Jeanne DuPrau's debut was absolutely exciting. She has concocted a great plot and a strong message for readers of this fantastic novel. Her writing was clear and refreshing, and her characters were wonderfully original. I enjoyed this book quite a bit and was left craving the next in the series. The cliffhanger ending was stunning.


The City of Ember was essentially built as a giant fallout shelter. Once, many years ago, the world underwent a dramatic disaster, presumably a war. The Builders who constructed Ember believed that the entire human populace would be wiped out during this catastrophe, and decided to construct a way to preserve some portion of humanity. So the City of Ember was constructed, a settlement buried deep underground in a giant cave, where hopefully it would survive the after-effects of a cataclysmic war.


Ember was supplied by the Builders with a massive hydro-electric generator that was capable of powering the entire city with lights, running water, and other conveniences. An abundance of canned food and other goods filled the impressive storerooms beneath the city, where it seemed it would never be depleted. The Emberites could live there almost forever. . . . Until their food begins to run out or the lights start to flicker.


Overall, the entire book was enthralling. From the very beginning, the novel had me captured. It is a very quick read, in part due to it's size and also because you can't put it down until you are finished. Besides an exciting and fast-paced adventure, The City of Ember also has a very clear and powerful moral: Greed can only ever harm yourself and others. This is a fantastic read for kids and adults alike.