Review of Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time...like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare--this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb--now her betrayed and greatest enemy--that her purpose is save the world--but can she?

Maximum Ride is not an ordinary teenage girl. She and her ‘siblings’ are part of a governmental genetic experiment. Max is part human, part bird, and a whole lot of attitude. Anyways, for the majority of the book, Max and her ‘flock’ are on the run from the government and these bad guys called erasers, which is really a synonym for werewolf.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson was a rather quick read. I read it in the span of a few hours. The chapters were incredibly short, averaging 3 pages, and the font was big. Also there was plenty of action, if not character growth. While I can’t complain about action, my favorite part of reading is meeting and becoming acquainted with characters. I finished this feeling as though I didn’t know the characters well enough, and also asking several questions pertaining to plot holes. For example, the kids are basically raised in isolation and it seems like they were fairly mistreated, so how is it that they know how to read and write? I thought being experimented on didn’t leave much time for education. Also, how did they know how to use the internet? I know I’m nitpicking, but I am bothered by plot holes, much like other people are bothered by things like historical anachronisms and such.

On the one hand, I think Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson is a great book to hand to reluctant readers, as it’s not difficult to read, there’s plenty of action, and the characters are somewhat likable. However, I felt the writing wasn’t up to par with most YA I’ve read. I’ve read a few critical reviews of Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment, where in the comments it’s defended because the book is YA, therefore it doesn’t matter that the writing isn’t very quality. I’m going to put this out there right now, I think that because a book is YA it is not exempt from being quality. I think as a consumer of young adult lit I have a reasonable expectation of fabulous writing, and I most certainly encounter great writing with a lot of YA I come across (John Green, Libba Bray, Neil Gaiman, Maureen Johnson, Robin McKinley, Richelle Mead, Sarah Dessen, and so on and so forth). Also for YA to be taken as a legit genre, shouldn’t we want some sort of quality in what we read? Granted, yes, not every book has to be great and amazing, and sometimes we all just need a great trashy read, but still I guess I just want more from what I read. And, I just didn’t get that ‘more’ from Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. Although, there are plenty of people out there who love this series. I liked this book, but didn’t love it. That said, I will continue the series, and review all of them, as I won the books in a contest, therefore am doing my part as a winner by publicizing these books.

While reading Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson, drink an orange soda. Orange soda because it’s an interesting color, but when all’s said and done, it’s not too terribly different from all of the other sodas out there. Also, while it is delicious, not everyone loves orange soda, and also soda is something you should drink in moderation as it gives you unnecessary calories (calories you could get munching on a yummy bar of chocolate for example).

Other Reviews:
Rex Robot Reviews
The Book Bug: Books For Tweens and Teens
You’ve GOTTA Read This
Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm
Katie’s Bookshelf
Today’s Adventure
WORD For Teens

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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