Review: The Death Cure by James Dashner

The Death Cure
Author: James Dashner
Series: The Maze Runner, #3

Summary: Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine. Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

Review

NOTE: This review contains spoilers of the previous Maze Runner books. If you have not read this series, I suggest skipping this review and reading my review of The Maze Runner instead.

This series is unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's full of fast-paced, heart-stopping moments and it doesn't slow down until the very last page. Wicked claims that the Trials are over and that all the Gladers memories will be restored. But Thomas has been locked up in a cell for days and days and he doesn't believe a word that Wicked says. When he finally is able to leave his cell and clean up, Wicked claims that they all have a choice: they can get their memories back or they can remain as they are. When it is clear that this is a lie, Thomas makes a break for it, along with several of his closest friends, and surprisingly Brenda and Jorge who were working for Wicked all along, claiming that they are on Thomas' side. After getting away, they all know it's only a matter of time before those of the Gladers who have the Flare start coming down with symptoms.

It's a race against time to find the Death Cure when one of Thomas's closest allies starts showing signs of having the Flare. Every time they find a glimmer of hope, Wicked shuts them back down, tracking their every move, hoping to get their Final Trials over with and the one person they think can save the human race back in their clutches. 

Thomas and his friends have to fight with all they have against someone far more superior in power. It's hard to see who are more desperate: Thomas or the members of Wicked. Everything unravels and completely falls apart, little by little. You see just how crazed the world really is when Thomas and his friends finally have a chance to see how people really live. People are terrified of getting the Flare, even inside the cities that are supposed to be Flare-free. People like Thomas who are Immune are despised within the closed off communities for never having to worry about catching it. We also get to see the Flare in several different stages and the compounds in which they are sent to live after their diagnosis. Thomas's world is a terrifying place, but in the end we finally see some real hope for the human race.

I rate this book: