Ratings24
Average rating2.8
Before there was Ember…there was Yonwood. Discover the prophecy that started it all in this prequel to the The City of Ember—a modern-day classic with over 4 MILLION copies sold! Nickie will grow up to be one of the first citizens of the city of Ember. But for now, she is a girl who has just moved to the town of Yonwood. There, she discovers a place full of suspicion, where one citizen’s visions of fire and destruction have turned everyone against each other. Eager to take her mind off her father’s absence as he works on a mysterious government project, Nickie reads her great-grandfather’s peculiar journals, spies on a reclusive neighbor who studies the heavens, and meets a strange boy who is fascinated with snakes— all while keeping an eye out for trouble. But is it already too late to avoid a devastating war? Praise for the City of Ember books: Nominated to 28 State Award Lists! An American Library Association Notable Children’s Book A New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing Selection A Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice A Child Magazine Best Children’s Book A Mark Twain Award Winner A William Allen White Children’s Book Award Winner “A realistic post-apocalyptic world. DuPrau’s book leaves Doon and Lina on the verge of undiscovered country and readers wanting more.” —USA Today “An electric debut.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred “While Ember is colorless and dark, the book itself is rich with description.” —VOYA, Starred “A harrowing journey into the unknown, and cryptic messages for readers to decipher.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred
Featured Series
4 primary books5 released booksBook of Ember is a 5-book series with 4 primary works first released in 2003 with contributions by Jeanne DuPrau.
Reviews with the most likes.
The Book of Ember is quite a lovely imagining.
This one goes back in time and fills in some of the world, but I did not find it as well done.
I did not feel as connected to the characters or the story. It seemed not quite real even when set in a more real world. There was so much potential, too - a bit of cultish behavior, some interesting science, political upheaval, etc.
You don't have to read this one to enjoy the rest of the series.
I gave The Prophet of Yonwood a 2 star rating because it really didn't have any impact on the other Ember books. Being a prequel I expected something to be about the City of Ember before the last few pages. This was not the case. If you love the other three City of Ember books this one is simply not needed nor has impact at all on the story.
This book managed to make the first two books seem completely pointless. The first books in this series were great and fun stories but this story makes you realize there was a very stupid reason for the first two books to even have happened.
SPOILER
Basically the author couldn't figure out a way to explain how the city ended up being kept away from the outside world. She attempts to explain it by making some prophet tell everyone to make a city underground. The town goes along with the crazy prophet and BOOM. The city of ember is born.
The author shouldn't have written this prequel and instead let the readers wonder about how the city came to be.