The City of Ember

Rating:
Summary: Brillance in the Dark
Review: "The City of Ember" is - pardon me - a shining read. Jeanne DuPrau's talent at making the words come alive is unique and deciptively simple, an incredible patchwork of words and stories and unbelieveable ideas. DuPrau paints the picture of a dark city, lit only by the faulty, failing lights, which are in turn powered by a generator. The two main characters of the story, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, are quite the oppitisites, but they attract once the story gets rolling. Both are determined to save Ember from the encroaching darkness that threatans to surround them if the power goes out forever, but their honest efforts are thwarted by a greedy mayor and his henchmen. "The City of Ember" could not be perfect, as it already is. The concept of the black city gives you the chills and the thrills, and you can't put it down: I read it in half a day. The sequel is said to be coming out in May 2004; as I write this it is April 30th. I cannot breathe with anticipation: "The People of Sparks," "City of Ember"s sequel, shall certianly hold my attention for a day: for that's as long as it'll take me to read it.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good Start
Review: Although I really liked the concept of this story, I was somewhat disappointed by the characters which seemed rather dry and underdeveloped. The dialog just struck me as being rather bland and trite. I was also hoping for a greater level of character detail, more like what was given to the city itself. This lack of depth somewhat prevented me from emotionally investing myself in the plight of Lina; at least not to the extent of, for instance, Lyra of Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. That said, I still found it to be an enjoyable read with an imaginative concept. The City of Ember is a promising beginning and I look forward to an even better, richer sequel.

Rating:
Summary: A must read for middle school students!
Review: As a middle school reading teacher I am always looking for interesting books that might stimulate my reluctant readers. The City of Ember does just that. It is so well written and keeps the reader engaged in the story so well that most students read the book within one to two days. When I read the book I was frustrated with the ending until I read that there will be another book to continue the story. I look forward to getting the next book in May. This book is awesome and deserves much praise.

Rating:
Summary: Excellente (yes, with an e!! As in Spanish...)
Review: City of Ember. Ah. Brings back fond memories. From long ago. Just like a few weeks ago, as I was sitting and finishing the book, grinning in pure joy at the ending. Yes that's right, The City of Ember trapped me in and didn't let me out until that last, final, reassuring Happily Ever After. Buy this book, you'll be happy!

PS- Raise you hand if you like low-tech future books!
-Cricket Noise-
Well, me! I do! So, also, go buy the Giver, and Gathering Blue. And this. Okay. Thank you.
And somebody please shut up those crickets.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but...
Review: I enjoyed this book. It's short, moves quickly and has a fascinating, original premise. The characters are a little iffy though and the characterisation shallow. My other problem was the lack of tension. We know from the start what Ember is and what the children are going to find. I'm not sure why the author gave away so much of the story up front. It's a welcome relief from magic, dragons and all the rest though.

Rating:
Summary: great read for kids and adults
Review: I just finished City of Ember and I was amazed at how good it was. I've been reading science fiction and fantasy my whole life and was still very impressed with this good read. I picked this up because of the appealing cover design as a gift for my nephew. I thought I'd read a little to see if it was interesting. I read half the book that night and the rest the next day. If you like Harry Potter or John Christopher's Tripods series you will definetely like City of Ember. The book moves along very quickly and smoothly with engaging characters. The solutions that the characters find to the (clever plot device) shreddded instruction sheet puzzle keeps you turning back to page 94 to check and double check your own guesses. Although this is the first book in a series(?)it has enough closure at the end that you feel fulfilled and don't feel cheated. I'm looking forward to the sequel to this very satisfying read.

Rating:
Summary: The lost civilazation
Review: I like this book because it makes us think about the future, that if we don't watch the human population there will be no place on earth for any of us. Also, if we don't take care of the Earth no one will and that's why these people had to live underground in order to save human kind.
I think that Doon is a very intelligent kid and in our times we would of called him a nerd, because he was always studyng his insects and trying to figure out ways to make things better.
Lina is the type of girl that is very happy all the time and very energetic and has something in mind all the time and has alot of imagination. She is always drawing and imagining the new city. She is very responsible for her age. She is only twelve and takes care of her little sister.
what I don't get is why the builders don't want the next generation to know where they came from and why they want to lose track of the past. Was it that bad what they had done to the earth? It would of been really helpful to know where the people came from and, it would have been easier to find the exit to Ember because even if they get the note that they threw from above the city they might think it is only a joke. Another thing is why did the buiders use motor boats? Was it because they thought that the people weren't going to figure out how to use them or maybe by the time that they were going to need them the motors would to be too old to use? Anyway, I liked the ending and I'll be waiting for the sequal to see what happens to the people of Ember.

Rating:
Summary: I love this book!
Review: I read it and I thought it was great! It reminded me a bit of The Giver, Gathering Blue and Messenger by Lois Lowry only ten times better! I loved it. I liked how the plot fit together. How the mayor was greedy, just like Lina's grandfather. How everything was planned out. I really hope that Doon and Lina get married some day, and I'd like a sequal, though I don't think it would be as good as this book is. I'd like to know if Doon and Lina found anyone in their new home. Certainly, if there was a sequal, that would answer alot of questions that I have...Good questions, of course =)

Rating:
Summary: A great read!
Review: I read lots of children's and YA books. I could not stop reading this one. The idea of a world only lit by electric light was so intriguing. This book is going to be very popular with sci-fi/fantasy readers. Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet are twelve years old and have just finished their education. Now they must work for the good of the city of Ember. They begin working in their new jobs, Doon in the pipeworks under the city and Lina, as a messenger. Something is going on in their city though. Why isn't anyone else worried? Why is the city experiencing terrifying blackouts? What can two kids do to save their people? A mysterious message, danger, greed, corruption...the kids are terrific characters. I am looking forward to the sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome book!!
Review: I read this book in a few hours!! Doon and whatever her name is live in a city lit by lights. Their knowledge is very small compared to us. They eat only canned food from the storage rooms the builders gave them. The builders r the ones they call who built this city. The kids go to school until the age of 12 then they get a job. Doon gets messenger which lina wanted , but she got pipeworks, one of the worst jobs to her. They end up trading and discover important papers written long, long ago. Doon and lina start to figuring out the way out of the city.