Book Review: Ashfall

Ashfall (Ashfall #1)
by Mike Mullin
Hardcover, 466 pages
Expected publication: October 11th 2011 by Tanglewood Press
Source: NetGalley

Summary:

Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.


Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

Review:

Ashfall was a real shocker for me. Reading this was a spur of the moment decision, so I wasn't really expecting anything from it. Plus, I kind of didn't like the cover. It looked to me like a MG book. (And I don't dig MG.) So you can only imagine my surprise when I read it and actually really, really, really loved it! I was even reading this while eating! o.o

Ashfall was told from Alex's point of view. (Male POV, yay!) The book starts with a narrative from Alex about how he regretted having a fight with his mom before she, along with his dad and younger sister took off to visit a relative's place, leaving him alone at the house. Later, we find out that the reason why he regretted this was because of the eruption of a supervolcano.

Before the volcano erupted, Alex came off as very bratty and immature. But as Alex became closer to his family, he grew to become mature and responsible. The road to find his family wasn't an easy one though. Along the way, he met a lot of strangers who were driven by hunger and desperation to survive. This was quite violent, really with some reference to cannibalism and rape. I don't dig violence, but I still thoroughly enjoyed Ashfall.

Recommended to older teens and lovers of dystopian/post-apocalyptic books!

Rating: 5/5 stars!!!

Disclosure: This e-ARC was received from the publisher (Tanglewood Press via NetGalley) for free in exchange for an honest review.