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The People of Sparks picks up where The City of Ember leaves off. Lina and Doon have emerged from the underground city to the exciting new world above, and it isn’t long before they are followed by the other inhabitants of Ember. The Emberites soon come across a town where they are welcomed, fed, and given places to sleep. But the town’s resources are limited and it isn’t long before resentment begins to grow between the two groups. When anonymous acts of vandalism push them toward violence, it’s up to Lina and Doon to discover who’s behind the vandalism and why, before it’s too late.
Review:
"At the end of The City of Ember, DuPrau's spellbinding debut, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, having made it safely out of their underground city, toss a message down through a chasm. This ambitious sequel opens as a boy, Torren, spies the survivors of Ember heading toward him, and he's 'terrified.' Torren's reaction foreshadows those of his fellow citizens. After Lina and Doon and the 417 people of Ember arrive in the town of Sparks ('We have not been aware of any post-Disaster settlements nearby, much less a city,' their leaders claim), its citizens share their food and shelter, and they train the people of Ember to work in the fields with the goal of helping them set up a town of their own. But two lone acts of sabotage begin to eat away at the fragile trust between them. DuPrau takes on a sprawling world on the surface of the planet, and once again skillfully and confidently develops the idea of scarcity and how human beings react to a depletion of resources. However, the characterizations here take a back seat (for instance, Lina never visits Clary, an adult friend who played a pivotal role in Ember; and Sadge Merrall and Mrs. Polster, both with strong personalities in Ember, melt into the masses while virtually invisible citizens such as Tick become major players). Lina stows away in a wagon headed for the city (to see if it could be the one she drew in Ember); her experience at its ruins result in an epiphany for Lina that, oddly, has little impact on the rest of the novel. DuPrau offers a thought-provoking novel about brinkmanship and the way societies can plant the insidious seeds of war. Her overall message is ultimately uplifting, but it comes at the expense of the development of characters that made Ember so memorable. Ages 8-12." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Review:
"[T]his title will hold...appeal for readers who enjoy speculative fiction. This novel will make them stop and think, and its immediacy and drive make it a good choice for even reluctant readers." School Library Journal
Review:
"[T]his fast-paced tale of post-Apocalyptic strife will resonate with new and returning fans alike." Kirkus Reviews
Shoshana, May 2, 2010 (view all comments by Shoshana)
The City of Ember concludes with Lina and Doon having reached the surface from the cavern in which their city is built. They have written a note explaining how to leave Ember and flung it through a fissure far above the city. Now, joined by many of their compatriots, they travel across an empty land, eventually encountering the village of Sparks. Fortunately, the war feared by Ember's creators was, though horribly devastating, not the complete conflagration they had feared. There are some villages in the former California, Sparks being the most prosperous. The leadership and people of Sparks must contend with the unexpected drain on their resources posed by the larger group of Emberites, and both groups struggle to make sense of the other. Though there are plot lines about particular people and discoveries about the world, the story is centered on the ways in which economic tension increases in-group/out-group problems and leads to racist or exclusionary policies based on fear. The novel ends with a triumphant rediscovery and the promise of further emotional development for both Lina and Doon.
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moneymaker, November 26, 2007 (view all comments by moneymaker)
This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is so interesting and it makes you want to read on. After I finished The city of Ember I wanted to read more and when I found out there was a sequel I was so happy!
Read this book its awesome!!!!
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No (11 of 21 readers found this comment helpful)
Amazed Reader, May 30, 2006 (view all comments by Amazed Reader)
Well it kind of dissapointed me the first novel was good and I was very interested in finding out Lina and Doon's fate but it was a letdown. Still if you liked the first one you should read it if you want to satisfy your curiosity.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No (16 of 33 readers found this comment helpful)
Product details
352 pages
Random House Books for Young Readers -
English9780375828256
Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review"
by Publishers Weekly,
"At the end of The City of Ember, DuPrau's spellbinding debut, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, having made it safely out of their underground city, toss a message down through a chasm. This ambitious sequel opens as a boy, Torren, spies the survivors of Ember heading toward him, and he's 'terrified.' Torren's reaction foreshadows those of his fellow citizens. After Lina and Doon and the 417 people of Ember arrive in the town of Sparks ('We have not been aware of any post-Disaster settlements nearby, much less a city,' their leaders claim), its citizens share their food and shelter, and they train the people of Ember to work in the fields with the goal of helping them set up a town of their own. But two lone acts of sabotage begin to eat away at the fragile trust between them. DuPrau takes on a sprawling world on the surface of the planet, and once again skillfully and confidently develops the idea of scarcity and how human beings react to a depletion of resources. However, the characterizations here take a back seat (for instance, Lina never visits Clary, an adult friend who played a pivotal role in Ember; and Sadge Merrall and Mrs. Polster, both with strong personalities in Ember, melt into the masses while virtually invisible citizens such as Tick become major players). Lina stows away in a wagon headed for the city (to see if it could be the one she drew in Ember); her experience at its ruins result in an epiphany for Lina that, oddly, has little impact on the rest of the novel. DuPrau offers a thought-provoking novel about brinkmanship and the way societies can plant the insidious seeds of war. Her overall message is ultimately uplifting, but it comes at the expense of the development of characters that made Ember so memorable. Ages 8-12." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review"
by School Library Journal,
"[T]his title will hold...appeal for readers who enjoy speculative fiction. This novel will make them stop and think, and its immediacy and drive make it a good choice for even reluctant readers."
"Review"
by Kirkus Reviews,
"[T]his fast-paced tale of post-Apocalyptic strife will resonate with new and returning fans alike."
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