This highly-anticipated book is the fourth and final instalment in the Ember series, which began in 2004 with The City of Ember.
Summary
The story returns to the newly-developed town of Sparks, where the hundreds of people who once dwelled in the underground city of Ember have established a new home. But with Sparks’s now bulging population, and the winter fast approaching, times aren’t easy, and food and resources are in short supply.
But Lina and Doon—two courageous youngsters who, months before, helped their people escape the dying city of Ember—refuse to let their town fight through the winter. They find a nearly destroyed book containing information about a magical object hidden somewhere in Ember. The object was said to be left by the Builders of Ember to help the Emberites adapt to their life above ground in a post-apocalyptic world. Determined to retrieve what belongs to them, Lina and Doon sneak away from Sparks and embark on a dangerous trek through the desert in search of their abandoned city. But when they return, they find that their now pitch-black home is playing host to a family of squatters who are pillaging the empty shops and houses, and robbing Ember of its remaining resources. And worst of all, they’ve claimed the very object that sparked Lina and Doon’s journey home—the Diamond of Darkhold. Now it’s up to Lina and Doon to steal back what is rightfully theirs, both the diamond and their home.
Review
This book ties up the series well, bringing the readers back to the beloved city of Ember and ending with a glimpse into the distant future. However, the story’s plot, particularly the climax, lacks the urgency and intensity present in the first two books, where characters’ lives hung in the balance.
The Diamond of Darkhold—along with the second and third series instalments, The People of Sparks and The Prophet of Yonwood—failed to capture the magic and the adrenaline-pumping action of The City of Ember. However, DuPrau does establish strong personalities and relationships among her characters, which grow within each book. Young-adult readers will relate to the characters’ friendships and concerns, which seem to stand the test of time.
Jeanne DuPrau is the author of five young-adult novels, including the four-book Ember series and a stand-alone novel entitled Car Trouble. To learn more about Jeanne DuPrau and her books, check out her website.
The Diamond of Darkhold, Jeanne DuPrau, Random House Children’s Books, August 2008. ISBN: 0375855718
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