November 05, 2012

Ashen Winter - Review

Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2) by Mike Mullin

Book Blurb
It’s been over six months since the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. Alex and Darla have been staying with Alex’s relatives, trying to cope with the new reality of the primitive world so vividly portrayed in Ashfall, the first book in this series. It’s also been six months of waiting for Alex’s parents to return from Iowa. Alex and Darla decide they can wait no longer and must retrace their journey into Iowa to find and bring back Alex’s parents to the tenuous safety of Illinois. But the landscape they cross is even more perilous than before, with life-and-death battles for food and power between the remaining communities. When the unthinkable happens, Alex must find new reserves of strength and determination to survive.

My Review
I received a cop of this book from NetGalley for an honest review. Ashen Winter picks up 6 months after the supervolcano in Yellowstone erupted 6 months before changing everything and making the world very primitive. Alex and Darla are in a comfortable place on his uncles farm it is a hard life but they are starting to get things running smoothly. Alex can't stand the fact that his parents are missing so Darla and he head out to find them and bring them back. The world was a bad place when they made their way to his uncles farm but it has got even worse since they have been there. It is dangerous journey and the two of them must face many things.

I loved Ashfall and knew I would love Ashen Winter. I did. The story line is one that you can believe could happen. A super volcano could erupt and this book makes you think and wonder if this is what would really happen. The author did a lot of research for this series and it shows in the writing. Alex is a great character even if he needs to use his head more as it gets him and Darla in trouble a bunch of times and puts their lives in danger. For a kid who had to grow up quick he does a great job. He is a believable character. At times he is a strong leader and then at times you get to see the headstrong kid he would have been before the volcano. Darla is so amazing. She tries her best to help Alex and stand by his side because she does love him. In different times they never would have been together but in this time they are a perfect match. In this book we do run into some of the other characters from Ashfall but two new characters that play a big part are Alyssa and Ben. Ben is a character you will enjoy a whole lot. He is smart and most people don't see that about him do to his problems. Alyssa has had it rough and she is strong in her own way as she has done everything she can to insure Ben's safety. However and I know I shouldn't be like this but I did not like her at all. She reminded me of a homewrecking tramp. Yes I get that she has had it bad but come on that doesn't mean it ok to push yourself on anybody. Yes the characters get to you in this book. You feel deeply for them.

The plot is a great one in this book and I would highly recommend you read Ashfall before Ashen Winter. I try not to do spoilers ever and if I did I am sorry. This book is no light weight book. Mike Mullin pulls no punches and it does have several murder scenes. They add to what this book is. It is a book about what happen after a supervolcano erupted. The way the people act in this book are believable. You Have some good people and you have some bad. I love this series and recommend you to pick it up. It shows the best and worse in people mainly the worse I will say.
5 out of 5 Bats~Pam

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