(138)Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Ashen Winter 

Publication Date: October 16, 2012
Pages: 594


So my confession, I agreed to read an ARC of Ashen Winter (yes, I DID read the synopsis this time) and when I sat down to read it this past Saturday, I realized that it was a sequel.  The beauty of e-books is that without having to leave the couch I downloaded the first book and by the end of the night I had read them both.  Lately it is rare for me to get so much reading time, but I had no choice.  I could not stop reading!!

Ashen Winter picks up where Ashfall left off. Alex and Darla have made it to Illinois to discover that Alex's parents had left to find him. After waiting things out for a few months Alex can wait no longer.  He must set off to find his parents and bring them back to the farm.  Of course Darla will not let him leave without her and they set off on another dangerous journey.  If it is not the danger of crossing the Mississippi again or dealing with the neverending winter weather, they are dealing with the brutal bandits that are still terrorizing the countryside. Alex loses Darla to those bandits and gains Alyssa and her brother, Ben.  But, NOTHING will keep Alex from finding and rescuing Darla, no matter who he encounters along the way... 

Once again Mike Mullin had me on the edge of my seat.  I could not believe how quickly 594 pages seemed to go by again.  I found myself caught up in the world that is both familiar, yet unrecognizable. I loved how Alex, again, proved that he is no longer just a teenager.  He has become a man since the volcano erupted and he will let nothing stop him from tending to what he sees as his responsibilities.  The growth of Alex from the early pages of book one to the end of book two is certainly night and day, it is wonderful to watch that growth. 

Bottom line, Mike Mullin seamlessly continues the story of Alex and his family in Ashen Winter. Some months have passed and it is interesting to me to see how society has adapted to the aftermath of the volcano.  Again there are some really adult themes mentioned in this book, human slavery is just one and the cannibalism is much more prevalent, so let your younger kids read with caution.  Overall though, the themes of survival and perseverance in the face of adversity are ones that most of us can learn something from.  Let me know what you think!
Unknown said...

Love it!
Very fun and fresh read. As good as the first book. I totally recommend it. I found myself relating to it after this super cold winter.
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