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    The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau Summary

    The City of Ember
    Jeanne DuPrau
    MysterySuspenseSocietyFiction
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    Overview of The City of Ember

    In a dying underground city where light is failing, two teens discover a cryptic message that could save everyone. This 4-million-copy bestseller won the Mark Twain Award and inspired a film starring Bill Murray. What secrets lie beyond Ember's darkness?

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    Pay attention. Notice what no one else notices.

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    Key Takeaways

    1

    A World of Light Surrounded by Darkness

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    Imagine a city where darkness is the greatest fear-where massive floodlamps illuminate stone buildings and cobblestone streets, where children are taught that beyond their city borders lies nothing but eternal blackness. This is Ember, humanity's last refuge, a place that has sustained life for 241 years. But now the lights flicker with increasing frequency, plunging citizens into terrifying moments of absolute darkness. Food supplies dwindle, infrastructure crumbles, and nobody remembers why they're here or how to leave. On Assignment Day, twelve-year-olds Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow receive their lifelong career placements. Lina dreams of becoming a messenger, racing through Ember's streets in the coveted red jacket. Doon, serious and determined, wants to work in the Pipeworks to access and repair the failing generator. When they receive each other's assignments, they make a trade that sets both on unexpected paths. What they don't yet know is that Ember was never meant to last forever-its creators designed an escape plan, instructions locked in a box programmed to open after 220 years. But when the seventh mayor fell ill, he took the box home, and after his death, it was forgotten for decades.

    2

    Messengers, Mysteries, and Signs of Decline

    3

    The Lost Instructions and Personal Tragedy

    4

    Corruption Unveiled and Escape Plans

    5

    The River's Secret and Hidden Path

    6

    Into the Unknown World Above

    7

    A Message of Hope for Ember's Future

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