The City of Ember (Books of Ember Series #1)

Jeanne DuPrau wrote The City of Ember about a city that is always dark and has had scarce items for many years. In this book, Lina and Doon, the main characters, are really different because Lina is outgoing and Doon is reserved, but they both are brave, nosey and helpful. Their goals are to find a way out of the poverty of the city, to stop the cruelty of the mayor, and to help the residents of the city escape. Lina and Doon try to accomplish their goals by following the Instructions to the way out of the city, while they also calculate a mapped-out plan. They are challenged by the mayor and the guards, who think they are juvenile hoodlums.

I do not like how The City of Ember is too predictable, but on the other hand I like the setting and the action. I do not appreciate how the book tells you too clearly what is going to happen next. For example, when Lina's grandma is looking for an important box, she keeps saying that the box is somewhere in the apartment. This lets the reader know that the box will be found in her house because she is the only person who knows about it. In my opinion, it makes the book less interesting if the author leads you into the next part of the story too much. I would prefer if DuPrau had made it so that other characters know about the box, because then it would not be so obvious. However, I do enjoy all the action. When Lina runs out of the school, after hiding from the guards, it looks like she is in the clear but something horrible happens. The author makes the scene tense and that is exciting. Also, I like how the setting is frightening. At the yearly concert, when the lights go out and all the people are terrified, I think it is wonderful because it gives me a feeling of dread. I would recommend this novel to people who like adventure stories.Show Less