The Maze of Bones

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The Maze of Bones
The Maze of Bones.jpg
The Maze of Bones
AuthorRick Riordan
LanguageEnglish
Series The 39 Clues
Genre Young adult fiction
Adventure novel
Mystery
Publisher Scholastic
Publication date
September 9, 2008
Publication placeUnited States
Pages220
ISBN 978-0-545-06039-4
OCLC 192081902
Followed by One False Note  

The Maze of Bones is the first novel of The 39 Clues series, written by Rick Riordan and published September 9, 2008 by Scholastic. [1] It stars Amy and Dan Cahill, two orphans who discover, upon their grandmother Grace's death, that they are part of the powerful Cahill family, whose members constantly fight each other for Clues, which are ingredients to a mysterious serum. The novel has received generally positive reviews. A graphic novel adaptation by Ethan Young was published in 2023. [2]

Contents

Story Plot

The story begins with Grace Cahill lying on her deathbed. She requests that William McIntyre, her lawyer, change her will to the alternate version, then dies. A Man in Black then speaks with McIntyre.

Grace's grandchildren, Amy and Dan Cahill, are taken to her funeral by their legal guardian, their Aunt Beatrice. Amy and Dan run into the athletic Holt siblings Hamilton, Reagan, and Madison Holt, then speak with the wealthy Kabra siblings, Ian and Natalie. Dan also points out other familiar Cahills, such as the academic Starling triplets.

A non-random selection of many Cahills, including Amy and Dan, the Holts, the Kabras, and the Starlings, are called away to a private reading of the will. They are joined by Jonah Wizard, Beatrice Cahill, Alistair Oh, Irina Spasky, Cousin Ingrid, and Cousin Jose, among others. McIntyre shows the Cahills a video from Grace, where she offers everyone either one million dollars or a single clue. Many Cahills take the money, but Ian and Natalie are the first to take the clue. They are followed by the Holts, the Starlings, Jonah, Alistair, and Irina. Amy and Dan initially want the money, but realize Grace would want them to take the clue so they turn down their million dollars and receive a sealed manila envelope.

All seven teams open their clue, and most depart the room. McIntyre warns the Cahill siblings to "Beware the Madrigals". The siblings go to Grace's mansion and visit the library. Amy and Dan find a secret passageway in the library, where they run into Alistair. Amy finds an annotated copy of Poor Richard's Almanack, and gives it to Alistar to look at. The mansion then begins burning down, forcing the two teams to separate. Amy and Dan escape, and return home, to their au pair, Nellie Gomez. They explain everything to her, and she agrees to accompany them. They head to the Franklin Institute, where a bomb decommissions the Starling triplets.

All the teams arrive in Paris, where Irina now possesses the almanack. Jonah offers to take Amy, Dan, and Nellie to their hotel, but upon spotting Irina, Dan has the singer drop them by some random hotel. They follow Irina to a Lucian stronghold, where they steal a strange orb and discover an island worth investigating. They investigate, but find themselves in a trap. They use the device they stole from the stronghold to escape, then return to a worried Nellie. They tell her the whole truth, and she again agrees to help with whatever they need.

They go explore the catacombs, where they find a magic number box puzzle. Ian and Natalie corner them, but Alistair fights them off while Amy and Dan escape. They are led to a church, where they find a room with a mural of the original Cahills—Luke, Kathrine, Thomas, and Jane. Amy finds a small vial, commanding she charge it. Amy and Dan climb to the top of the church, where Amy successful charges it. However, Ian flies in and steals it. Dan, however, still possesses the original paper from the vial, and solves the first clue- iron solute.

More research and a further investigation of the magic number box leads Amy and Dan to turn their attention to Vienna, to investigate Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Major themes

The major themes of the novel are talent and power. [3] The historical members of the Cahill family are all talented. Each branch has specific talents in a certain area; for example the Ekaterina branch is talented in the area of technology and invention. The members of each teams in the family are obviously talented or have some other edge and yet Amy and Dan are viewed as the main threats. Over the course of the book, Amy and Dan discover their own unique talents. [3]

The premise of the series is that the person who finds the solution to the clues will come into an inordinate amount of power. [4]

Reception

The Maze of Bones met with a generally positive reviews and spawned optimism for the rest of the series. It entered the Children's Books New York Times Best Seller list at number one on September 28, 2008 [5] and stayed on the list for children's chapter books for 24 weeks. [6]

Publishers Weekly said it "mixes just the right proportions of suspense, perils, and puzzles" and that it was a "rollicking good read", while noting that "the story does not end so much as drop off a cliff." [7]

