

-Dashner uses sentences like "the boys who died were not any that Thomas was close to" as if the reader should only feel sympathy them.



[Spoilers] other observations:

-Why didn't Thomas use telepathy to talk to Aris and find the other group when they split up in the Scorch town?

-I feel like they should have helped the others kill the weird lightbulb monsters instead of ditching them and sitting in the bathtub pods? Seemed out of character for Thomas.

-Thomas telling WICKED to kill Brenda instead of Jorge, hoping reverse psychology would work was really weird.