Ashen Winter picks up several months after the conclusion of Ashfall, the first book in this dystopian trilogy.
Alex and Darla have been living with Alex's relatives, working hard to help each other survive in a harsh new world. When Alex discovers a clue that could lead him to his parents, he and Darla take off to search for them and try to bring them back to the farm in Iowa.
The landscape isn't all that's bleak in the aftermath of Yellowstone's supervolcano. The government has failed to help, and roving bands of cannibals seek out fresh meat to sell on the black market. Surviving communities go on lockdown, making the difficult journey even more challenging. As Alex and Darla face one obstacle after another, the detailed explanation of each encounter sometimes slows down the action. But the realism of the storyline makes it impossible to set the book aside.
Mullin doesn't shy away from the brutality of the situations he's created. Yet in the midst of some tense moments, a new character, Ben, manages to lighten the mood with his focused perspective on all things mechanical. Circumstances have forced these teens to become adults. Their belief that things will get better gives them a reason to survive; their compelling stories will keep people turning the pages. --Sherrie Petersen, children's book reviewer and blogger