School Library Journal said that "the book dazzles" and "stands solidly on its own feet and will satisfy while whetting appetites for more." [7] Mary Quattlebaum, writing for the Washington Post , said that "though the villainous relatives are rather flat, the historical tidbits and fast-moving plot will engage readers". [8]

Austin Grossman, writing for The New York Times , gave a generally mixed review, saying the premise for the series was "dramatic and instantly engaging", although he commented that Amy and Dan were "agreeably flawed characters but have an undeniably focus-grouped, manufactured quality – as does, let’s face it, the whole book". He also found the supporting characters to be made up of stereotypes and the writing "carefully bland, as if it didn’t trust its readers enough". [9] Scholastic Parent & Child magazine also included the novel within its 100 "Greatest Books for Kids." [10]

Clue

Clue Found: Iron Solute

Next Location: Vienna

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Riordan</span> American author (born 1964)

Richard Russell Riordan Jr. is an American author, best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million copies in the United States. 20th Century Fox adapted the first two books of his Percy Jackson series as part of a series of films in which Riordan was not involved. Riordan currently serves as a co-creator and executive producer on the television series adaption of the book series that was released on Disney+ in 2023. Riordan's books have also spawned other related media, such as graphic novels and short story collections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Lerangis</span> American author

Peter Duncan Lerangis is an American author of children's and young adult fiction, best known for his Seven Wonders series and his work on the 39 Clues series.

<i>The 39 Clues</i> Novel series by various authors

The 39 Clues is a series of adventure novels written by a collaboration of authors, including Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Patrick Carman, Linda Sue Park, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Roland Smith, David Baldacci, Jeff Hirsch, Natalie Standiford, C. Alexander London, Sarwat Chadda and Jenny Goebel. It consists of five series, The Clue Hunt, Cahills vs. Vespers, Unstoppable, Doublecross, and Superspecial. They chronicle the adventures of two siblings, Amy and Dan Cahill, who discover that their family has been, and still is, the most influential family in history.

<i>One False Note</i> 2008 Book by Gordon Korman

One False Note is the second book in The 39 Clues series. It is written by Gordon Korman, and was published by Scholastic on December 2, 2008. Following the events of The Maze of Bones, the protagonists Amy and Dan Cahill learn about Mozart and travel to Vienna, Austria to search for the second clue in the 39 Clues competition. One False Note entered the Children's Books New York Times Best Seller list at number one on December 21, 2008 and stayed on the list for children's chapter books for 12 weeks.

<i>The Sword Thief</i> 2009 Book by Peter Lerangis

The Sword Thief is the third book in The 39 Clues series. It was written by Peter Lerangis and was published by Scholastic on March 3, 2009. The Sword Thief follows the first two books in the series, The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan and One False Note by Gordon Korman. The following book continues the plot in Beyond the Grave.

<i>Beyond the Grave</i> (novel) 2009 Book by Jude Watson

Beyond the Grave is the fourth book in The 39 Clues series first published on June 2, 2009 and written by Jude Watson. Thematically the novel uses Biblical knowledge, prophecy, and spiritual topics to explore the afterlife. Amy and Dan Cahill, the protagonists, travel to Egypt because of a clue they discovered in The Sword Thief. The symbols in the middle of the book translate "Alistair was there the night they died."

<i>The Black Circle</i> 2009 novel by Patrick Carman

The Black Circle is the fifth book in The 39 Clues series and is written by Patrick Carman. This book was released on August 11, 2009. The Black Circle was selected as Al Roker's book club pick.

<i>In Too Deep</i> (novel) 2009 novel by Jude Watson

In Too Deep is the sixth book in The 39 Clues series. It was written by Jude Watson and released on November 3, 2009. The story is set in Australia and Indonesia.

<i>The Vipers Nest</i> 2010 book by Peter Lerangis

The Viper's Nest is the seventh book in The 39 Clues series. It was written by Peter Lerangis and was released by Scholastic on February 2, 2010. The 39 Clues series is intended for children aged 8–12, and takes the form of a multimedia adventure story spanning 10 books. The stories focus on a brother and sister, Amy and Dan Cahill, and their efforts to piece together clues left by the matriarch of the family, Grace Cahill, upon her death.

<i>The Emperors Code</i> 2010 novel by Gordon Korman

The Emperor's Code is the eighth book in The 39 Clues series written by Gordon Korman. The book's cover, revealed on March 2, 2010, shows a red mask with codes imprinted in specific areas against a purple background. After the release, readers were asked to find three of the four codes printed on the mask. If successful, 39 Clues fans could read an excerpt from The Emperor's Code.

