The People of Sparks

Although The People of Sparks is a very different book than The City of Ember, it is a perfect sequel and not a disappointing read to say the least. The People of Sparks picks up where Ember leaves off. Lina and Doon have emerged from the underground city to the exciting new world above, and it isn’t long before they are followed by the other inhabitants of Ember. The Emberites soon come across a town where they are welcomed, fed, and given places to sleep. But the town’s resources are limited and it isn’t long before resentment begins to grow between the two groups. When anonymous acts of vandalism push them toward violence, it is up to Lina and Doon to discover who’s behind the vandalism and why, before it’s too late.

While The City of Ember may have been more inventive, in terms of an underground city that was on its last leg, this book is infinitely more profound. It's still intuitive and it adds something to our own experience as we go through the election process. I guess it puts in perspective our leaders and who runs our cities and our society. Hitherto a terrible Disaster has befallen the Earth, and the Emberites luckily find themselves in one of the more prosperous villages. As most in the town of Sparks are good and decent people, they agree to feed these strange newcomers for a certain amount of time, and all the while teaching them basic survival skills in return. As one can imagine, skills to survive on the surface are much different than those in Ember. What would your town do if 400 people descended on your way of life in a harsh environment?

The ending of the book caused a warm tingly sensation, because it brought the entire sequence full circle. The Emberites, we see, had something to teach the people of Sparks - and perhaps the whole world. Together, they are stronger than they are apart. It is a heartwarming and beautiful story. I look forward to her next book with immense anticipation – The Prophet of Yonwood.