| “Wouldn't it be strange, she thought, to have a blue sky? But she liked the way it looked. It would be beautiful—a blue sky.” —Lina, The City of Ember |
The sky is always black in the city of Ember. No stars or moon. No planes. The only light that shines in the world are the light bulbs found in homes, office buildings and street lamps. But the city is running out of bulbs. And worse, the lights are starting to flicker. No one seems to care or know what to do. Except for two teenagers.
On Assignment Day, the day when the children of Ember choose their lifetime jobs out of a hat, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow secretly decide to trade. Doon wants Lina's position as a mechanic, repairing the old leaky infrastructure of pipes that connect the city via underground tunnels. And Lina wants to stay above ground as a runner, delivering messages and packages all day in order to explore every nook and cranny of the city—and all its secrets.
On Assignment Day, the day when the children of Ember choose their lifetime jobs out of a hat, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow secretly decide to trade. Doon wants Lina's position as a mechanic, repairing the old leaky infrastructure of pipes that connect the city via underground tunnels. And Lina wants to stay above ground as a runner, delivering messages and packages all day in order to explore every nook and cranny of the city—and all its secrets.
WHY I LOVE IT
I first read The City of Ember when I was thirteen. The mystery story set in a dystopian city grabbed me from the first chapter. I love the world-building elements—and how they're detailed, but without slowing down the adventure of the two protagonists. I've re-read it a few times over the 15 years since then and just realized that it's now book 1 of a 4-part series! Will dive in and report back. [JG]
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeanne DuPrau is the author of the Ember series and Car Trouble.
She lives in Menlo Park, California.
She lives in Menlo Park, California.
| “The main thing to do is pay attention. Pay close attention to everything, notice what no one else notices. Then you'll know what no one else knows, and that's always useful.” Jeanne DuPrau, The City of Ember |
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