Analysis of James Patterson’s Novel “The Maximum Ride: the Angel Experiment”

The author James Patterson creates an engaging and interesting novel through the characterization of the family that were made in an experiment where they were produced into being an organism that is ninety eight percent human and two percent avian, which are fleeing from the other experiment that occurred at the so called school, “part human, part wolf – all predator.” Throughout the novel the scenery often changes within the city of New York. The setting constantly switching as a part of the novels plot. The setting also contributes to the engaging novel due to the clever way Patterson wrote the novel, which leaves your own imagination to finish portraits that are painted through his descriptions.

James Patterson creates characterization through the protagonist Max, who is the self-designated leader within the family after Jeb Batchelder disappeared. “I knew he was dead, we all did, but we didn’t talk about it.” This is eye-opening piece of characterization and an interesting way James Patterson depicts that they are scared. This portrays that they are scared because they don’t want to relive or even think about what happened or who did it. This family of mystical creatures is also a loving and caring one, this is portrayed throughout the novel but is most prevalent is depicted in the situation where Angel who is six, the youngest had been captured by the Erasers (the part humans, part wolves). Instead of hiding in panic and reasonably running from their fears of going back to the school they venture out to save the most unique and strongest member of the family. As Patterson wrote in Max’s voice, “Oh, yeah—that’s another special thing about Angel. She can read minds.” The idea of Max accidently telling us makes the novel more relatable, which sparks interest in the novel and feels like you are engaging on a personal level with the characters especially Max who narrates the novel.

The novel changes settings throughout the novel and refers to a couple main places, these places are The School, New York City and in Ella’s house, which they stayed during the search of the institution that Angel was being held in. The setting in the opening chapters throughout the novel depicts a sense of isolation from society, this house was the closest idea from home. However this house up on a hill where no one was supposed to find it was discovered by the Erasers and was destroyed, this is the rising action throughout the novel and causes major changes and challenges for the young mystical family. The reality was that they could no longer hide if they wanted the full family back and due to this factor a large proportion of the novel is set in the New York region. The great thing Max, Nudge and Fang and nudge realized about New York that it was the perfect place to hide that they are mutant children due to the shear diversity within the city. Max described the city as a place that everyone was a freak that even they felt normal. New York felt like a sanctuary to them and creates a vivid image in my head that New York shared the perfect American dream where everyone is included and has a chance no matter who they are and this engaged me with the novel because it made me wonder what New York’s culture was like or was that just a persona that Max gave the city but what they didn’t know was that they all had tracking devices inside their wings, which was discovered by Dr. Valencia Martinez, Ella’s mum.

Ella and her mum’s characterization throughout the book demonstrate morals that many people aspire to have. The kindness and trustworthiness creates a contrast between the people who work at the School due to be being polar opposite of what they are. This is evident when Max spills her big secret to them when they are likewise doing what Max did for Ella. Dr. Martinez also fore fills the characteristic of love when she lets Max stay at her house for a couple of days even though she knew Max was a mutant. This part of the story is especially engaging while reading the novel due to the high action and worry for Max when Dr. Martinez finds out about the wings.

The School where they were trapped for a majority of their early years was the place of dread for all the Flock members. This place created a disturbing and vivid picture in your head, when this place was first expressed with hate it questioned what had happened there, but further and further throughout the novel like a painting the picture became clear as day that it was a place of horrid experiments that turned children into 2 percent avian and others into predators through changing them into part wolf. The secret facility referred to as The School or the Institute is a place where scientists splice DNA to make experiments and create hybrids like the Flock members and the Erasers. Max describes this place as a place was, “We grew up in a science lab /prison called the School, in cages, like lab rats.” The specially modified cages made for the Flock by the scientists were made so that Max and her family could be permanent residents of this torture without escaping. This made the novel interesting because you wondered what would happen on the venture to save Angel and how they will protect themselves from being trapped in the prison known as School and protect their Flock member.

In conclusion the novel is engaging due to the multiple scenes having a new level of controversy and action throughout, this is evident through their house and at Ella’s. I also found the characterization interesting due to the contrast between the classic perfect American morals seen through Ella and her mum and the corruption of the School.