Common Sense Media Review
Part fantasy, part mystery, part treasure hunt.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 18 parent reviews
Based on 87 kid reviews
Kids say this book features a creative and engaging plot with appealing main characters, Lina and Doon, who navigate life in a declining underground city. However, while many young readers appreciate its mystery and themes of bravery, some older teens find it slow and predictable, suggesting it is better suited for tweens and younger audiences due to its simpler vocabulary and pacing.
- creative plot
- appealing characters
- suitable for tweens
- slow pacing
- mystery elements
- appropriate content
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Ember is a city in eternal darkness, only kept light by its increasingly unreliable electric system. Other systems are falling apart as well, and stockpiles of food and essentials that have lasted hundreds of years are running out. The city was only meant to last 220 years, and now it has been 241. But the instructions that the Builders left have been lost and forgotten.
Lina finds them, but not before her baby sister has chewed them into virtual indecipherability. Now she and her friend Doon must figure them out from the few disjointed letters left, before the city falls apart. Their efforts lead them to discover long forgotten secrets about the nature and purpose of Ember, and what the Builders intended. They want to share their discoveries with the rest of the citizens -- but only if the corrupt mayor and his guards don't stop them first.
Is It Any Good?
Part dystopian fantasy, part mystery, part code-breaking treasure hunt, this is an intriguing story. Deciphering the clues from the damaged instructions will keep readers guessing, despite some predictable plot twists in the center section, and they will be rooting for the appealing main characters.
While lacking the complexity or moral ambiguity of The Giver, City of Ember has its own unique features: It's a city designed not to be a utopia, but rather to hold the remnants of humanity safe and isolated for a fixed period, then release them. The problem comes when the release doesn't happen, no one knows that it should have, and the city is past its expiration date. A fascinating scenario -- and a perfect set up for the sequel as well as the remaining books in the series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about dystopian novels like City of Ember. Why are they so popular? Is it possible to set up an ordered society and, if so, how?
What are some ways people can work to value nature, not waste resources?
What can people do to ensure the planet keeps supporting human life? Families can discuss personal responsibility, social responsibility, and civic involvement.
What skills help people solve problems and work together?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Random House
- Publication date : March 31, 2004
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 13
- Number of pages : 270
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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