Ashfall

*2023 relisten: Still a great P-A YA book, and I still love that it's set in Iowa–well mostly Iowa. The only thing I didn't really remember is how depressing it is. The world post-eruption is harsh and literally dark and dirty. I still hope this never happens, because if it does, we fcked.

=============original review from 2021===========
Oh man, how I love post-apocalyptic (P-A) fiction when it's well done, and the Ashfall series definitely qualifies! I listened to the first book and the narrator was great, but I was too impatient to carry on listening, so I sped-read the remaining two books. I'll go back and listen to the whole series later.

I had no idea the series was set in and around Iowa–that's a fun plus. Who knew getting out of Cedar Falls would be so hard? ;)

If you enjoy YA-P-A fiction, this is a must read. Much like book 1 in the Last Survivors series, this series presents a completely realistic unfolding of events following the disaster–here, the discharge of a super-volcano in Yellowstone. Loss of light, air-quality issues, food shortages, never-ending winter, humans doing the absolute worst things to other humans because they can, and attempting to survive despite the horrors. The saga is told by Alex, who is just fifteen years old at the start of the tale. There's always an element in YA P-A fiction where the main character is forced to age reaaaaal fast. Yesterday, a geometry quiz; tomorrow, running from cannibals. Here, there's a slow build of WTF is happening that let's you experience Alex's journey. Alex also has a heart of gold and fights to hold on to the best of human ideals, so it's really easy to cheer for him, even when you're questioning his decisions. I enjoyed the whole series.

Along with Alex I learned a lot about survival. Kale is a superfood. Who knew? I'm always going to have Kale seeds on hand in case I need to barter for shelter (who am I kidding–I'll be one of the first dead at the super freeze, and I'm good with that). Also, pine bark. Yum!

Ultimately, a fun pandemic read.

“...not eating when there's a full refrigerator downstairs is a totally different experience than not eating because you have no food and no idea where your next meal will come from. Hunger of choice is a painful luxury; hunger of necessity is terrifying torture.”

Following the eruption of the supervolcano under Yellowstone National Park, teenage Alex finds himself in a world changed. Alex sets out from his hometown in Iowa to find his parents and little sister, who were on their way to visit some extended family in Illinois. Along the way, he meets a variety of dangers: a terrain comprised of ash, and people driven by a primal need to survive.

It took me a little while to get into this book, I'll admit. The above quote is from about the quarter-way mark, which was when I started to become invested in what happened to Alex. And once Darla was introduced shortly after, I was totally hooked.

The main hurdle that I had to get over was the writing style. Mullin writes in a way that is both sort of detached/clinical, and sort of conversational. A lot of times, it felt like a recitation of facts: this is happening, and now this, and then I did this. In other words, a lot of tell, not show:

“By late afternoon, the ash had pretty much dried out. Pushing the skis through it got tougher – they ground against the ash instead of sliding. I unclipped my boots and tried walking. In some places, the ash had dried onto a fairly compact surface that wasn't too bad to hike on. In others, ash was blowing and collecting in drifts. There, my feet sank quickly in the fine, dusty ash, and pulling them free was difficult. I put the skis back on.”

This was just a random example I chose to illustrate the writing style and is not indicative of the book as a whole: there is plenty of action, some of it graphic, and I found that the technique actually helped me deal with some of the more gruesome scenes. I appreciated the brutal look at survival in a natural disaster wasteland, especially in a novel aimed at a younger audience. It's never too early to learn about how terrible people are, kids!

Another thing to note, especially about my darling Darla: I was happy that both of the kids were pretty badass in their own right, but not overly so. It made sense that country gal Darla was strong and resourceful, and Alex brags about his taekwondo achievements early in the book. Maybe they are a little too capable considering everything they go through, but it seemed realistic to me.

Overall, I felt this was a strong debut from the author and a great start to a series. Thank goodness I am reading this a million years after it was released so that I can start the next one ASAP. 4/5

I really loved Ashfall and how realistic a scenario Mullin created. All the characters started out as normal people just living their lives and just one-by-one they all had to adapt and change to fit their new living conditions. It definitely struck the emotional heartstrings and the moral dilemma of helping others or leaving them to their fates.

I will admit that I am in the camp of liking Darla more than the main character, Alex. I really loved her attitude and how she called Alex out when he did a bone-headed move or allowed his softhearted sympathy to get them in trouble. I also loved how strong she was depicted physically and even mentally. However, when tragic struck her personally, she didn't try to hide it even though she was the super strong tough girl.

Alex was the same in that he didn't truly hide his emotions either, which is great to see in a male main character, especially as a teenage boy. I know that my brother often talks about how real men don't cry and other nonsense. However, some of the badassery that Alex pulled in the book totally proves his manliness despite him allowing himself to grieve and express emotions more than just anger and frustration (even though there was plenty of that too–and for good reason!)

