The City of Ember (Book of Ember #1)

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Author(s)

Jeanne DuPrau

Publisher

Random House

Genre(s)

Fantasy

Age Range

10+

Release Date

May 13, 2003

ISBN

0375822747

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Many hundreds of years ago, the city of Ember was created by the Builders to contain everything needed for human survival. It worked…but now the storerooms are almost out of food, crops are blighted, corruption is spreading through the city and worst of all—the lights are failing. Soon Ember could be engulfed by darkness….

But when two children, Lina and Doon, discover fragments of an ancient parchment, they begin to wonder if there could be a way out of Ember. Can they decipher the words from long ago and find a new future for everyone? Will the people of Ember listen to them?

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18 reviews

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4.6

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Beautiful! Absolutely engaging...

July 18, 2014

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5.0

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When I first picked the book up, I thought, "oh no, did I really just buy this?" BUT...
I opened it to find a map, which I thought was interesting. It actually came to really good use. Throughout the book,we hear of Lina and Doon going through these streets of Ember, and I just flicked back to the map whenever I felt intrigued to know. The two main character, Lina and Doon, are just so adorable. We see the story from both of their perspectives and watch as their separate lives intertwine from just going to school together to other adventurous journeys. I was so in love with the world building that Jeanne DuPrau has created because I got to see the citizens of Ember's struggles to cooperate with the fact the lights of Ember could go out at any time. They spend every day worrying and the book pushes the same worry onto the reader.
It's such a unique story that I think any reader would enjoy.
I also have to admit, I may have let a tear or two crawl out of my eye... There were sad parts, okay?!
I'm looking forward to endure in the next three books in this unforgettable adventure.

Curtis Top 500 Reviewer 3 reviews

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Great book

June 06, 2012

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5.0

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I think this book is a great idea.

The City of Ember is about people who live in absolute darkness, except for the streetlights and the lights in teh house, and they often go out. The people in the city wonder out that if in time the lights will go out forever.

Lina and her friend Doon are convinced that there is another world outside Ember and so, naturally, go out searching for it.

Some people may disagree, but I think that this book really is scarily realistic. We all know that the world is slowly running out of resources (i.e. electricity, gas, oil), and with Global Warming going on, who's to say that at some point it will get so hot, we will have to move underground? And then after that, what if the resources completely run dry, and we will be left in darkness... Kind of a depressing idea, but who's to say it won't happen?

Louisa Top 50 Reviewer 119 reviews

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Brilliant idea

June 06, 2012

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5.0

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I love this book, the concept of them living underground and them running out of light is just an amazing idea. It is such a realistic idea that I'm scared it may happen, please don't, I do not want to live under the ground for the rest of my life, it would be terrible!!!! At least you would grow used to it and all your claustrophobia will have to disappear.

This book is full of adventure and mystery that keeps you gripped in its clutches and only lets you go when you have finished the book. I think the characters are beautifully written, with well defined personalities that makes you love them! I think Lina was my favorite, because she... well that would spoil the story!

Casog Top 50 Reviewer 260 reviews

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Great Book!!!

March 01, 2010

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by Kendall

The City Of Ember is a dark place where there is no light except for the streetlights and homes, but they often go out. The people of the City of Ember are always wondering if that in time the lights will go out forever. A 12 year old girl named Lina has always thought that there is another world outside of Ember so she and her friend Doon decide to go out on a journey to find the other city.

I wound recomnend this book to anyone that likes to read about adventure and mystery!

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An Eerie New World for Dystopia Fans

September 07, 2009

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by Misty

City of Ember is about a colony of people who live in the year 241.
Their small city is on the verge of disaster: supplies are running out
and they may be loding power. If the lights go out they will be plunged
into absolute darkness and be unable to survive. Lina and Doon, two 12
year olds recently placed in jobs (Lina as a Messenger, Doon in the
Pipeworks) set about rescuing the city of Ember.

I got sucked into this book much quicker than I thought I was going
to, and even though some things were predictable, and some of the
"messages" were a bit too heavy-handed for me, all in all it was really
entertaining and a great book for the age group. The tension remains pretty taut through out the story, and even where the story becomes predictable, it is still told well. There are a few others
in the series (The People of Sparks is #2), which City of Ember has me
eager to read. I am very curious to know how the characters' story is continued, and how they continue to confront their new understanding of their world.

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Cool but Unreal Story

February 08, 2009

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5.0

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Reader reviewed by Kelmo

I thought this book was phenomenal! Lina and Doon were linked from the start! That's what I loved about this story. They stuck together through the end! I really like stories like this because they make you hungry to read more! I recommend this book to EVERYBODY!

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Interesting Concept...

January 01, 2009

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by KitKat

I, personally, enjoyed this book. My best friend hated it. It is a bit on the dry side, not exactly heart-stopping action, but it still has a nicely paced plot, believable characters, and an interesting premise. This is definitly a book that will appeal to a few people but bore a few also... read it and decide for yourself.

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Enjoyable for any age

November 14, 2008

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5.0

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Reader reviewed by Nic

The city of Ember was always a prosperous city, with seemingly endless supplies and a reliable generator that keeps the city lit during the day. However, after 200 years or so, the supplies are running low and the lights are beginning to fail. Lina Mayfleet, a young messenger, makes a startling discovery that just may be the key to saving her city.

The city of Ember is a peaceful totalitarian society, where residents are assigned jobs and everyone works for the good of the city. As the government's corruption is revealed and the people start to panic, the once-utopia falls under a sinister shadow.

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Very Interesting

November 12, 2008

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by Cara

The City of Ember is place where all the lights go out at 9 each night, everyone rises early for breakfast, and recycling is a way of life. Lately though, the lights have begun flickering. Supplies are getting shorter and some foods are no longer available.

Until their 12th year, the children of the City of Ember go to school. But at the end of that year, they are assigned the jobs they will do for years after, perhaps to the end of their lives. Lina yearns to be a Messenger, running free in the streets, learning the secrets of the city. Doon wants desperately to be an electrician's assistant or a pipeworker, because he dreams of fixing the ancient, failing generators of the city.

When each receives the assignment the other wants, they switch jobs, and begin a conspiracy that will not end until they learn how to save the entire city. Along the way, they solve an ancient puzzle, defeat the greed and subterfuge of the Mayor and his minions, and discover a much wider world than either had ever dreamed existed.

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Pretty Good

November 08, 2008

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by Dede

This book is a pretty good imaginative tale. The City of Ember is crumbling and dying. The book follows Doon, who is a mechanically inclined 12 year old and Lina, who is a free spirited girl. On assignment day for the city, Doon gets messenger and Lina gets Pipeworks worker. Each wants the job of the other and they switch. When Ember was made, the builders left instructions for what to do when the city started breaking down and left it in a box that would open only when it was time. Lina's grandma finds the box and Lina's little sister Poppy chews on the instructions before Lina gets them from her. Lina and Doon team up with half eaten instructions to figure out what they need to do. They do eventually get it, and have to leave together before telling anyone what they have found, due to a corrupt mayor trying to stop them. So Lina, Doon and Poppy face the adventure by themselves and learn of a place that was beyond their imagination.

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