The Death Cure (Maze Runner #3)

Gr 7 Up--In this final book in the series, Thomas and his friends learn that the World in Catastrophe, Killzone Experiment Department (WICKED) wants to devise a blueprint for a cure for the lethal Flare disease by analyzing their brain patterns. Although Thomas knows that he was partially responsible for the creation of the Maze, a brutal experiment that forces its subject to undergo trials and tribulations, he no longer thinks the end justifies the means--even if the goal is to save mankind. Despite his friend Teresa's continued protestations that WICKED is good, Thomas disagrees. His memories have started to come trickling back. He decides, with a few others, to break out of its headquarters. The group journeys to Denver, a city fruitlessly trying to keep the Flare at bay. Without a maze to escape from or a predetermined location to journey toward, the plot meanders. Thomas and his allies join forces with the Right Arm, a revolutionary organization determined to bring WICKED down. Like most things in the gripping series, good and evil are not black and white. WICKED, the Right Arm, and even Thomas all initially act with good intentions but make questionable moral choices along the way. Thomas's struggle to understand this contradiction makes the novel interesting. Fans of the previous books may be disappointed that many questions are left unanswered, but most of them will be satisfied with the conclusion.--Ragan O'Malley, Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn, NY