First, it is impotant to know that I am not an avid fan of fantasy. I have always shied away from it at libraries and bookstores. Whenever I have been forced to read fantastical novels, by either professors or presuassive friends, I have enjoyed the various selections. I believe that certain fantasy can help shed light on our contemporary society by describing an entirely fictional civilization. Sometimes, it is easier to see the faults in our own society through the eyes of a fantastic world. However, there are the other kinds of fantasy that may make the average novel reader uncomfortable or perplexed. It is for this reason that I have kept away from this genre. Yet, both of these challenges have thrown me to the wolves!

The City of Ember is the story of a city that is lit entirely by artificial light through light bulbs. In the first chapter, the reader is told that the city was built by the Builders and was expected to be in use for only 200 years. At the end of 200 years, a metal box holding instructions on how to evacuate from the city will open and all of the citzens will be led to another city. However, the metal box was misplaced over the years and never found.

The tale begins in the year 240 when the lights in the city are beginning to flicker and the citizens are experiencing blackouts in which the lights would go out for various periods of time. In addition, there are food shortages across the city and there seem to be some unethical affairs happening within Ember's government. Eventually, the two main characters in the novel find the remnants of the instructions and must piece together the clues on how to evacuate the city.

For a non-fantasy reader, I found this book to be perfect! One of the problems that I have with fantasy books is that the names in the novels are complicated and hard to pronounce. However, all of the names in this book are very simple. In addition, the plot does not seem to be too far-fetched. There was no magic, enchanted items, or supernatural powers. Instead, the story focused more on the characters and the puzzles that they encountered. Despite the fact that it is a young adult novel, I found both the plot and the characters to be very compelling and realistic.

I would highly recommend this story to anyone who is timid about plunging into the overwhelmingly large amount of fantasy novels. In addition, I would suggest this to readers who enjoy dystopian novels such as Brave New World or 1984 but want a more simplistic novel. For those who enjoyed reading The Giver when they were younger, the City of Ember will certainly bring you back to those days. Lastly, the City of Ember is in fact part of a four book series that include People of the Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood, and the Diamond of Darkhood. I will also read People of the Sparks as part of both of these challenges. ( )

The City of Ember's blackouts are getting longer and it's up to Lina and Doon to figure out how to save everyone.
The question of what the human race is going to do when the world ends has interested dozens of writers. This book is another example of the genre, bit it takes everything one step further. It's the story of what to do when the world after the world ends is ending. The author's underground world is very detailed, especially the culture of saving and reusing everything again and again and again. Otherwise, it reads as a treasure hunt with the lead characters trying to decipher clues and follow the trail to a new life. It's a well-written treasure hunt, though. It also never gets preachy about what exactly happened to cause Ember to be built. The book leaves it to the reader to wonder exactly what happened.
This is a great book for middle school to high school, although high-level elementary school readers might also enjoy it. ( )

Science Fiction, 6th, Smiley Face ( )

I liked this okay enough, but it didn't send me rushing out to buy the sequel. I had a bit of trouble picturing the world, and just how high up its floodlights reached, which is a silly complaint, I know. Perhaps it was the two main characters that didn't grip me enough. Perhaps I'll re-read it one day and revise my review... ( )

Kearsten says: This is one of those books about which I'd heard great things, but never got around to checking out. Now that it's being made (or has been?) into a movie, I figured it was time. And, wow, do I wish I'd tried it out sooner! It's fascinating, fast-paced and a bit creepy - which are all things I dig - though I also very much liked the two protagonists, Lina and Doon. Yes, it does end on a MAJOR cliff-hanger, it manages to both resolve one storyline while compelling you to read the next in the series in order to follow the *next* story. A great read! (And guess what book I'm immediately going to put on hold?) ( )

From HW Wilson:

Del Negro, Janice. M. "The City of Ember (Book Review)." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. vol.57: 1 (2003) 24 Sept. 2009

(http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.login.ez...) ( )

This book was phenominal. Jeanne Duprau created an underground city named Ember. There is a mayor, jobs, and stores, just like a normal town. Except for the fact that its inhabitants don't realize theres also an outside to the Earth. Fortunately, Doon and Lina, friends in the city, find a scrap of paper while cleaning out Lina's dead grandmothers house, with directions on how to leave the town -- right as the power's about to go out too.

Read this book, if your looking for something to read, as it will keep you hooked all the way to the end. ( )

This is a young-adult, alternate history/dystopia. Ember’s lights are failing, threatening to plunge the city into eternal darkness. For as dark as that sounds, it is not bleak. The character of Lina in particular was endearing. I found myself rooting for her and sailed along on she and Doon’s adventures. Not great overall but definitely entertaining. ( )

Alternate world / post-apocalyptic adventure for about age 11+. At age 12, Lina and Doon have both completed their schooling and begin their fist jobs. Each begins to discover alarming things about their home, Ember. Together they stumble onto a journey to save a city that literally is falling apart.

