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The City of Ember (Books of Ember) | 
 enlarge | Author: Jeanne Duprau
Publisher: Yearling
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
Buy New: $3.05
You Save: $3.94 (56%)
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Rating:  425 reviews
Sales Rank: 710
Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.9
ISBN: 0385736282
EAN: 9780385736282
ASIN: 0385736282
Publication Date: August 26, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New and Factory Sealed Item Fast Shipping
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Amazon.com Review
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.
Product Description
NOW A MAJOR motion picture starring Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Saoirse Ronan, and Harry Treadaway! This tie-in edition of The City of Ember features a movie-art cover and an 8-page photo insert. Jeanne DuPrau’s instant classic tells the story of the great, underground city of Ember, designed as a last refuge for the human race. But when the storerooms run out of food and the lights begin to fail, it’s up to two teens, Lina and Doon, to decipher the fragments of an ancient parchment and find a way out of Ember.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 420 more reviews...
 A great city to explore December 4, 2008
I may not have heard about this book had it not picked up a movie deal. And yet, now that I've read it, I'm torn as to whether or not I want to see the movie. Not because it's a bad book/story...quite the contrary. I'm worried that it could get ruined. I bought a copy for my brother for his birthday and the new edition includes pix from the movie. One picture included captures Bill Murray as the mayor during one of the opening scenes. Seeing that picture redeemed my hope...I think he could probably do a good job pulling off the pretentious and condescending demeanor required for the role. Hopefully the rest of the cast does well and hopefully the departures from the text are for the best. The book itself was very simplistic and obviously a children's book (8-10 is target age I believe), and yet it explores deeper themes and presents the characters intriguing and mature conflicts.
Characters, Setting, etc
The central character in the story is Lina, a young girl living in a city of darkness and dreaming of a city of light. Her character is interesting and powerful. She's not overly audacious, but she does have an adventurous spirit and once actions really start unfolding, her courage shines through and she is willing to make the tough decisions to move forward.
The other main protagonist, Doon, is a more presumptuous character. It's not so much that he has more audacity than Lina, it's just that his is unbridled while hers is restrained. He is impetuous and quick to rush in while she is thoughtful and meticulous.
I think the two protagonists serve as a good counterpoint to one another and the author does a good job of using them to help show children the need to take risks and be brave while also being judicious and thoughtful before taking wild risks.
Most of the secondary characters get very little fleshing out. Even the mayor is kept at a distance, though we get good insight into his actions and thoughts, enough so we can establish him as a counteragent to our protagonists despite his authoritative stance and his claims of doing what's best for the people.
Having seen the preview for the movie, I was able to deduce the state of the City of Ember. Trying to block that out, I enjoyed the portrayal of the city and its existence. The descriptions of the layout of the city and the darkness beyond was well done. I loved the detail used to explain many of the simple things we take for granted in our world.
Plot, Pacing, etc
The plot itself wasn't anything revolutionary, but the details and the execution were intriguing. We have a city surrounded by darkness. Its only light is provided by a river water run generator pumping electricity into the city, but since nobody in the city really understands electricity or how the generator works, the city is in peril since the generator is obviously breaking down.
The quick paced style and simple language helped the story move along quickly and I see how it could definitely hold the attention of a younger reader. As an adult, I think I would have liked some more twists and turns in the adventure but since the audience is children, I think the overall complexity is good. (This is my main point of worry for the movie...because the plot itself is relatively simple, I'm worried that the movie makers may ruin things by adding unnecessary complexity to appease adults)
I thought an interesting thematic element was making vocabulary and language be part of the obstacle Lina and Doon face. As Lina initially begins trying to understand the instructions she's found, she has difficulty plugging in the right words just because she may not have the same vocabulary as the adult that originally wrote it. Audience is always very key when selecting the language used in writing. Once Lina and Doon progress on their journey, they find new objects they don't understand. Even though the objects are labeled, these common objects are foreign to the children and they find themselves confused as to their intent. I applaud the author's insight to incorporate this subtle narrative on the evolution of knowledge and language in her story.
Overall
As I mentioned, I think the pacing was great and would do a good job of keeping a younger reader interested and engaged to the end. As I saw the pages fall out from underneath me, I began to be VERY worried as I neared the end of the novel that there would not be a good stopping point. In fact, the last 10-20 pages of the book flew by and tied up a lot of the material nicely while at the same time leaving many questions left unanswered and ready for a sequel. In fact, I'm glad I read this book years after its release because I desperately want to know what happens next and I'm glad I could just go grab the sequel now rather than waiting for it to be written.
I think this story is intriguing and wholesome and provides a good mental playground for child readers. I think the characters are accessible and the adventure is fun. The themes of the story are subtle but it provides good messages about teamwork, planning, and working things through. It's definitely not an anti-adult novel, but it does provide children a method of escaping to a world where the children are the heroes and they know and do better than the adults, perhaps due to their youthful exuberance, curiosity and passion.
I'm looking forward to continuing with the series and seeing the movie.
3 solid stars
***
 Great book and it kept me reading. December 4, 2008
City of Ember has a mysterious start that makes you want to go straight to the third book, which is the prequel. DONT. All the events that occured made it much more exciting to read the book without knowing how they got there. A messege to decode, friendships ended and begun, and a city running out of supplies and electricity. A must read.
 The City of Ember December 3, 2008
Gripping is the word I would use for this fascinating story. Duprau brilliantly reflects a tale of two young friends, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, who live in an underground city called ember, which was built only to last 200 years. now, 43 years overdue, the city of Ember is aged and run-down. The supplies meant to last 200 years are diminishing and the precious electricity is beginning to fail. Then one day Lina finds a mysterious faded document called the Instructions to Egress. Will Lina and Doon Be able to solve the mystery of the instructions and save the Emberites? Or will their precious light go out for good consuming Ember in darkness?
This book is for anybody who thinks friendship and family are important, or for anybody who just likes a good adventure. Readers will be tearing themselves apart waiting to read more from Jeanne Duprau!
Although it was written for children it will be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good science fiction thriller. December 3, 2008
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.
My daughter will love it. December 1, 2008
I previewed this for my 9 year old daughter. I think she will really enjoy it. It was a unique and interesting story. The descriptions were vivid, and the characters were engaging. Plus, it will be interesting to discuss the idea of limited resources with her and how we can use the lessons of Ember to be better stewards and citizens of earth. Also, it was wonderful to have such young heroes, and to realize that you are never too young to make a difference.
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