and now it is over. 
 let's take a moment of silence to reflect on this trilogy. 
 i loved this series. i loved it like i have rarely loved a trilogy before. and for those of you who are still all weirdly snobby about reading YA (i was one of you - get over it) this does not read like what you are probably thinking of when you think of YA lit. it never has. it is one of the most well-conceived, well-researched set of books; heavy on both the practical survivalist/scientific detail and the action sequences, and it never sacrifices the human elements. yes, sometimes alex seems a little too good to be true, yes sometimes it seems awfully convenient to have an electrical engineer, a brilliant military strategist, and darla - the handiest girl to ever have around in a post-apocalyptic situation all at the ready, but it never seems forced. survival of the fittest and all. 
 i love everything about this book. 
 the characters: 
 alex is great in this book. although he is young, he has already proven himself to others as a level-headed, capable, and compassionate person. he is hard-working and intelligent, and is willing to listen to people's advice. even in his own internal monologues, he admits when he doesn't know something, and defers to the expertise of others. in this book, the focus is on rebuilding; creating a homestead. there are still dangers (SO many dangers), but the primary concerns are the necessary measures that must be taken to establish a home base, and creating a sustainable future for the survivors. most of which falls on alex's shoulders. 
 alex's mother is somewhat of a disappointment in this book, but her decisions make sense given her situation. still - grrrr. 
 ben. love ben. 
 darla. well, darla. 
 she is just one of the best characters ever, anywhere. 
 If there was one thing I was certain of with Darla and a technical problem, it was that she wasn't bringing me just the problem. She would have a solution in mind, and it would be something that required my help, or she would have already done it. 
 that's all that needs to be said. that, and that her "big" scene at the end made me cheer like a sports fan. thanks for that. 
 the story: 
 plenty of action in this one, despite what i said above about all the homesteading. there are so many harrowing scenes. particularly the scene just after my bellow of oh my god mike mullin, WHAT DID YOU JUST DO????? the part that happened after the awful awful part made me the most worried for the characters and the freaking coldest i have ever felt reading a book. and i have read Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage. 
 the setting: 
 well, you know how i feel about the post-apoc. especially the post-apoc that takes place in a recognizable location and one that could actually happen. it is chilling and horrifying and this is the kind of book it might be really nice to have after an event like a supervolcano. i will never be a darla, but if i take notes from this book, there is a chance i will not starve to death. notes, and some luck. there is a lot of luck in this book, but there is just as much bad luck as good luck, and his storytelling style is seamless and never feels like he's throwing a deus ex machina lifeline to his characters. 
 i have a couple of quibbles. i don't necessarily buy the idea that the eminently practical darla would have made the decision/sacrifice she did in stockton for the sake of some romantic idea. it is really nice to see that she does have that side to her, but as someone who has always been ready to make the hard choices for the sake of survival, it seems uncharacteristically shortsighted. 
 (view spoiler)[the other quibble is that the people in this book, in alex's ever-growing community, seem too good. what, every one of the thousands of people are pulling their own weight without any petty arguments brought on by exhaustion and the frustration of their situation? they are all just accepting this teenage leader and no one is trying to get fresh with the ladies or sleep an extra hour? i have seen what happens on the subway at rush hour, and it has led me to believe that most people are inherently selfish and poorly behaved. and that is in a situation where the stakes are extremely low. there's gonna be another train in 4 minutes. and i know how cynical this is, and outside the scope of the book, but it seems unrealistic that this new community would operate as such a utopian way without any friction. yes, i know, there was that pesky hanging, but before that, everyone was just cheerfully and equitably working together as a well-oiled machine. which, when your survival depends upon it, makes sense, but you know there's gotta be some bad apples in there, some opportunists. it is kind of addressed by this statement: Even after the apocalypse, the vast majority of people were generous and kind. The few who weren't, however - like the flensers - were exceptionally dangerous despite their relatively small numbers, and mike mullin is entitled to his rosy worldview, and i love him for it, but he should come hang out on my commute sometime. or read the newspaper. (hide spoiler)] 
 and that one is only a quibble because of how many things mullin does take into consideration - how many details he includes and possible obstacles he addresses, only some of which had occurred to me while reading. 
 oh, wait - third quibble: (view spoiler)[WHY DO WE NEVER LEARN WHAT HAPPENED TO EMILY?? i mean, we can assume, for sure, but she was mentioned enough that some closure might have been nice. (hide spoiler)] 
 but quibble quibble who cares? 
 this book is worth a million stars, and while i am sad to see the story end, and i will miss those characters, it is a satisfying ending, and i am eagerly waiting to see what mr mike mullin will write next.