City of Ember was an amazing book. it kept me hooked the wole time. i loved trying to solve the mystery myself and i never wanted to put the book down. the characters are interesting. i recommend this book to anyone in the mood for a great book. ( )

Doon and Lina have grown up in the City of Ember and now that they are 12 they are graduating from school to working members of the population. Doon wants a job that will allow him to save Ember as he knows his home is in grave danger, proven by the ever increasing blackouts and shortage of basic food and supplies. Lina wants to be a messenger, racing through the city she loves and exploring every nick and cranny. When Doon and Lina choose their jobs, fate grants each the job the other wants but soon none of this will matter, for age and corruption are ruining the city that they both love and soon all that matters is finding a way to save their people.

This was a very interesting and unique adventure that I believe seeks to inspire curiosity and urge children to find ways to save their world. For such a noble ideal it does not feel like a preachy tale and I greatly enjoyed it. The City of Ember was deftly described and the characters were well drawn. I'm very curious to find out what happened to the world that drove the founders of Ember deep underground and will probably pick up the sequel. ( )

For its target young audience, I think this book works very well: the story is imaginative but also simple and straight-forwardly told. For adults, it's hard to judge on its merits having seen the movie first. The movie is very well done, and very richly imagined, with details that aren't in the book, and additional elements in the plot. The book puts more emphasis, understandably, on the issues of shortage and consumerism... it is not heavy-handed in this at all, but to an adult it pretty clearly drawn parable about how our society is dealing with declining resources, including a criticism of a faith-based 'it will all be ok' approach. Overall the story is well-told and entertaining. ( )

http://thebookwormslibrary.com/?p=638... ( )

An underground city was built to save the human race. It was to last 200 years ... Now that time is up, who knows what will happen next.

I found that "The city of Ember " was a great and interesting book, and found that I got quite addicted to the book and kept reading for hours on end. "The city of Ember" has a superior storyboard and a great plot and I really enjoyed the book.

I would recommend this book for young adults as it is easily read and would give it a 4/5.

By Ryan Larsen

One of the best things about The City of Ember is its versatility among age groups. It can be enjoyed by the young readers (8+) it was intended for and also by more adult audiences. When I first read it as a preteen, I appreciated the story as a great fantastical adventure. If you take the story at face value, any 12 year old would be amazed by and envious of the adventures and mysteries that befall Lina and Doon. The language and vocabulary of the book are easily read and understood by the preteen group. But when I read it again, now that I am older, I can understand it as a different story: it is a sort of social commentary about wastefulness, different civilizations, and the prospect of the future. It's not about frivolous adventures of middle-schoolers, but rather an example of young people trying to affect change in their community for the better, where there looks to be little to no hope. This could very easily be related to our current societal situation.

I was very excited to hear about the movie version of The City of Ember, especially since I have been a fan of this book for so long. The movie did an adequate job of depicting the story, but more of the adventurous aspects, and not really the undertones of social commentary that I picked up on from the book. I didn't think that the movie "ruined" the book, but it didn't do much to enhance it, though individuals who have never read the book would probably enjoy it for purely entertainment value. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone, but as a separate entity from the movie. ( )

"The City of Ember" is a gentle and nonviolent introduction to the genre of dystopian science fiction that's recommended for 9-12 year olds. Part adventure and part mystery, the story follows the young heroine and her friend as they discover the secrets of their small underground world just as their preteen readers are discovering the secrets of their own "real" world. The adults are myopic and resigned to their fates, while the kid's energy and curiosity lead them to seek truth and find hope. Adventure comes from having to outmaneuver the entrenched authorities while solving the mystery of Ember's deterioration.Note: There is an important word puzzle involved so I'd advise having a print copy or the CD case handy for reference. It's not all that complicated but just listening without seeing is rather boring.I'm obliged to Eric for his fine review of "The City of Ember." The book suggests ideas that he articulates better than I could and I totally missed the, now obvious, connection with Plato's Cave. ( )

"The City of Ember" is a gentle and nonviolent introduction to the genre of dystopian science fiction that's recommended for 9-12 year olds. Part adventure and part mystery, the story follows the young heroine and her friend as they discover the secrets of their small underground world just as their preteen readers are discovering the secrets of their own "real" world. The adults are myopic and resigned to their fates, while the kid's energy and curiosity lead them to seek truth and find hope. Adventure comes from having to outmaneuver the entrenched authorities while solving the mystery of Ember's deterioration.Note: There is an important word puzzle involved so I'd advise having a print copy or the CD case handy for reference. It's not all that complicated but just listening without seeing is rather boring.I'm obliged to Eric for his fine review of "The City of Ember." The book suggests ideas that he articulates better than I could and I totally missed the, now obvious, connection with Plato's Cave. ( )

It’s certainly a very different world. Ember is a dying city where blackouts happen frequently and no one has ever ventured into “Unknown Regions” because it’s all darkness and there’s no such thing as portable light. It’s hard to describe the city but it’s one where everything seems to be recycled. Even scrap wood parts and pieces of yarn because they have a limited amount of supplies and it’s dwindling fast (pencil crayons go for premium here!). It’s certainly hard to imagine a city such as this where they don’t even know what candles are (you’ll see if you read this book).

