About a month ago, I read highly acclaimed The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. It is the first book in the Ember series. The two main characters are Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow. The setting is in The City of Ember, an underground city.
In order for the human species to survive, “The Builders” built an underground city for the people to live in for about 200 years. Thy also built a small box with classified information with a timed lock on it set for 200 years. After completion of the city, the Builders give the first mayor of the city the locked box that was to be passed down from one mayor to the next. Unknown to the mayors who were to pass it down the line, the box was set to open after 200 years and provide instructions to the city’s inhabitants on how to return to the surface. For many generations the box was successfully passed down from one mayor to the next until the seventh mayor who, hoping that the box might contain a cure for the severe deadly cough that was infecting many citizens of the city at the time, takes the box home and tries to break it open. Unfortunately, he fails and dies before he puts it where it belongs or tells anyone. In the year 245, problems arise. Food is running low. The generator is on its last days. Blackouts are becoming longer and more common. On Assignment Day, like a graduation ceremony, Lina Mayfleet is wishing to be a messenger, and gets Pipeworks helper instead, and Doon Harrow, wants to work in the Generator because he knows how to fix and repair it to make it last longer. But Doon sadly gets messenger, and Doon and Lina switch jobs. Meanwhile, at Lina’s Apartment, her grandmother finds an old piece of paper. Sadly her little sister, Poppy, chewed the paper and now Lina can’t interpret it. Will she with the help of Doon interpret the old paper? Or will the lights go out on Ember forever?
I fell in love with this book because it was so well written. It got me so exited that i am now reading the whole series!!! The City of Ember is now my favorite book. It had so much adventure, and mystery. This book is simply amazing!
The City of Ember would spark the interest from fourth to eighth graders of both genders. This was an amazing book and I definitely think every one should read this. City of Ember is a must have!!! I would give City of Ember a 4.9 star rating.
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