REVIEW: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

 Ashes

by Ilsa J. Bick 

Synopsis:
(from Amazon): It could happen tomorrow . . .

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.
Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Characters:
Alex: As far as a main character goes, I really like Alex in the beginning. She's strong, independent and self reliant. She obviously has issues... but rightfully so.
Tom: A soldier who is likeable through and through. Tom seems to be hiding issues that I'm sure will surface sooner or later.
Ellie: Obnoxious. Little. Brat.  I hate to say it, but it takes a while for Ellie to muster any redeemable qualities. I understand that she's in pain over her parents, and a bitter child, but she's repeatedly a brat... and the adults around here are almost saintly in their patience.

Chris: Described as a boy surrounded by shadows... which seems appropriate. Despite being in a good portion of the book, I am left feeling like I know this character barely at all.
Lena: One of the most believable characters in the book, especially for her age. Lena is a minor character, but she's stuck with me enough to be mentioned here. She's not a nice character, but she's a determined one, willing to risk anything for a chance at freedom, and a chance to go find her family.

Jess: Elderly woman who looks after the girls... as of the end of the book, I'm not really sure what Jess's motivations are. Does she see something in our main character, and she's trying to expose her to the reality of their situation... or is she just trying to get her killed?!

Everyone Else: This is a zombie novel... and like all good zombie novels... it's filled with characters that are seemingly important, the kind that you warm up to and begin to like... but that you know are there for the sole purpose of being hideously devoured. There are a lot of them, and it will be interesting to see what becomes of them all.

Writing:

The author's style is fast paced and easy flowing. I found I got through this book in record time. There are few moments of lull, and there is constant action... and it's not all zombie feasting action either. This book mixes it up and keeps things interesting.

The only thing that bothered me was Ellie. She was one of the most obnoxious children I've ever read... to the point where she seriously annoyed me and I started to find her character a little unbelievable... there's bratty, and then there's Ellie.

Ending:
Terrifying, and makes me 100% certain to read the next book.

Plot:

I kind of love the whole reasoning behind why things happened the way they did in this book.

First off, the "zombies" in these books are not the living dead... they're actually still the living... and while the bit about craving human flesh hasn't really been explained, the reason as to why they survived the initial attack, and why their behavior patterns have been modified, IS explained, and I love the concept. One of the reasons I'm going to KEEP reading these books is because I'm looking for more explanation. So often in zombie novels, things just happen (Oh, hey, yeah, your mom has been turned into a reanimated corpse and stuff... sorry bout that, oh, and she wants to eat your brains... no clue why. Bummer, huh?) and are left unexplained... this book actually tries to put a little science behind it... and of course there are holes in idea as big as Texas, but I just don't care. The initial idea is a great one.

Then there is the fact that everything isn't easy for the main characters. Terrible things happen to them, and about 3/4 of the way into the book, you totally lose track of 2/3s of the original main characters, and are introduced to a new set of characters that you just aren't sure you can trust.

 Believability of World:
Incredibly believable. All of the human interaction seems to be just the way I'd imagine it to go.


Overall Grade: B+ ~ I've read a lot of zombie novels and this one was one that not only kept me entertained, but also attempted to explain the whys and hows of it. I really enjoyed that.