171 pages / 2003/ 3.5 stars / YA Fantasy
A Door in the Woods is the first book in James Dashner's Jimmy Fincher Saga, and it's a decent start to the series and a decent first book for Dashner. The writing isn't all that bad, but there is room for growth. Dashner relies a little too heavily on what I'm sure he is trying to play off as quaint, southern colloquialisms. Every character in the book uses them, and after several chapters, it gets a little old.
Jimmy Fincher is your typical, fourteen year old boy, who happens to stumble upon a secret that could change the world. Through his adventures, he uncovers family secrets, villains, enigmatic benefactors and unlikely friends. Unlike the typical YA book today, Jimmy has a solid family unit around him that he relies on and that supports him throughout the entire book. I find this a refreshing change.
While I could see where the book may have benefited from a little tighter editing, overall A Door in the Woods is a fun read and I think most kids would find it enjoyable; it's filled with adventure, mystery, intrigue and life or death situations. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
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