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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Scrolling through the reviews of this book, I couldn't find a single negative one--Yet I was completely underwhelmed by this book. I would have put it down after the first chapter, if it wasn't for my weakness for post-apocalyptic fiction.
Mullin didn't seem to get the memo that there is more to writing young adult fiction than just writing dumbed-down adult fiction. The main character's voice was inconsistent and completely unbelievable--I was constantly distracted by out-of-place thoughts and actions, and some phrases and word choices made me want to groan out loud. The writing itself was plain, blunt and expository in a way that felt unfinished, not clean or effective.
The book oscillates between long bouts of trudging and sudden bouts of abrupt action--and the ending highlights this inability to explain meaningful portions without rushing through them. I was left dangling off the end of a book I hadn't really wanted to keep reading anyway.
Mullin didn't seem to get the memo that there is more to writing young adult fiction than just writing dumbed-down adult fiction. The main character's voice was inconsistent and completely unbelievable--I was constantly distracted by out-of-place thoughts and actions, and some phrases and word choices made me want to groan out loud. The writing itself was plain, blunt and expository in a way that felt unfinished, not clean or effective.
The book oscillates between long bouts of trudging and sudden bouts of abrupt action--and the ending highlights this inability to explain meaningful portions without rushing through them. I was left dangling off the end of a book I hadn't really wanted to keep reading anyway.
I felt like this got stronger and more suspenseful as it went on. The voice feels very authentic to me.
I loved this nonstop action about a natural disaster that could actually happen. I found the whole plot, from the physical shaking of the ground to the memory loss and confusion to be very believable. I admire Alex for being able to survive and the journey that he was able to make as a person from being a spoiled, bratty teenager to a man with a purpose and being able to fight for the survival for the greater common good.
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What I enjoyed the most about this book was how imaginiative the fallout of the Yellowstone erruption was portrayed in Mullins writing. Alex, the narrator of the book, and Darla are well developed characters and have to face numerous challenges as they work together to survive. As far as YA apocolyptic fiction goes, this one is a solid and engaging read.
This book would work well for the High School classroom. There are some mentions of sexuality incorporated into this read, which teachers should be aware of, however it is well handled and, while affording the opportunity to discuss difficult topics, doesn't cross the line on how the topic is handled.
This book would work well for the High School classroom. There are some mentions of sexuality incorporated into this read, which teachers should be aware of, however it is well handled and, while affording the opportunity to discuss difficult topics, doesn't cross the line on how the topic is handled.
Volcano apocalypse! Teenagers on the run! Fire! Snow! Bandits! Starvation!
This book is fast paced and has all the things. It also highlights how precarious survival will be. Do you have XC skis? A field full or corn or a barn full of animals? A greenhouse already built? A knack for building crazy mechanical things? If you don't, you're probably up a creek.
There's some violence in here which was disturbing, and I wish had been a little glossier in order to recommend it to younger teens. On the flip side, there's a reasonable (for teenagers) conversation about consent and choice when it comes to sexual activity. That's a plus.
This book is fast paced and has all the things. It also highlights how precarious survival will be. Do you have XC skis? A field full or corn or a barn full of animals? A greenhouse already built? A knack for building crazy mechanical things? If you don't, you're probably up a creek.
There's some violence in here which was disturbing, and I wish had been a little glossier in order to recommend it to younger teens. On the flip side, there's a reasonable (for teenagers) conversation about consent and choice when it comes to sexual activity. That's a plus.
I am a big fan of five stars it would seem... Set in Iowa it is smack dab in the middle of farmville for much of the story which fits well with the likelihood of meeting people who know how to get food from the ground. None of the "woe-is-me I have no Doritos" from this book. That's what I enjoyed, the realism. Cold, hunger, affection, fear, violence, confusion, psychoses, perseverance, guilt, the whole gamut. Sunshine and roses it is not. The pace keeps up throughout and any slower parts are laced with the suspense of wanting to know what happens next. Cleverer and more realistic than many other books in this genre. Great for fans of Rot&Ruin, Shipbreaker, Enclave, and the like.
Ashfall by Mike Mullin starts with a terrific premise. The dormant volcano under Yellowstone National Park, which last erupted 640,000 or so years ago, explodes, burying the western U.S. under ash and creating a world of darkness.
The main character is a teenager who lives in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Alex’s family wants him to come along on a visit to family in Illinois; an argument ensues and he convinces his parents to let him stay behind alone for the weekend. When the volcano erupts his house is crushed by flying debris and he is trapped. He manages to free himself and make his way to his neighbors’ home. Eventually, he decides to strike out alone, travelling over the ash on his father’s old skis, to find his family in Illinois. He finds a traveling companion, a teenaged girl named Darla, and Ashfall tells the story of their journey together.
The science of the eruption seems plausible, but the timeline struck me as extremely condensed. I can believe rifle-toting farmers refusing to let other refugees on to their property, but some of the other conditions seem unlikely in the early days after a disaster. Darla and Alex encounter a woman who is afraid they are going to kill and eat her and her children because a mob captured her husband. “They’d built a bonfire. … Above it, spitted like a pig, there was my Roger. … They were roasting my Roger. Roasting him like a pig.” (p. 289) I found this very unbelievable.
Later, Darla and Alex end up in a refugee camp run by FEMA. There is no food except a single cup of rice per person each day. Even if the U.S. were down to the last remnants of food, I don’t think the last thing left would be white rice. After striking an authority figure, Alex is thrown into a punishment hut and left to die. (Darla rescues him.) The authorities also shoot all animals brought into the camp. (Darla carries a rabbit through all kinds of trials only to see it shot at the camp.) I don’t believe the U. S. government would treat its citizens the way people are treated in Ashfall so soon after a disaster. Neglect and incompetence I can believe, but not the behavior described in Ashfall.
The dissolving of American society into anarchy is not hard to imagine, but it all seems to happen too quickly. Still, this book is a quick read with a lot of action, and it will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, Delirium, and other dystopian series.
The main character is a teenager who lives in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Alex’s family wants him to come along on a visit to family in Illinois; an argument ensues and he convinces his parents to let him stay behind alone for the weekend. When the volcano erupts his house is crushed by flying debris and he is trapped. He manages to free himself and make his way to his neighbors’ home. Eventually, he decides to strike out alone, travelling over the ash on his father’s old skis, to find his family in Illinois. He finds a traveling companion, a teenaged girl named Darla, and Ashfall tells the story of their journey together.
The science of the eruption seems plausible, but the timeline struck me as extremely condensed. I can believe rifle-toting farmers refusing to let other refugees on to their property, but some of the other conditions seem unlikely in the early days after a disaster. Darla and Alex encounter a woman who is afraid they are going to kill and eat her and her children because a mob captured her husband. “They’d built a bonfire. … Above it, spitted like a pig, there was my Roger. … They were roasting my Roger. Roasting him like a pig.” (p. 289) I found this very unbelievable.
Later, Darla and Alex end up in a refugee camp run by FEMA. There is no food except a single cup of rice per person each day. Even if the U.S. were down to the last remnants of food, I don’t think the last thing left would be white rice. After striking an authority figure, Alex is thrown into a punishment hut and left to die. (Darla rescues him.) The authorities also shoot all animals brought into the camp. (Darla carries a rabbit through all kinds of trials only to see it shot at the camp.) I don’t believe the U. S. government would treat its citizens the way people are treated in Ashfall so soon after a disaster. Neglect and incompetence I can believe, but not the behavior described in Ashfall.
The dissolving of American society into anarchy is not hard to imagine, but it all seems to happen too quickly. Still, this book is a quick read with a lot of action, and it will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, Delirium, and other dystopian series.