The prophet of Yonwood

I have been a fan of the Books of Ember series ever since I opened Jeanne Duprau 's debut for the first time. But after reading the third installment, The Prophet of Yonwood, for the second, I truly understand the wisdom she was trying to impart through her books. To understand what I am trying to say, I guess you would have to read it for yourself. I wouldn't want to give any spoilers away. ;-) The prequel to The City of Ember is a truly great read. Besides describing the adventures of a young girl named Nickie, The Prophet of Yonwood has several pretty great moral statements.


The setting of the story is present-day (maybe a few decades into the future) in Yonwood, North Carolina, a small town in the United States. The book begins with a respected citizen of Yonwood, Althea Tower, having an apocalyptic vision, in which she envisions a future filled with explosions, fire, and violence. Althea Tower is named a Prophet by the town members, and the residents of Yonwood are struck by terror at the face of such a bleak future (especially with their country on the brink of a war). Yonwood tries to better itself in the name of God so that they may be spared this prophesied future. A few months later, Nickie, the protagonist of the story, and her aunt, Crystal, arrive in Yonwood planning to sell Nickie’s great-grandfather’s house, named Greenhaven. The story tells of how Nickie attemps to accomplish 3 inner goals, and of how she and Yonwood react to each other.


Many of the themes in Jeanne DuPrau’s earlier books are also present in The Prophet of Yonwood, with a few new additions as well. The characters and plot are excellently built. All the characters are believable and quirky and the plot is easy to follow and is very interesting.



In addition to delivering a fantastic story, Jeanne DuPrau has also presented quite a few moral themes in The Prophet of Yonwood. Throughout the book, she offers themes such as utopias, choice of trusts and sacrifice, true love, and life in general. Although she addresses many deep and philosophical topics, she does not disrupt the easy flow of the book. Adults and children both can enjoy this great read. I certainly did. :)