<i>Storm Warning</i> (Park novel) 2010 novel by Linda Sue Park

Storm Warning is the ninth book in The 39 Clues series. It is written by Linda Sue Park and was released on May 25, 2010. The geographical coordinates that appear on the ship on the book's cover indicate a point about six kilometers southeast of Albert Town, Jamaica.

<i>Into the Gauntlet</i> 2010 Book by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Into the Gauntlet is the tenth book in The 39 Clues novel series. It was written by Margaret Peterson Haddix and released on August 31, 2010.

<i>The Red Pyramid</i> Childrens fantasy-adventure novel by Rick Riordan (2010)

The Red Pyramid is a 2010 fantasy-adventure novel based on Egyptian mythology written by Rick Riordan. It is the first novel in The Kane Chronicles series. The novel was first published in the United States on May 4, 2010, by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Publishing Worldwide. It has been published in hardcover, audiobook, ebook, and large-print editions, and has been translated into 19 languages from its original English.

<i>Vespers Rising</i> 2011 novel by Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson

Vespers Rising is a part of The 39 Clues franchise, which includes the 39 Clues books, card packs, and interactive online games. The book is a transition between the first series, The 39 Clues, and the second, Cahills vs. Vespers. It was written by Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson. The book was released on April 5, 2011. Unlike the other 10 books, the title card shows a series of dots rather than a globe.

<i>The Medusa Plot</i> 2011 novel by Gordon Korman

The Medusa Plot is the first book in the Cahills vs. Vespers series. The book was written by Gordon Korman and released on August 30, 2011. The story picks up two years after the original series The 39 Clues and is about the Cahills' attempt to save members of their family that have been kidnapped by following the instructions given by Vesper One.

<i>A Kings Ransom</i> 2011 novel by Jude Watson

A King's Ransom is the second book in the Cahills vs. Vesper's series. The book was written by Jude Watson and published on December 6, 2011. The story picks up right after the previous book and continues to follow Dan and Amy as they try to get back the kidnapped members of their family as they go on a journey to remember.

The 39 Clues: Doublecross is the fourth series in the 39 Clues series of books. The series was published from 2015 to 2016. It follows the story of the Cahills as they suffer from infighting. In the first book, Mission Titanic, Ian Kabra has become the new leader of the Cahills. Dan and Amy decided to take a break from the Cahills after nearly dying from combating Pierce and his thugs. Although Ian believe that he is much more fit to rule the Cahills that Amy and Dan, it seems that the Cahills do not fully recognize Ian as the leader. Ian has suspicions that many Cahills are plotting a coup. When this coup is realized, Ian Kabra and Cara Pierce are expelled from the Cahill home in Attleboro, Massachusetts. The leader of the coup is the Outcast, and he plans to replicate history's worst disasters in order to test Cahill leadership. The Cahills are expected to prevent the disasters in order to prove that they are worthy. Throughout the series, the Cahills make many shocking discoveries, discovering that Grace was actually ruthless and cruel, and that the Outcast is Nathaniel Hartford, the husband of Grace whom Grace wanted dead. There are four books in the series:

<i>Countdown</i> (novel) 2014 novel by Natalie Standiford

Countdown is the third book in the Unstoppable series of The 39 Clues franchise. It was written by Natalie Standiford, and published on April 29, 2014. The cover features a broken Mayan artifact, as the book primarily takes place in Tikal, Guatemala.

<i>Flashpoint</i> (Korman novel) 2014 novel by Gordon Korman

Flashpoint is the fourth and final book in the Unstoppable series. It was written by Gordon Korman, and published on August 26, 2014.

References

  1. ↑ Amazon: The Maze of Bones Retrieved on 2009-04-27.
  2. ↑ Young, Ethan; Riordan, Rick (April 4, 2023). 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones: A Graphic Novel. New York City: Graphix. ISBN   978-1-338-80337-2.
  3. 1 2 Stockwell, Laura. "Curriculum Guide for The 39 Clues series". Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  4. ↑ Riordan, Rick (September 9, 2008). The Maze of Bones . Scholastic. p.  23 . ISBN   978-0-545-06039-4. OCLC   192081902. If you accept, you shall be given the first of thirty-nine clues. These clues will lead you to a secret, which, should you find it, will make you the most powerful, influential human beings on the planet.
  5. ↑ "Children's Books". The New York Times . September 28, 2008. Retrieved April 26, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Children's Books". The New York Times . March 15, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Reviews: The maze of bones BETA". 2008. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  8. ↑ Quattlebaum, Mary (October 19, 2008). "For Young Readers: Books That Spook". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  9. ↑ Grossman, Austin (November 7, 2010). "First Pize: World Domination". The New York Times. Retrieved February 11, 2011.
  10. ↑ "The 100 'Greatest Books for Kids'". USA Today. February 15, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
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