The City of Ember Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Do you think the Builders did everything they could have to prepare the citizens of Ember for what their lives would be like? Why or why not? What could they have done differently?
  2. What does dividing the book between Lina and Doon's perspectives accomplish? In other words, what would The City of Ember have been like, if we only got the events through one point of view? 
  3. Real talk: who's more selfish, the mayor or Looper? What makes you think this?
  4. Why do Lina and Doon work together to find answers? Do they make a good team?
  5. What scene in the book makes you empathize with the citizens of Ember the most? How come?
  6. Where would you feel safest during a blackout in Ember? What makes you say so?
  7. Who's your favorite character in the book, and why?
  8. What's the deal with the Believers? 
  9. How can you tell that Lina and Lizzie are no longer really friends? And why did their falling out occur, do you think?
  10. What would you do about Granny's forgetfulness if you were in Lina's situation?
  11. What do we learn from the mysterious journal Lina finds in the passageway?
  12. Who is more of an unlikely hero, Lina or Doon? Why?
  13. How do you think things would have turned out if someone had gotten to the message from the Builders before Poppy nommed on it?