Fantasy Review-THE CITY OF EMBER

1. Bibliography

DuPrau, Jeanne. 2003. The City of Ember. Maryland: Random House. ISBN 0375822739

2. Plot Summary

DuPrau tells a story of a future society that lives underground and is desperately dependent on quickly disappearing resources and a faltering electrical system. Although the reader is not sure of the catastrophe that drove mankind underground, the prologue explains that the "Builders" who created the safe haven left instructions for the people to return above ground after 220 years but the instructions were lost. This sets the scene for our protagonist, Lina Mayfleet, a young girl who lives in the city of Ember many years after the forgotten deadline has passed. As expected, the situation is dire with shortages of food and supplies, a deteriorating generator, and no hope in sight. Lina begins to piece together clues that lead her to the conclusion that there must be a way out of Ember. Along with her friend, Doon, Lina works against time to unravel the mystery in order to save the people of Ember and in the process, uncovers government corruption. Doon, Lina, and her baby sister Poppy find the way out and escape into a world of light. As they explore a cave, they look down a deep hole to see the distant lights of Ember beneath them. Doon writes a letter to his father with the instructions for leaving the city, ties it to a rock, and drops it down the hole in the hopes that the people of Ember will receive it and escape the city also. The story concludes with one of Lina's neighbors finding the letter and setting the way for the next book in the series.

3. Critical Analysis

Young people will be attracted to the strong character of the young protagonists in this book. Although they are young, Doon and Lina alone have the determination, bravery, and curiosity to acknowledge the impending danger and search for answers. The adults in the story range from corrupt government officials, to citizens who refuse to accept the situation, to adults who practice a "religion" that believes that the "Builders" are going to come and save the city. Whether they are kind or cruel, the underlying message is that they are powerless. That theme is evidenced further by the fact that Lina's parents are dead and her grandmother, their only caretaker, has grown feeble of mind and dies in the course of the story, leaving Lina and her sister to a kind neighbor. Lina portrays the struggle of a child with too many adult responsibilities. The children also win the morality test as Lina feels guilty and overcomes her selfish desires when she loses her sister while on a errand to find colored pencils for herself. In striking contrast, the mayor of the city, greedily and maliciously uses his power to create a personal stockpile of food and supplies for himself while others go hungry. The characters in the story are very believable and the dialogue is natural. Although the reader is in the dark about the specific disaster that led to the creation of Ember, the story of its origins are told via a diary page from one of the first settlers of Ember. The details are very well thought out and the pretense is believable. The description of this deteriorating city flooded in artificial light is very vivid and the reader can really get a feel for its citizens with their fear of black-outs and their society structure. The underlying theme is that you must be brave and search for answers instead of accepting the status quo. There is also a powerful metaphor of escaping small-minded human nature and corruption for a brand new world. This is brilliantly described as Lina and Doon watch their first sunrise after escaping from underground. Duprau captures the wonder of two children who have never seen the light of day. When Doon throws the message back to the imprisoned people of Ember, it is the perfect ending full of hope for a new day.

4. Review Excerpts

Kirkus Reviews "Well-paced, this contains a satisfying mystery, a breathtaking escape over rooftops in darkness, a harrowing journey into the unknown and cryptic messages for readers to decipher."

School Library Journal "DuPrau debuts with a promisingly competent variation on the tried-and-true "isolated city" theme... the quick pace and the uncomplicated characters and situations will keep voracious fans of the genre engaged."

Booklist "Readers will relate to Lina and Doon's resourcefulness and courage in the face of ominous odds."

Publisher's Weekly "Thanks to full-blooded characters every bit as compelling as the plot, Lina and Doon's search parallels the universal adolescent quest for answers. Readers will sit on the edge of their seats as each new truth comes to light. "

5. Connections

The Books of Ember

The Prophet of Yonwood-Prequel-ISBN 0440421241

The City of Ember

The People of Sparks ISBN 0375828257

The Diamond of Darkhold: the Fourth Book of Ember ISBN 0375855718