The Diamond of Darkhold

November 1, 2008
Gr 4-9-A solid and satisfying conclusion to the "Ember Saga," set in a post-disaster future. Hostilities have died down between the citizens of Sparks and the refugees from the underground city of Ember, and all are working together to survive the brutal winter. A roamer brings forth the barest remains of a book that intrigues Doon and Lina because it alludes to a mysterious device that may still be in Ember. They decide to go back to see if they can find any answers or, if nothing else, food. What they find is the Trogg Family, travelers who have taken over the remains of the city, scavenging supplies and making grand plans. Doon is caught and shackled, leaving Lina to try and make her way back to Sparks to get help. Once again, the teens, both remarkably self-sufficient and imaginative, are able to save themselves and figure out at least a small part of the mystery left behind by the Builders. In doing so, they help their community and ultimately the entire planet. And the epilogue gives the answer to a question raised in the series' prequel, "The Prophet of Yonwood" (Random, 2006), namely, what Hoyt McCoy was up to with that telescope of his. All the loose ends are tied up neatly and everything ends on a positive, hopeful note. Satisfying, indeed."Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2009
Lina and Doon (The City of Ember) return to the underground city to retrieve supplies, but instead encounter hostile new inhabitants. Dividing point of view between the main characters, DuPrau keeps the storytelling steady while skillfully casting back to prior books to provide clues to the present quest. The conclusion is everything a series closer should be, satisfying but provocative.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 1, 2008
Appropriately, Lina and Doon return to the city of Ember for the fourth and last book in the series. Almost a year has passed since the underground city was abandoned, and the refugees and their hosts in Sparks are finding everything in increasingly short supply. Inspired by some tantalizing scraps of information discovered in a remnant of a book, the two kids make their way back to Ember, where they hope to retrieve supplies but where they instead encounter hostile new inhabitants. Dividing the point of view between Lina and Doon, DuPrau keeps the storytelling steady while skillfully casting back to the prior books to provide the protagonists (and the reader) with clues to their present quest. The conclusion is everything a series closer should be, satisfying but provocative.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)