"The City of Ember" book review

     Recently, I read a book for kids and young teens called The City of Ember. I chose it because I had seen a good movie it had been made into and was interested in seeing the original work. It was almost identical to the movie. The plot was very enticing. It was about a boy and girl who are living in an underground city that was made hundreds of years ago by scientists in case something were to happen to the rest of the world, which, you are to assume, it did.

      The book, which takes place in the future, tells about how the two main characters, Doon and Lina, discover that the power in their city is running out, and they have to get to the world above ground before they are trapped, along with their families and friends, underground with no light or supplies.

     There wasn't really much of a main theme that summed up the whole book, but there were little messages here and there, such as 'Don't just assume things about people,' and 'Don't let pride cloud your decisions,' and the characters, too, were very relate able, thinking the same way I, and most of the people I know, would, and the protagonists were moral and tough without being overly courageous and perfect. This is a very important thing for works of fiction, I think, to make characters that way. If they are made to be horrible and cruel, the reader will automatically and subconsciously want revenge on them, rather than on the main villain. If they are made to be perfect and angelic, it will make the book appear boring, with no intent but to teach a lesson. It is best, therefore, to make the characters strong but human, which is how most of us think of ourselves.

      So if you are between the ages of eight and fourteen, I think you would really enjoy this book. Despite its one minor drawback of an abrupt ending, it is interesting and, overall, a very good read.

Picture of book jacket from here.

Picture of Lina and Doon from here.