Module 8 - The City of Ember

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Summary - The City of Ember is a post-modern tale about two young people, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, who live in a civilization that is rapidly going dark. When Lina and Doon are placed in their professions after finishing school at the age of 12, they soon discover that all is not well in the land of Ember, and that their homeland is quickly running out of supplies. Wanting to save their people, and thwart the activities of the corrupt Mayor Cole and his henchmen, Looper, Lina and Doon set out to discover the mystery behind a message left by "the Builders" and, hopefully, discover a brighter future for both themselves and their entire civilization.

Impressions - The City of Ember can be seen as a children's version of 1984 with more hope and heart. Lina and Doon are interesting and relatable characters caught in unique circumstances in a fantastical, but realistic, world which will draw children in and leave them asking for more. The text is simple and active, but the themes explored - social order, personal integrity, the search for meaning in life - are deep and powerful, and cause the reader to seek more of the story (taken care of in the novel's sequels) and examine the world around them and their place in it. The adventure portion of the book (the journey out of Ember) is less focused on than the reasons and feelings behind the need for the journey (which is a pleasant change from more adventure for the sake of adventure children's books), although it, and the events leading to it, are exciting enough to draw in less avid readers. Many children will overlook the dystopian elements of the story, but Lina and Doon are sympathetic characters and many children will relate to Lina's outgoing personality and/or Doon's introversion. The family elements in the book, the acceptance of Lina as an orphan responsible for raising her sister Poppy (with her increasingly senile Grandmother) and Doon in a loving, but motherless, household, as common and expected (in the City) situations are realistic and treated with sincerity, but not overly dramatized, allowing children to experience them without scorn or insincere sympathy which is both refreshing and cathartic. The eventual emergence of the outlaws into the world above is redemptive in nature and gives the reader a positive outlook for the characters and Ember - wherein difficulties can be overcome, futures can be changed, and individual effort can make the word a better place for everyone.

Reviews - In their review on blogcritic.org(1), blogger "DrPat" outlines their expectations with a simple idea "When I read children's literature, I look for more than a tale well told." Extolling the virtues of courage, friendship, and perseverance, Dr. Pat points to The City of Ember as a story which allows children to see the best qualities to aspire to and a well crafted tale to encompass these characters. This positive review is a good introduction to the major themes of the book, and can help parents and children discover why it is important to not dismiss it as simple 'science fiction'. DrPat concludes that they "recommend it highly for boys and girls who want something better than comic-book heroes and video-game battles", pointing out that substance is always preferable to style.

Use -This book would be a great teaching tool for children at the late-elementary/early-middle school stage to introduce them to social literature and commentary, as well as keep them entertained with literature. Teachers could mix the story with history lessons and/or open discussion for what and how children would react if they found themselves in similar circumstances to Lina and Doon. Parents can rest easy that the text avoids any true dark or too-adult themes or situations, and children will be happy with the fact that this book is an opening for other Ember tales and that the end is only the beginning of further Lina and Doon tales.

(1) Dr. Pat. (2006, June 9). Book review: The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-the-city-of-ember/