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Maximum Ride 2: School's Out -- Forever (by James Patterson)

common sense media says

Adventure continues with same lack of plot.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that there is a lot of violence here; some of it quite brutal, including serious injuries. Also, the marketing for this book is pretty intense, including Blogspot and MySpace pages, and a count-the-clicks effort to get kids to vote for a Maximum Ride movie.

Positive messages: The main characters lie and steal to survive.
Violence: Lots, some fairly grisly. Injuries, deaths.
Sex: A few kisses.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: Brands of kitchen appliances, home electronics, video game consoles, snack foods, cars, and rides at Disney World.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on Maximum Ride 2: School's Out -- Forever

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about this book's lack of plot. What makes this book fun to read, despite the fact that there's little plot? How does it compare with other exciting action/adventure books you've read?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Avian-human hybrid Max and her similarly genetically enhanced Flock are on the run from the evil scientists and their nasty minions, the wolf-human hybrids called Erasers. Including Ari. Yes, he was killed in the last book, but now he's back, with no real explanation, and meaner than ever (daddy issues), now that he and the other Erasers have had wings grafted on their backs. You'd think this would make them more dangerous, but it actually seems to have made them more clumsy.

Max and the Flock engage in plenty of fighting, chases, and escape plans while Ari and the evil scientists do their scheming. Apparently there's a plot to kill off half the people in the world, method unspecified, reasons rather vague. (You know, that's what evil scientists do.)

Meanwhile the Flock get taken in by an apparently nice woman ... until it turns out that she's evil too. And they get to go to a normal school for a while ... until it turns out that the school is evil too. And Iggy finds his parents ... until (wait for it) it turns out they're evil too. Well, not evil -- just bad. And so on.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
If your kids liked the first Maximum Ride, then they'll like this one too. How can we be so sure? Because it's exactly the same. This series has been compared to a thrill ride, a roller coaster. As with a roller coaster, the reader gets lots of thrills, excitement, scares, tension, and fun -- but it's all artificial, meaningless, and you end up right back where you started, with nothing accomplished. It's an empty thrill.

By the end of the book, the main characters have been attacked, injured, healed, are captured, escape, captured, escape, etc. But they've gotten nowhere. This appears to be a trilogy with no actual narrative arc. Exciting stuff happens, for no discernible reason, and what little actual story there is makes no sense at all. It's a mere contrivance, the struts that hold up the ride -- you're not supposed to pay attention to them. You're just supposed to surrender to the ride. There's something horribly cynical about all this. It's harmless fun, one supposes, but it is possible to write a fun story and still respect the intelligence of your audience.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication date: May 1, 2006
Number of pages: 409
Hardcover price: $16.99
Paperback price: $6.99
Read Aloud: 12
Read Alone: 12

This review was written by Matt Berman
 
 

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What parents & educators say

11

Most useful reviews by all members

OGORMAN
teen, 16 years old
 
Don't pay attention to the review. I doubt they've even read the book.
The review above may say that there's a lack of plot, but that's because it's nearly impossible for there to be one. James Patterson's style of writing is unlike any other author's. He switches to different characters points of view so often the story doesn't really need a strong plot. Too much is going on for there to be a concrete plot. Ending chapters with words that leave you hanging and scrambling (sometimes not fast enough) to turn the page and start reading again, Mr. Patterson illustrates a new view of the flock as they're enrolled in school for the first time. Everybody but Max seems to quickly ease their way into the new setting, Max appears to get more and more claustrophobic and trapped feeling the longer she stays. She also turns a slight tinge of green with envy when Fang starts flirting with other girls. I recommend reading this to see the comical and amazing ways Max gets out of every tight spot; whether it be boys or insane scientists.

lititzmom
parent of 7 and 9 year old
 
Okay, I have one main reason to like this book (and this series): My 3rd grader loves it! He's a great reader (advanced level) BUT a very picky reader. So he's devoured many series: Chronicles of Narnia, Percy Jackson, Warriors, Paolini's trilogy, etc., BUT he's so annoyingly hard to please and it'll take lots of trial and error to get him into new books.series. He likes action, handles some violence okay, but doesn't want romance or anything "real" scary (i.e., ghosts, aliens, things that he might think true and will loose sleep over at night). For adolescent boys, this series seems to offer all that they want and none of what they don't. And it's made my son happy to loose himself in books again. I know he'll be exposed to great literature in the classroom; for at home reading, this series fills a huge void.