There’s a lot of mystery and unanswered questions, naturally as this is the first book. However I think it’s a great buildup of action and intrigue that makes it a great fast read. It’s certainly a quick one, as I started last Sunday and haven’t picked it up until today and finished it all. It certainly was interesting enough to go through an entire evening reading. I think it’s because the setting is different and there’s enough plot to keep your interested. The characters are likable enough as the two main ones (Lina and Doon are very outspoken and individualistic which makes them stand out from the rest of them). I think it’s rather nice to just have two central characters in this book, too many would have ruined it and would have made things all muddle and confusing.

Be sure to pick this book up if you’re into something different! ( )

A really good book, so good that the day after I read it, I went to the library to get the sequal. ( )

love this book. the charaters are fantabulous. they really bring the book to life. it's like your s charater in the book watching it all unfold right in front of you.

This was utterly charming – bright and vivid in its utter dreariness! Quite clearly a series so look forward to buying and reading the next one to find out what happens after the kids throw the note… ( )

good read

Wonderful book for the imaginative mind. The "Voice of Youth Advocated" refers to the piece as "science fiction for those who do not like science fiction" and completely and utterly correct in such a statement. I generally do not enjoy science fiction, but "The City of Ember" is entirely relatable to our own society.
Ever have the feeling that our world might be living in total oblivion? If, so you might relate to the city of Ember.
Oh yes, also a great read for grades 4-7. Its creativity will surely catch their attention.

Richie's Picks: THE CITY OF EMBER by Jeanne DuPrau, Random House, May 2003

THE CITY OF EMBER is a post-apocalyptic page turner in which two twelve
year-olds, Lina and Doon, uncover vital clues to escaping the rapidly
deteriorating subterranean civilization which they and previous generations
have inhabited for more than two hundred years.

Disintegration of the crucial infrastructure, depletion of the finite and
over-recycled resources, hints of impending crop failure, and widespread
corruption by those in power have together eroded the underpinnings of the
City. Every time the municipal generator breaks down, plunging Ember into
utter blackness, the inhabitants hold their collective breaths--nobody
certain whether those responsible for nursing it along will succeed in
getting the generator started once again.

Also, what nobody seems to know--but what WE know from the Prologue--is that
The Builders of Ember have left instructions for their descendants to depart
The City two hundred years after its inception. Securing those instructions
in a time-locked strongbox and entrusting that box to the succession of
mayors, The Builders are long departed and the two twelve year-olds are still
generations in the future when a dying Mayor unfortunately misplaces that box
after unsuccessfully attempting to force it open.

THE CITY OF EMBER is a relatively simple read which is sure to unlock the
door to extraordinary discussions relevant to today's headlines regarding pow
er and corruption, fear, and war, as well as moral responsibilities and
relationships between siblings, neighbors, friends, and those of individuals
as part of a community. But most of all THE CITY OF EMBER is a thrilling and
mysterious tale of two great preteens finding their way in the world.

Jeanne DuPrau is at work on the sequel--I'll be waiting to hear more of the
story of Lina, Doon, and The City of Ember.

Richie Partington
http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy at aol.com ( )

DuPrau has created a fun story that unfolds itself mysteriously over the course of the book. The two main characters, Doon and Lina, are believable and I find myself empathizing with them and rooting for them early on and throughout the novel. Following them as they journey within their society during the major problems that Ember is having, watching them solve the puzzles and get out of Ember is fun and it’s an enjoyable read.

However, I’d like to wax for a moment about the willing suspension of disbelief that the text brings up. Aside from the fun and adventurous story, it’s difficult to believe that 240 years worth of human history will have gone by in Ember without anything changing. Just in the past 200 years of our own history, there have been astounding accomplishments made. Granted, the people of Ember only have so much education to build off of, but it’s surprising that the language would remain consistent, and that some people wouldn’t start to wonder over the years how everything works, why they are there, how they could make things better, etc.

At some level, I think the story would be more interesting to assume that many of these things would happen over the course of 240 years and incorporate them into the storyline. People are curious about the world around them by nature, and it would only be a matter of time before discoveries would be made. I would be interested to see a fictionalized account of the people of Ember and how they would change, what they would discover over the course of this time as a social representation of humanity. At the very least, someone would have discovered a way to make fire last longer than the time it takes to burn a plank of wood. All said and done, though, it’s a fun book and a quick read. I recommend it to all readers, focusing on the 8-12 reader range.

-Lindsey Miller, www.lindseyslibrary.com ( )