Review: Great Read and Beautiful Photographs!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 5, 2013
This is the story of the eruption of Mt. Merapi, the most active volcano in Indonesia in early November, 2010.  It was a huge eruption that killed over 300 people, leveled villages and covered everything in volcanic ash.  Kate & Rudy lived in Balong which was in a "safe" zone i.e. thought to be far enough away from Mt Merapi and in a direction considered safe from any destruction.Kate and Rudy share the legend about how Merapi, the Mountain of Fire, was formed. One thing that interested me is that Indonesians consider volcanoes to be holy and so they focus on their beneficial effects rather than the destructive effects.  There are rituals and offerings to appease the spirit of the mountain.  There is a man who is appointed the spiritual gatekeeper.  Among other things he communicates with the spirit of the mountain and officiates at the annual ceremony to appease the spirit of the mountain and volcano.The main part of the book relates the frightening story of the eruption of Mt Merapi and the realization that their safe zone was no longer safe.  People closer to the crater were incinerated.  Others fled with almost nothing and ended up in camps set up by the government.  Many people showed great courage.  I was impressed by Rudy's determination to help others through this terrible event.  He went to the camps, befriended strangers and helped them when he could.  Kate's friends warned her to leave Balong and in the end she evacuated with her staff and dogs.  You'll have to read the book to find out how her adventure ended :) But parts of it are hair-raising!The other element of this book that intrigued me was the references to Merapi as "she" and Rudy's descriptions of her, almost as if he was describing a woman.  Merapi is not an inanimate mountain.  She is a being with a spirit.  This relationship between the Indonesian people and Merapi was really interesting.The story is riveting and well-written.  The photographs are spectacular. It's a Great read!