ICONicBoyzLover
teen, 15 years old
 
Fine book and a great sequal
I Loved this book, I actually read it when I was 12, and found it very attention-drawing.

Athena Keene
teen, 14 years old
 
Still BEing Great
I loved this book as well as the first one- but if i had to pick the dive of this series (like the worst part) this book might be it. I thought some of it was boring but the rest was like kick-@$$!

BellyButton
teen, 15 years old
 
LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
OMGosh!!! I absolutely LOVE this book series! I reread it almost every night, and find things I missed everytime. Amazing!

 
GET THIS BOOK NOW.
I loved the first book. The warnings on "The Angel Experiment" were right. I just couldn't put the book down. It is violent and has mild language, but it's funny and censored. It's wonderful. You should read this next book.

lovealwayskelly
kid, 13 years old
 
Lack of plot? Not exactly. AMAZING book. My favorite of the series. I think it's smart, funny, adventurous and romantic.

Destroy
kid, 12 years old
 
you have to read it
I love it! Coudn't put it down.Normally I'm a video game freak, But once I saw this book I knew I had to get it.

movielover1996
teen, 15 years old
 
this book is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 i loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the people on this site said that there was a lack of plot. they would not know a good book if it came up and bit them in the butt.

koobbook01
teen, 14 years old
 
sometimes people don't like sequals but...
I on the other hand LOVED this book (once again) it deffinatly is a great sequal to the series! james patterson has a very intresting outlook on the scientific world but thats wat makes these books 10x more intresting then lets say twilight. what i like most about the second book is like the first, it always leaves you hanging and wanting more! this is one of those series you'll read over and over. The flock seems to grow really strong together as a family and there are some heart warming moments to :) one of the best book series ive ever read!

Gracie.L.
kid, 12 years old
 
best book series of all time. I LOVE THESE BOOKS,MAN!
I absolutly WORSHIP max and her flock. ive read each book about seven times and It never fails to make me soar! everyone should read it but i dont think every one will be as touched as i am. i love james patterson for right a book with a kick-ass girl that i truely see as my role modle. this book is worth every page! every single book is poetry to my heart. Its my favorite book series of all time. and thats saying aloy beacause i read alot! you should read it and love it and ejoy it. hold on for the ride!

Crazygirl123
teen, 13 years old
 
This book is definitely for young teens. It's not suitable for children under the age of eleven.
I really like the book I know I'm only 12 but it's a good book. My mom was iffy about the book because of the wolves and evilness but I told her I'm fine with it. The book is suitable for people who are religious. My family are religious Penacostal Christian srry to waste ur time about religion but just to prove my point I said that. Anyway I've only read one book but I highly recommend you/kids read this book.

bookworm12345511
teen, 16 years old
 
great book
i loved this book its the best its a little violent and acouple kisses but i loved it all the same there are also some swears so not for small children

Bookishowl
kid, 12 years old
 
Disagree
I dissagree with what they say. I believe the plot is excellent, and I really enjoyed it.

adfadfads
teen, 17 years old
 

gigi98
teen, 14 years old
 
awesome!!!!!!!!:)
I love the entire maximum ride series!!! there is some violence but it is not that bad. Once you start reading you cant stop! i read the entire series in 10 days b/c i just couldn't stop reading!!!!!!!!

Spielberg00
teen, 14 years old
 
Still definitely worth reading, but significantly worse than "The Angel Experiment".
This book is just as intense--if not more--than the first installment in the original trilogy (The Fugitives) of James Patterson's ultimate teen saga, "Maximum Ride". It is not as good, as the story line in this installment is weaker and less developed, but details necessary for future installments (at least I'm sure) are abound. There is also a little bit of language to worry about in this one, such as "hell" or "dumba-s" (used a few times each).

Zachc1126
teen, 17 years old
 
I am still lovin' it.
By far... THE BEST BOOK IN THE SERIES. Ari instantly became my favorite in this book and it has character development. ^_^ I love it and I think the books are a perfect set. I just find the action to kick up a notch. By far, The game boy chapter was the best and gives you the view that Ari, who has a grown man's body, is still seven. ^_^

lineman11
teen, 16 years old
 
Great
great, i thought that it was pretty violent but i thought it was great. good story if your kids try to imitate violence wait till 12. Still I thought it was great.

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