Race for the Escape is a blazing fast read–even by middle grade standards. With a lower page count that feels like a novella and then literally non-stop action, there is no time to get bored or for the reader’s interest to wander. Using the setting of an escape room as the basic premise, the author, Christopher Edge, definitely has his destination and theme firmly in mind. All the reader knows is that something is “off” about this escape room and frankly, that this seems a tad intense at times and extreme for a group of middle-schoolers. There isn’t time spent on character development because this book is ultimately about a message and a theme.

With a diverse ensemble of players in the escape room, this book is a good selection for readers who enjoy puzzles, mysteries, and some nail-biting action. But don’t be surprised if things go a bit differently than you expect.

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy Received from the Publisher

Content Analysis

Profanity/Language: None

Note: References to hell as a place not tallied.

Violence/Gore: Fire destroys property and person’s clothing catches fire, no injury; character turns to dust before another character’s eyes; character crashes against stone painfully; bones strewn on a floor that look human; references to human sacrifices in Mayan temples; skeleton pursues characters with intent to harm/poison; implied death of a character; characters pursued by large creature(s); report of being attacked by a large animal; character is killed by a large animal; character sees blood on the teeth of an animal; animal is killed by environmental pollution

Sex/Nudity: None

Mature Themes:

Death, environmental destruction (pollution, global warming, etc.).

Alcohol and Drug Use:

None