Thomas arrives in the Glades with no memory, surrounded by gigantic walls covered in ivy. The Glades includes different areas like the gardens, blood house, and homestead. Thomas becomes a Runner to explore the changing maze surrounding the Glades in an attempt to find an escape. He believes he has discovered a code to the maze's patterns. The dystopian novel is a survival story that makes readers consider how society could change and whether people may one day have to fight for their lives.