Overall, the changes that the society, environment, and characters go through this book is very thought-provoking and makes for a good read. I'm looking forward to getting the second book in the series and continuing Alex and Darla's story.

I felt like this got stronger and more suspenseful as it went on. The voice feels very authentic to me.

Would've been 5 stars if there had been no romance. A girl can survive with a boy just fine without sex.

I don't think this is realistic. Not because of the volcano, but because I don't think society would fall apart that badly quite that quickly. I also didn't enjoy having so many bad things happening, whether or not it's realistic (some content not appropriate for all readers).

If you want to read something better on the same subject, try The Memory Boy/The Survivors series.

Ashfall was a book that took me a little bit to fully appreciate, but I ended up falling fully in love with it. I won't deny that the first few pages of Ashfall left me a bit angry towards Alex. As a main character he starts out the book just like most stereotypical teenagers. He is not at all appreciative of his family or the life they've built for him. Then again though, I quickly reminded myself that this was a dystopian novel. What better character to teach how important all that is, than one who doesn't know what he has until it's gone? Once I let myself become invested in Alex's struggle, I was hooked.

The world that Mullin builds is dark, volatile and eerily easy to envision. It is apparent that research has been done into supervolcanoes, because the world just bleeds off the page and into reality. As Alex and Darla slogged through feet of ash, battled ever changing weather conditions, and fought just to stay alive, I was on the edge of my seat. A quick warning to more sensitive readers: this book is very realistic. It shows mankind at their lowest and most afraid. There is violence in this book, there is death, that makes it all the more real.

It was really Alex and Darla's character growth through this story that struck me most though, and kept me reading on. These are kids, teens. However they have so much heart and will to live, that it's hard not to become immersed in their struggle for survival. Mullin doesn't take it easy on these two. There were moments where I just wanted to throw my hands in the air and yell “Give them a break already!”, but then I'd quickly go back to reading to see what happened next. Truth be told the pacing in this story is just perfect. There's always enough to keep you reading, without making it seem forced. I loved that.

Again, I won't deny that at first I had a little bit of a tough time getting into Ashfall. Still, once I started really becoming invested in this story, it was all over. I couldn't have put this book down even if I wanted to! That's the truth. If you're looking for a fantastic dystopian novel, one with a world based in reality, this is one for you.

The story begins with our protagonist Alex getting what he wants, a weekend alone while his nagging mother, distracted father, and annoying little sister go and visit his uncle's family in Warren, Illinois. Unfortunately, Alex isn't even alone a day before the house is set on fire and he is nearly killed. What happened? Something very big and very hot had crashed through the roof of his home and into his sister's empty bedroom and as it turns out Alex's home isn't the only place on fire, there is smoke rising up throughout the entire neighborhood.

It doesn't take very long for the situation to get from bad to worse after the sky is darkened and filled with ash and Alex makes the tough decision to walk the solo journey to find his family.

Well the journey isn't easy as to be expected when there are no cars to catch a ride on because all of their engines have been ripped apart by ash, or when food runs out because there is a shortage in supplies and people start getting desperate and doing desperate things. There was no telling what would happen to Alex as he made the trip and all throughout his journey I would fill up with tension whenever he would encounter a person because there was no way to know how this person would treat him. Was he in danger or was he safe? Would they help him or would they hurt him?

The many different reactions to the natural disaster were so varied yet all possible that it was obvious that Mr. Mullin had done his research and not only in the social and economic fallout of such a scenario but in the actual cause itself and he did a great job in applying it to the story that it didn't feel at all like I was reading a text book.

But now on to why I really enjoyed reading Ashfall - the characters. Alex may have started off as a kid who liked to keep himself in his room playing World of Warcraft but he grows right before the reader's eyes becoming someone you could depend on and someone who could survive without loosing his humanity. Also, the kid had a black belt in tae kwon do. I'll refrain from squeeing and being fangirly but if your character knows any kind of martial art he is instantly cool in my eyes especially if he doesn't perceive himself as cool. Tae kwon do didn't define Alex it was just a part of who he was and it sure saved his butt on many occasions.

Darla was also another great character, we meet her along the way and she was the rational, tough love opposite to Alex's bleeding heart. Where Alex almost seemed to dig himself into a whole to help those in desperate need Darla was the level headed realist who kept things afloat. A true self-sufficient person who proves herself through her actions Darla is a person I would want on my side in any dire situation.

Anyway to wrap things up because I've talked too long, Ashfall is a well thought out speculative tale that shows the grim reality of how far people are willing to go to stay alive but it also shows the hopeful truth that despite the situation people can still choose to be kind.