Review of Ashfall by Mike Mullin
Barbara Swander Miller
Grippingly believable, the Ashfall series by Indianapolis Native Mike Mullin has what it takes to intrigue teens and adults, alike. No wonder it has won so many awards. Alex, an average teenager left to his own devices, makes his way across the Midwest to find his family after the Yellowstone volcano erupts in a thick gray ash that erodes all sense of modern life. Along the way, Alex encounters the best and the worst of human nature in a rapidly developing dystopic society. Although readers might predict that Mullin’s unlikely protagonist emerges as a leader, the traumas that he suffers create a sense of potential realism that keeps readers turning the pages. Darla, the tough and savvy amateur engineer he meets in Ashfall, not only makes a unique foil for Alex, but also is a strong role model for young women readers. There is no problem she cannot puzzle out. As a classroom read, this series is probably best for ages 15 and up, as the two main characters face- and maturely discuss- sexual decisions and are engaged in graphically violent clashes with lawless gangs. If you like The Hunger Games or Divergent, pick up Ashfall, Ashen Winter, Sunrise and Darla’s Story.Buy Ashfall on Amazon
