Review: The Angel Experiment

Author: James Patterson
Date of Publication: May 1 2006
Pages: 413
Source: Library

Six unforgettable kids—with no families, no homes—are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that's just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don't know where they come from, who's hunting them, why they are different from all other humans... and if they're meant to save mankind—or destroy it.


To be honest, I had never really been a fan of James Patterson. I don't enjoy his Witch & Wizard series and so I was kinda cautious about reading the Maximum Ride series. Surprisingly, many of the things I didn't like about his work in Witch & Wizard were enjoyable in Book 1 of the Maximum Ride series.

My liking of this book definitely starts with the protagonist. Max is easy to like. She's a strong character that really cares for her family. She's really protective of them all as the leader, but she doesn't go overboard. She's only 14 and she acts like it. Her character is easy to believe in because of the writing style. It's pretty youngish but it's believable that someone with little exposure to the outside world would speak using more clichés than the regular teen. I found the writing to be easy to read, and it fit the book.

Anyways, back to the characters. Besides Max, there were a bunch of other likeable characters. Max's family for one was really adorable. I enjoyed reading about the very distinct personalities of the flock. Since this is more of an action, fast-paced kind of book than a really descriptive or poetic story, there is still lots of room to expand on when it comes to the characters. We know basic things about them and hints of more complex characteristics that could make them truly great, but for now I was content to simply read was written. I do expect more characterization in the future.

The plot and concept was what really set this book apart and made it so exciting to read. It's really imaginative and on the verge of being over done but it isn't. I like the balance there is between full on fantasy and the modern world. That being said, you kind of have to accept what happens a lot without questioning it too much. The story is really run and gun without many explanations. I liked the idea of paranormal superpowers, being a scientific experiment, and being part bird but then even more fantastical fun was added and while it makes it even more fun for maybe younger readers, I do want an explanation at some point.

Oh, and did I mention the twists and cliffhangers? I really liked the plot of this story because you honestly had no idea what could happen next. At one point my jaw dropped because of a twist that I don't think anyone could have foreseen. It changed the way I thought about the novel completely and I had a lot of fun with it.

Basically, the first book of the Maximum Ride series was certainly a ride with a lot of action, great background, and some awesome twists. It's not a book to take too seriously. It's some pretty good, lighthearted fun and I'm glad I gave this series a try. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel as soon as I can! I really liked this book so 4 hearts,


-P.E.

4 comments:

  1. I really liked the Max Ride series but I don't know what to say about the ending.. You'll see in the last book.. I tried his Witch & Wizard series but it was too boring.. Glad you liked this!

    -Ariella @ Secrets of Lost Words

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    1. Oh the suspense! Now I'm more curious about this series. I need to get to reading it. Agree with you about Witch & Wizard.

      -P.E.

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  2. I've never been very interested in Patterson's novels and I'm still not sure I want to try any though if I do, I'll look to start with this one.

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    1. I think the trick is to go into it looking for fun. High action, entertaining stories that are light. If you can accept that, I think you'll be fine with The Angel Experiment.

      -P.E.

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