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The City of Ember Book Review

Reviewed by on Jan 22, 2009
Rating: 5 Star Rating

The underground city of Ember is facing a blackout. Can two brave kids find the escape route before the entire city is plunged in darkness? Check out The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau.

Author: Jeanne Duprau

The underground city of Ember is facing a blackout. Can two brave kids find the escape route before the entire city is plunged in darkness? Check out The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau.

The Underground City

Over 200 years ago, the world was facing an apocalypse. A group of builders constructed an underground city called Ember as a safe haven for a few hundred people. The citizens of Ember lived in complete darkness except for the electric lamps that lit the streets by day. They lived off the stockpiles of food and supplies left behind by the builders.

The Blackout

But now as Ember’s supplies dwindle, food, plain paper and colored pencils are becoming expensive luxuries. The generator that controls the city’s electricity is failing and the lights are starting to flicker. Soon the lamps will go out forever, leaving the city in complete darkness.


The Secret Message

Lina and her friend Doon find the remains of an ancient message left by the city’s builders. The message, now torn to pieces, once held the secret to escaping Ember. Refusing to let their families die in the darkened city, Lina and Doon work together to decipher the message. They soon discover that the way out has been right before their eyes. The kids lead the entire city out into a brand new world—a world with so much light, they can’t believe their eyes.


The Bottom Line

The City of Ember is a true science fiction adventure. The characters come alive as they fight the clock to escape their dying city. This is the first of four books in the Ember series, which includes The People of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood and The Diamond of Darkhold.

The movie adaptation of The City of Ember hit the big screen in October of 2008. Saorise Ronan, a 14 year old rising star, played Lina alongside her 24 year old costar Harry Treadway (who played Doon). Funny man Bill Murray also starred as Mayor Cole. Check out The City of Ember movie, now available of DVD.


The City of Ember Rating:5


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