Review - The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Publisher: Random House 2003
Hardback 270 pages


What would our world look like if we lived in darkness? No sky, no stars, no moon... only the glare of artificial light keeping the world around us illuminated? This is the world in which DuPrau takes us to in her debut novel The City of Ember.

Ember is created by a mysterious people refered to only as "the Builders" as a haven for humanity... a way to ensure that no matter the world outside, humanity will survive. The book takes us 241 years into the existance of the City of Ember where the generators that keep the city alive are slowly shutting down and the vast stores of food and supplies that have allowed the city to thrive are running out. Along come our heroes Lina and Doon. Both are twelve years old and on the brink of "adulthood" in Ember. At the end of their twelfth year they are given jobs as all people in Ember must work. For Doon this means a chance to show all of Ember his worth and intelligence as he works to try and fix the generators and thereby saving all of Ember. For Lina a job means a way to explore the city, to see sights that she has never seen before. As the city gets closer to the brink of colapse, Doon and Lina will soon find a mystery that will take all of their cunning as they fight not only against the corruption of Ember, but for the saftey and lives of all they hold dear.