Setting

The setting of the book seemed to me like some futuristic world which was in decay and like how rock falls and water flow made a sense like some kind of underground mine where people lived for decades. It was like searching for treasures underneath Earth surface but it was the opposite searching for the treasure way above the Earth.

Way Of Thinking

The the novel changed my way of thinking in the way we take our daily life for granted. Maybe one day the novel City Of Ember could be possible reality for human man kind. The book really touched me in a way, that people shouldn't give up and constanly have courage to what you really believe is right not listening to what other think or say.
Self-fish ones will end up bad and rot within the Earth and surface those with faith will survive for pretty long time. Reading this boo9k really cheered me up in some certain not wanting to sound corny and all.

Ending Of the CIty of Ember (SPOILER ALERT =])

After escaping the city with Loris Harrow's (Doon's father) machine they reached the the end and with all the sign of cautions and look out for your kids.
The ending of the City of Ember was indeed very satisfying, with hope of light they reached the suface of the Earth and found that the world up ahead also had no light, suddenly after after a long hard sleep in the wilderness of the Earth's surface they saw sun rising and there it was the light they have always dreamed to and the blue sky which delighted the three children ever so much.
The thing that I was still curious about is that what happen to the people still in the city what they would do to get them out was the question I was thinking in my head as I reached the end. Definitely a worth while book to read for all ages.

About The Author

Jeanne DuPrau spends several hours of every day at her computer, thinking up sentences. She has this quote taped to her wall : "A writer is whom writing is harder
is for other people" by Thomas Mann.
This gives her courage, because she finds writing very hard. So many words to choose from! So many different things that could happen in a story at any moment. Writing is one tough decision after another but it’s also the most satisfying thing she knows how to do. So she keeps doing it. So far, she has written three novels including City of Ember, six books of non-fiction, and quite a few essays and other stories.
Jeanne DuPrau doesn’t write every minute of every day but she also likes dawdles around in her garden which gave her many ideas about new stories. She lives in California, where it’s easy to grow everything from apples to zinnias.
Jeanne DuPrau doesn’t have children, but she has two nephews, a niece, and a
dog. The dog lives with her. His name is Ethan. Jeanne and Ethan get along well,
though their interests are different. Ethan is not very fond of reading, for example,
and Jeanne doesn’t much like chasing squirrels. But they agree on walks, naps,
and trips in the car to surprise destinations. Ethan also likes to help in the
garden also.

CIty Of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

City of Ember a beautifully wrote young adult, science fiction, fantasy type novel,about an amazing adventure that three minors Lina, Doon and Poppy embark on in search for the light outside the City of Ember.
The City of Ember was built centuries ago to protect the last of the human race from extinction. The city was suppose to be sustained throughout only 220 year and the box of instruction was left from the two builders on how to escape from the city if situations get bleak. The box was passed down over generations of the mayors but when it reached to the seventh mayor, the box was lost and forgotten about. 241 years have past and people are running wild with low supple of food and light.

The Changes of Covers

The trilogy Tales of Otori constantly change their book cover and in their latest sequel Harsh Cry of the Heron, which has very unique senses of look and that reflects the book.
I especially like the pretty recent hardcover ones with very fine photographs of the characters rather then the others.

Main Charcters

Otori Takeo:The main character who was saved by a well know Lord named Otori Shigeru from ivaders who killed his village and family. Soon after that Shigeru adopts Takeo into the family, and teaches him the art of Otori.

Otori Shigeru: Shigeru is very well know War Lord who was rather kind hearted and gentle in his ways, after the death of his younger Takeshi, he became more silient and isolated himself from his family. Until he met the boy from the Village of the Hidden, who is now know as Takeo. Takeo resemblance like his Shigeru brother Takeshi, which people thought that is why he adopted him, but that wasnt the case.

Otori Ichiro: One of Takeo;s teacher, who teaches him caligraphy and the art of war.
Muto Kenji: A close friend of Otori Shigeru, who discovers that Takeo has the speacial abilities like the Kukuta family.

Iida Saduma: The ruthless ruler who constantly of the Tohan clan. He always has droughts about people and kill without mercy.
Enemies of the Otori and other countries.

Lord Noguchi: Ally of the Tohan

Kaede: Lived with the Noguchi most of her life although she was Seishuu, She had to stay with the noguchi learn and for alliance. She endure tough times and goes through constant bullying from other Noguchis and is treated like a slave. Few years on an agreement was made to have her marry Lord Otori Shigeru even though his twice her age, to from peace between the two countries. Eventually she met Takeo and fell deeply in love with each other.

Maruyama Naomi: Head of domains of the Seishuu clan, which has many alliancde with other countries. She is also the lover of Otori Shigeru