LibraryLover Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) I She reads several books a week, we read one a week aloud, and she listens to audio books while she walks or draws. Currently she is reading City of Embers, and that one got ahead of me. It's very post-apocalyptic, but was in the children's section of our library. My 10 yr old seems haunted by it, although she says the children are happy; 'They don't know any other life, Mom". It sounds terribly intense. Edited October 19, 2013 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) Dd read it...last year? I can't remember. It looked interesting to me, too, so at first we got it on cd, but the narrator drove us nuts, so she ended up reading it on her own. Its not about nuclear war or anything. I'm sorry I can't remember exactly why that village was down there, but there is a world above, the villagers just haven't figured out what exactly is up there in that first book. Dd told me about it, it sounded more thought-provoking than anything. It seemed to me to be a story of simplicity of life and hope for something new and interesting, but not desperation or desolation. There is quite a bit of symbolism in it, as well. I ordered the movie from Netflix. :glare:. If you'd like her to stop reading the books, get the movie. It was not great. As far as checking her reading before hand if she reads like my dd - I'm sorry, I haven't been able to keep up for a few years now. I do check her titles before we leave the library, read the backs, scan some pages in the middle. Occasionally I will tell her no, but she chooses fairly well. Some got away from me (like The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants - not very happy that that wasn't what it sounded like on the jacket). I'm sorry I don't have more to offer, other than I can totally understand how scary it is when they start reading bigger, deeper books, and you have no idea what is between the pages. Edited September 15, 2009 by LauraGB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) The City of Spark involves basically the Emberites as refugees in Spark they don't know how to do anything or perform tasks but the people of Spark try to share. They don't have enough to last through winter though and there is a lot of tension. There are some people who leave to check out a nearby large city, there is a big thing between the people of Spark and Ember. Some of the people of Ember burn down the Spark townhall and things get real bad. The next book is in the past and explains how things happened. It is scarier IMO. In the third it is like...a thought police type of thing happening and a lot of restrictions. The fourth book is back to the Emberites again and their first winter, they try to go back to Ember and someone has taken control of it and there is some confrontation. Edited September 15, 2009 by Sis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I've read the whole series and liked it overall, especially the first book. I wouldn't have any problem with my 8-year-old reading The City of Ember, and she has seen the movie (which is OK except for an added plot element that was just ridiculous). The third book is a prequel, has only a minor reference to the other books, and was rather disappointing. I didn't care for the story as much and thought the author pounded readers over the head with her political and (anti-)religious views--no subtlety at all. Oh my goodness! I had no idea until just now that there was a fourth book. Going to put it on hold... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) WordGirl is right there are some themes on fanaticism. I don't think it is directly *irreligious* though. I was much more offended by Golden Compass than Ember. I do think discussing the third book with them would probably be a good idea. The books are short, you could easily catch up. Edited September 15, 2009 by Sis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I have only read books 1,2 and 4. I would consider those appropriate for a 10 yo. I don't know about book #3. From what I heard, it stands on its own and was not necessary before reading book #4. There are themes and lessons of simple life, work ethic, getting along with others, problems with greed and selfishness, thinking before acting, prejudice and acceptance, making the best of a situation, innovation and invention, curiosity, leadership qualities, and so on. The city of Ember is underground because a nuclear war was looming and creating Ember was a way to ensure that some people would survive. It was designed to last for about 200 years and then instructions would guide the residents to the outside, which they didn't know existed. Other people did survive on the outside, but they didn't know about Ember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 WordGirl is right there are some themes on fanaticism. I don't think it is directly *irreligious* though. I was much more offended by Golden Compass than Ember. I was mainly offended by the Golden Compass because it was such a badly told story. That offends me. ;) I don't think even it was anti-God as much as it was anti-church...probably even more anti-Catholicism than anti-church. My dd liked the first book but she didn't like the second one very much, so, she didn't read the last two. She didn't like the movie at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I was mainly offended by the Golden Compass because it was such a badly told story. That offends me. ;) I don't think even it was anti-God as much as it was anti-church...probably even more anti-Catholicism than anti-church. My dd liked the first book but she didn't like the second one very much, so, she didn't read the last two. She didn't like the movie at all. It seemed like it should be renamed "subversive anti-religious propogana as written by douchebag." I hate it when books get overly preachy unless it is in a funny way like God Emperor of Dune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 (edited) It seemed like it should be renamed "subversive anti-religious propogana as written by douchebag." :iagree: A not very entertaining one, at that. I hate it when books get overly preachy unless it is in a funny way like God Emperor of Dune.:lol::lol::lol: This is only funny to people who have read Dune in its many forms. Edited September 15, 2009 by Mrs Mungo curse you, quote boxes!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 We loved the City of Ember! (not the movie as much) Dd10, ds12, and I read all four books last summer. Book 3 was weird and you don't need to read it to get the next book--it is out of sequence and is supposed to be the prequel...but only the last page relates at all to the other books. My kids read 1, 2, 4, then 3. We are quite conservative--I didn't find anything bothersome in the books, although in book 3, the development of a 'prophet' whom the town starts following bothered me. Actually, the books led to a lot of fun discussion about what if and what could have and what might have been. We'd love it if there were more books in the series! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Thank you, Hive Mind! I am going to read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.