Sunday, October 23, 2011

Ashes by Ilsa Bick


Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick


Ilsa J. Bick has created one twisted world in Ashes... I like it.

Alex is sick. She has a brain tumor and despite all of her treatments she is dying. Alex has decided to go on a mission hiking through the mountains knowing it will probably be the last thing she does. Along the ways she meets Ellie and 8 year old, her dog Mina, and her grandfather. Alex wants nothing more than to be left alone, but something makes her stay and have a cup of coffee with them. Out of nowhere there is a ZAP. Birds are falling out of the skies, Ellie's grandfather has fallen dead in his tracks, and Alex's brain feels as if it is exploding. Nothing will ever be the same.

The world we once knew is gone. Most people are dead or have been turned into wild cannibals. Those that were spared either fate are few and far between. As Alex and those whe meets along the way try to survive this new world they will quickly learn that the monsters aren't just the ones who turned, but the ones who survived.

I liked this book! It isn't your typical YA genre novel. Alex is a tough, smart girl, who despite her rough persona is full of compassion. Their world has changed and Ms. Bick said it best,"...those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amongst the devastation."There were a couple of  parts in the novel that I had a "problem" with. I found it slightly out of characteristic or "unbelievable"  how fast characters formed bonds and were willing to go along with everyone else. That said, who am I to judge what people would do when the world as we know it has ended. The other thing is I like a good cliffhanger as much as the next person, but there was too much left unanswered. The ending was surprising and good, but I felt that it was a bit rushed.I don't like to recommend age ratings on books, because different people have different maturity level and parents have different values on what their children can read. I have to say that this book does contain plenty of gore after all people do turn into crazed cannibals. If this doesn't bother you then I recommend reading this book. I give this book a 3 1/2 STAR rating.

***Ashes Extras***
Ashes is by Ilsa J. Bick it contains 465 pages and was published on September 6, 2011.

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