Maximum Ride, Vol. 1 by NaRae Lee

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🕊️ Maximum Ride Vol. 1 by NaRae Lee

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 out of 5 stars | Genre: YA Sci-Fi / Manga | Wings, wolf-men, and one very intense strawberry patch

Let me start by saying: this book is beautiful. It's been a very long time since I last picked up a manga—like, kindergarten-long—and this was a fantastic re-entry into the genre.

Based on the Maximum Ride novels by James Patterson, this manga adaptation nails the pacing, artwork, and emotion, and sets the stage for a high-stakes, high-flying adventure.

🐣 Who Are the Flock?

We meet six genetically engineered kids—Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel—who are living off the grid, completely on their own. They’ve all got avian DNA, which means yes: they have wings and can fly. Casual.

They were raised in a lab called The School, and for two years they've been free, hiding in the mountains after their escape. Their only parental figure was Jeb, a mysterious scientist who disappeared two years ago. Max, the oldest, has been trying her best to take care of the group ever since.

🍓 Angel Gets Taken

One peaceful day, the flock decides to go strawberry picking, because apparently being bird-people doesn’t come with a grocery budget. That’s when The Erasers show up.

Who are the Erasers? Glad you asked. They’re mutant wolf-hybrid goons, trained to track and recapture rogue experiments like our winged kids.

They kidnap Angel, the youngest and most precious member of the flock, and take her back to The School in California.

🩹 Enter Ella (and Mom the Vet)

The rest of the flock sets out to rescue Angel, but on the way, Max gets shot while trying to stop some bullies from harassing a girl named Ella. (Our girl Max doesn’t just fly—she fights.)

Ella, who is awesome and calm despite a random injured stranger falling into her life, takes Max home. Her mom happens to be a veterinarian, and offers to patch Max up.

During Max’s X-ray, they notice something odd: there’s a microchip embedded in her arm. So that’s how The School is tracking them. Yikes.

🧪 Reunion at The School

While Max recovers, the other kids continue their rescue mission. Eventually, all five of them are captured and brought back to The School. There, they’re finally reunited with Angel—but not in the way they hoped.

Surprise twist: Jeb isn’t dead. He’s alive and well... and apparently working for The School again?

He tells Max she’s "meant to save the world," which is a lot of pressure to put on a teenager with wings and unresolved trust issues.

🧠 Final Thoughts:

  • What worked: Gorgeous illustrations, sharp dialogue, solid pacing, and an intriguing mystery.

  • What I wanted more of: A little more worldbuilding about The School and what’s really going on behind the scenes. Also, please stop hurting Max. She deserves snacks and a nap.

Still, this volume absolutely soars. It's a strong start with just the right mix of action, sci-fi weirdness, and emotional weight.

🛒 Buy the Book:

📚 If You Like This, Try:

  • D.N.Angel – for another manga about winged teens and secrets

  • The Promised Neverland – orphans, sinister labs, and twisty turns

  • Legend by Marie Lu – if you're craving more fugitive teens and government conspiracies

Ready to keep going?

Read my Volume 2 Review ➜
Spoiler: there’s a sewer system, a stolen kiss, and a file folder that changes everything.

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