Booklog

The Death Cure explores the wider world of the Maze Runner series and we finally get some hard answers to some of the burning questions that have been existant since the end of the first book. I have to say that the answers to some of those questions were far from fulfilling. Don't get me wrong, I liked the idea tremendously and there's some solid pacing and enough twists and turns to keep this a page-turner, BUT I thought the answers to some of the major plot holes and motivations of WICKED to be either incomplete, far-fetched or confusing. There's never really an adequate explanation for the series of tests and how those tests will possibly cure the disease afflicting humankind - at least not one that makes any kind of physiological or immunological sense for a sophisticated reader. I also thought that, for a series with as many twists and turns, betrayals and misdirection that there would be some final bombshell or reversal of roles, some hidden enemy unseen that would tie all the pieces together and rearrange the entire context in which you viewed the characters and events. That bombshell never materialized and by about halfway through this one, there really aren't any worthwhile secrets left.

That's not to say, however, that the resolution is not acceptable. On the contrary, I thought it was tasteful and logical. The aforementioned criticisms don't necessarily take away from the action and pacing either, which are both well-down enough to captivate the target audience and make it a fun read. If the revelations I'd been holding my breath for had materialized, I might have even bumped this book up to four stars and made the recommendation to adult readers as well as young adults, but I think this one is good for teens and forgiving adults who are looking for an adventure-mystery time-killer.

I think the series loses some of its re-readability now that the cat's out of the bag. We'll see though. I know that I'd like to read it all again one day. I think I just have to wait until I've forgotten a lot of the details to do so.