The Maze in the Heart of the Castle

The Maze in the Heart of the Castle is one of my all-time favorite books.  It is a young adult novel, written in 1983 and is by Dorothy Gilman, who also wrote the Mrs. Polifax series.  But this book is no mystery...it is fantasy and it is wonderful.  It tells the tale of Colin, who has seemingly lost everything worth living for so he goes on a journey through the maze.  He meets lots of different people and cultures.  The thing I love about this book is that Colin learns so much in the course of the 170 pages.  I think that he is a philosopher in many ways.  Additionally, Gilman is wonderful at describing poignant emotions in concise ways.  Colin gives this short description about his journeyings:  "He saw deserts, caves, forests, cliffs, high mountains, a maze and a cage."  This book contains themes of loyalty, perseverance, betrayal, anger, and hope; there's also some magical aspects.  There is no language in the book but there is a battle and some fighting, but nothing very intense.   Unfortunately it is unlikely that it is available in your local library but amazon probably has it.  I found my copy in the discarded books at my local library about 15 years ago.  It is a well-loved copy.  Enjoy.