I enjoyed reading this book, but something about Alex's voice (and the author's voice) was inauthentic at times. At one positing, for example, he says that he didn't watch someone pee because he's "not that pervy". I don't know many 16 year old boys but I doubt they would use the word pervy. Also, at one point Alex and some friends are attacked by a group of three men. The men are so covered with ash that Alex can't tell what they look like. One of the attackers shouts "Get that peckerwood!" Really? We're using the word peckerwood unironically in 2011? There are other moments and word choices that struck me as strange, but I've already returned the book.Unlike most books, I actually liked the love story. It made sense to me. There were some very tense moments where, like Alex, I was disappointed in humanity. I'm curious to see what happens in the next book.