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For over two hundred years, the citizens of Ember have lived in darkness, save for the great lamps and flood lights that illuminate the city by day. But now, the lights are flickering and blackouts are occurring more often. The buildings are crumbling and the stockpiles of food and supplies are scarce. Sooner or later, this deflating city will face eternal darkness.
Eleven-year-old Lina finds the remains of an ancient message that was feared lost long ago. The message, left by the Builders of Ember, contains the instructions to save the city. With the threat of eternal darkness looming, Lina and her friend Doon work together to decipher the message. In doing so, they discover the secrets of why and how Ember was built, and they learn that life exists outside of their darkened city—life beneath a bright blue sky.
Jeanne Duprau’s debut novel, The City of Ember, has all the elements of a great young-adult book. While typical of some adult sci-fi novels, the setting of a pitch-black city facing extinction is unique to the teen market. The adult nature of the setting, combined with the young, resourceful protagonists, makes this book appeal to a wide age range of readers.
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