It is always night in the city of Ember. But there is no moon, no stars. The only light during the regular twelve hours of "day" comes from floodlamps that cast a yellowish glow over the streets of the city. Beyond are the pitch-black Unknown Regions, which no one has ever explored because an understanding of fire and electricity has been lost, and with it the idea of a Moveable Light. "Besides," they tell each other, "there is nowhere but here" Among the many other things the people of Ember have forgotten is their past and a direction for their future. For 250 years they have lived pleasantly, because there has been plenty of everything in the vast storerooms. But now there are more and more empty shelves--and more and more times when the lights flicker and go out, leaving them in terrifying blackness for long minutes. What will happen when the generator finally fails? Twelve-year-old Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet seem to be the only people who are worried. They have just been assigned their life jobs--Lina as a messenger, which leads her to knowledge of some unsettling secrets, and Doon as a Pipeworker, repairing the plumbing in the tunnels under the city where a river roars through the darkness. But when Lina finds a very old paper with enigmatic "Instructions for Egress," they use the advantages of their jobs to begin to puzzle out the frightening and dangerous way to the city of light of which Lina has dreamed. As they set out on their mission, the haunting setting and breathless action of this stunning first novel will have teens clamoring for a sequel. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell City of Ember is now a major motion picture (releasing in October 2008) starring Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, and many more. Enjoy these images from the film, and click the thumbnails to see a larger image in a new browser window.
My 12 year old son brought this book to me and said, "Mom, I think you would like this book. You should read it."
He and I generally don't have the same taste in books, but I politely took it, thanked him, and set it aside.
I had to take an airplane across the country last week so I stuck this book in my bag. I started reading and didn't want to stop. For a first book, Jeanne Duprau did a WONDERFUL job. This book made me FEEL something. It was a page turner and I felt genuine tension for the plot of the characters!!
I finished it and immediately had to order book 2. And I have to read it BEFORE I let my son read it. LOL.
I am a writer myself, and so I almost always can guess where a plot is heading when I read a book. But not this one. Kudos.
Great book, simple reading ( I think that is the most important thing about a book, simple to read and yet, fun and inspiring). I hope the movie about to be released stands next to the book itself. I went thru The City of Ember in less than a two days!!!(take out time with my children, work, etc.) If you want something light and fun to read then this is the book you're a looking for. Excellent story.
Light-bulbs light the City of Ember, it's a dark city, where the sky is always black. No sun, no moon, no stars. This life is all the residents of Ember have ever known, artificial light, which recently has begun to flicker....
This is the premise of the 2003 novel by Jeanne Duprau, a dark book about two children, Lina and Doon who grow up in the ever growing dread that the cities lights will go out, ending the lives of all who live there. One dat Line makes a discovery, she find a box, holding a paper with instructions to make it out of the city. Unfortunately, her younger sister rips the paper apart, provoking Lina to handle the task of piecing the paper back together and, with the help of Doon, decipher it's meaning.
"The City of Ember" could rightfully be called a masterpiece of young adults literature. Instead of doing a story about children from the streets of New York or about a U.S. Presidents rise to success, she instead decides on a completely new idea for teens to think about, instead of reading a "Don't do drugs" or "Be successful" book.
"Ember" tackles concepts such as the end of the world, human reaction to crisis and bravery in the face of ever looming doom. I highly recommend this book to anyone, no matter what the age or beliefs, this is a must read book.
