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I thought Alex showed leadership qualities  throughout  the story.  Throughout the book, Alex was challenged by a number of conflicts where he needed to be strong and use leadership qualities to get out of them.  In order to survive, Alex needed to be brave, confident, strong and make good decisions.  These characteristics were constantly tested.  He often found himself needing to fight people who attacked him and fight to meet his basic needs of food, water and shelter.

Alex showed leadership qualities when Darla's mom died and when her house got destroyed by a fire that Target set.  He saved Darla and himself from the fire by killing Target and grabbing Darla to get her out.  He  then ran back in to get gear from Target's bag that would help them to survive.  He also tried to save Darla's rabbits.

"Darla climbed onto the ladder and started down, so slowly she might have been on her way to her own funeral, not trying to escape a burning barn.  I jumped on behind her.  I wanted to kick her in the head, her pace was so frustrating.  Instead, I kept screaming at her.  When we finally got down, I grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the barn." Pg. 215

After this, Darla was extremely depressed and Alex helped her through this.  He was patient, caring and encouraged her to move on.  He  held a 'funeral' for her mom which I think started to help Darla to move on.  He encouraged her to stay at the high school where she knew people.

""What the hell are you doing?  I asked as she skied up to me.  She didn't reply.  You don't have any supplies; your not dressed for the cold....What if I hadn't seen you following me?  You could die out here!  Nothing.  Go back to Worthington.  You'll be safer there.  Those people know you.  They like you.  I'm headed for god knows what."  Pg. 233

Alex also helped other people while they were heading to Warren.  He gave food and supplies to people and he even tried to save a little girl's life.

"I unzipped my coat completely. The little girl hadn't moved or even made a sound, but tiny puffs of frosty air emerged from her lips.  I hugged her to my chest and tried to zip up my coat around both of us; it wouldn't fit, so I had to settle for holding it around her."  Pg. 281

I do think Alex was a good leader.  Although he didn't lead many people, because it was primarily him and Darla traveling to Warren, he did help a number of people on the way.  Plus, his leadership and survival skills helped him and Darla to eventually make it to Warren.  Alex put others before himself.  He was willing to risk his life for his family and Darla and he shared food and supplies with strangers who were in worse shape then they were, even though they did not have much either.

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I really enjoyed reading this book.  I normally hate reading any book, but I actually enjoyed this one.    The author's writing style made it easy to read. He was very descriptive and detailed throughout the book, which made it easy to follow.  I could imagine in my mind, what was happening in the book.  One thing I wish he did a better job with however, was explaining what the characters looked like, especially Alex and Darla.  Besides the book cover which has a picture of Alex and Darla's backs, I have no idea what they actually look like.  He did a great job describing how they were feeling, what was happening in the book and describing the environment, but really didn't give a description of their looks.

I definitely thought that the book had a believable plot.  It was based on the eruption of a super volcano.  This is something that could happen in real life.  Natural disasters happen all the time.  People get separated from their families and need to find each other again.  There were a couple of times in  the book however, that I question whether it could happen in real life.  For example, there was one situation when Alex got sliced open by a pick ax during a fight.  He then got up and continued to fight off Target.  I guess with adrenaline this could happen, but I do question it.
"That saved my neck, but the momentum of his blow was such that it slid down off my elbow, and the blade thunked into my right side just below my armpit.  It didn't hurt at all---not at first. there was a grinding vibration as the ax scraped my ribs.  He raised it for another blow.  The blade dripped red, and the coppery stink of my blood filled the air."  Pg. 123

The ending left me wanting more.  Alex's parents were not in Warren when he arrived, because they had gone to look for him.  So he still does not know if they are alive or dead.  He makes a vow to still look for them.
"Maybe one day, my parents would trudge up the driveway to my uncle's farm.   But if they didn't, Darla and I would go find the,."  Pg. 455

I can't wait to read the second book to find out what happens next.  I would definitely recommend this book!

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One of the themes of this book is coming of age.  A lot of children and teenagers in this book have to act much older than they are because they are facing life or death issues.  They are dealing with things that most adults don't have to deal with.  Alex and Darla are two of the characters that had to act like adults to survive.
"Right or wrong, I already felt somewhat responsible for her mother's death.  What if following me got Darla killed, too?"  Pg. 236

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The antagonist is the eruption of the Super volcano.  The Super volcano is the cause of every conflict in the book.  When it erupts it causes darkness, violence, ash, starvation and death.  Life after the volcano is turned upside down for all of the characters. Each day they need to figure out how they will survive.  For Alex it becomes a fight to stay alive and find his family.
" Ask someone to lock you in a box with no light, nobody to talk to, and then have them beat on it with a tree limb to make a hideous booming sound.  Do that for hours, and if your still not bat-shit crazy, you'll know how we felt." Pg 34

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Alex Halprin is the narrator, main character, and protagonist in this book.  He is a regular, 15 year  old teenage boy.  Alex uses his time hanging out with friends, playing video games and doing Taekwondo.  After the Yellowstone Super volcano erupts smashing his house,  nearly killing him, Alex is taken in by his neighbors.  Violence hits again when thugs who break into their house are killed by one of his neighbors.  At that point, Alex leaves to set out on his own mission searching for his family.
" Tomorrow, I'd set out for Warren to find my family.  The journey might be impossible, but I had to try." Pg 56

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The book takes place in  present time in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  Alex, who plans on spending the weekend free from his parents, playing computer games and spending time with friends, has his world turned upside down when the super volcano erupts.  This nightmare sends his hometown into darkness, violence and ash.  Throughout the book Alex travels from Iowa to Illinois.
"Cedar Falls, Iowa, wasn't much, but it might as well have been New York City compared to Warren.  Besides I had my computer, my bike, and my friends in Cedar Falls." Pg 2