The City of Ember (Books of Ember)
by Jeanne DuPrau
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Book Reviews of The City of Ember (Books of Ember)
Book Review: The City of Ember
Summary: 3 Stars
The idea behind The City of Ember seems pretty straightforward. People are living in an underground city built by people 200 years prior to the telling of the story. There may have been some disaster, threat, or danger that forced people to go underground, and I figured all of this out from the prologue. Now, 200 years after the building of the city, the inhabitants have no clue about the world above. It is interesting to read about the different jobs and daily life in The City of Ember, and I did enjoy myself for about 150 pages. From there events became too predictable. As a story meant for children, I think this books excels. For an adult though, it is extremely simplistic, has a huge cliffhanger, and just isn't enough to satisfy. I would have liked multidimensional characters, more about the daily life of Ember, and a little more drama, action, and excitement. Another problem I had was that everything seemed to happen too easily for our heroes. A minor bump in the road was the extent of the danger they faced. Still, the book is enjoyable, the world is unique, and it definitely makes me want to continue the series, but I hoped for so much more. The beginning set the stage for an intriguing plot, but it turned out to be too simplistic. I had never heard about this book previously until I stumbled upon another book in the series at the library. I had never heard of the movie either. If you have never heard of this, definitely give it a try because it is unique, and I do think people of all ages can enjoy this. I know that if I was a kid I would have loved it, as it sits now it was just ok.Book Review: Seeing the Light
Summary: 5 Stars
The City of Ember is an unusual place. It has no sun or moon; only floodlights alleviate the darkness. It has no history--the townspeople only know that it was constructed by "the Builders" a few hundred years ago. And the people do not produce their own goods--they rely on what the Builders left for them in storerooms. But Ember has fallen on hard times--walls crumble, resources run low, and food has become scarce. Worst of all, the electrical system is failing and threatening to plunge the entire city into permanent darkness. Ember's citizens lack the knowledge to combat these problems, and their leader, the mayor, is not interested in finding solutions. Then twelve-year-old Lina Mayfleet stumbles on a forgotten message from the Builders that could help to save the city, but the message is incomplete. Enlisting the help of schoolmate Doon Harrow, Lina works to decipher the message before darkness falls permanently on the city.
In The City of Ember (Yearling, 2003), Jeanne DuPrau creates an intriguing world that prompts readers to wonder, what would it be like to live without fresh air or sunshine and without knowledge of anything beyond your own town? DuPrau's story of a civilization that is running out of resources could be read as a cautionary tale by conservationists, but more than that, it is an adventure and a mystery, an empowering story showing young people that they can make an enormous difference in their world.
Book Review: GMAN
Summary: 3 Stars
What would you do if your underground city was endangered of being in complete darkness? Would you take a friend and a family member or as many locals as possible and head for a new world? Well, that's exactly what Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow did in the story City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.
DuPrau's characters live in an underground world that threatens them complete darkness. Lina Mayfleet, an outgoing sort of athletic girl, and Doon Harrow, a shy sad boy, are trying to save Ember from complete darkness for Ember eternity. They go to the same school and in their situation are working together, to make it out of Ember safe and secure before they have their last visions of light.
DuPrau begins each chapter with action and realizations. This lets the reader imagine what's actually going on in each paragraph situation by situation. Doon and Lina start to like each other even more, and in each new setting, they find a new plan, that saves their lives little by little from darkness.
This book always leaves you thinking about what they are going to do. Readers 10-16 who enjoy mystical presequels like this one by Jeanne DuPrau will adore the feeling of Doon and Lina in City of Ember. You won't imagine what they are going through to not lose the sight of light.
- Gamare Hudson
Book Review: Kacey Margarita
Summary: 4 Stars
The City of Ember Yearling, 2003, 270 pp., $6.99
Jeanne Duprau ISBN 978-0-385-73628-2
In The City of Ember there is almost complete darkness. When the lights begin to flicker on and off, the citizens begin to worry. Will the lights shut off and never come back on again?
Lina, a 12 year old girl living with her confused grandmother and her little sister Poppy, is assigned to the job of pipe works labor. In the city of Ember at the age of 12 you are assigned a job that you must work for 3 years. Doon a classmate of Lina's gets the job of a messenger, which Lina wanted. Lina asks Doon if he would like to trade jobs. He agrees because Doon knows underground is where the generator is, and Doon has ideas about fixing it.
One day Lina came home to find her little sister Poppy chewing on a paper. It looked as if it were instruction to something. Will these instructions lead to a new discovery? Or will it just be an old paper of some sort.
I loved this book exciting book and how the author makes you feel like you're apart of the characters . Jeanne Duprau did an amazing job in this science fiction/ Fantasy book. Jeanne Duprau gave both Lina and Doon's point of view in the story. I would recommend this book to people ages 8-12.
Book Review: Although it was written for children it will be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good science fiction thriller.
Summary: 3 Stars
The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race for reasons unknown (perhaps a human holocaust). The town is is supposed to self destruct in 220 years. The "Builders" leave a set of instructions to get out of town with its mayor, but they are lost through the times.
Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina Mayfleet finds part of an ancient message that was held by her grandmother who was the daughter of one of the town mayors, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon Harrow must decipher the message. They both have seen the deterioration in Ember and believe that something must be done.
Inadvertently they discover that the mayor of town and a few corrupt people are hoarding supplies before the lights go out on Ember forever! As they try to tell to the authorities that the mayor is corrupt they find themselves being persecuted by the corrupt town administration and must flee for their lives to a place described in the secret box whose instructions they have managed to decipher.
This is the first of four books written for children by Jeanne Dupreau. Although it was written for children it will be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good science fiction thriller.