Synopsis
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.

The underground City of Ember is the last refuge of human life in a post-apocalyptic world. When the City itself becomes endangered, it's up to 12-year-old Lina and her pal Doon to interpret an ancient message that might forever changes the lives of those who call the City of Ember their home.

Details
Publication Date:	2004-05-01
Edition Description:	Reprint

Size
Length:	270 pages
Height:	7.5 in
Width:	5.3 in
Thickness:	0.5 in
Weight:	7.2 oz

Publisher's Note
The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save the city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever! This stunning debut novel offers refreshingly clear writing and fascinating, original characters.

Industry Reviews
"In Doon's character,perhaps,DuPrau puts her finger on what draws many young readers to stories of dystopias. His is a predicament shared by many preadolescents: done with his childhood, Doon shudders at the broken society he must inherit, and cannot stand the apparent complacency of the adults around him. And what preadolescent isn't doomed, at least temporarily, to inhabit an emotional landscape of life-and-death urgency? Add in the dwindling resources and a corrupt city government, and the resemblance of DuPrau's fictional world to the reader's intensifies."
New York Times Book Review - Elizabeth Devereaux (06/22/2003)