Marshmallow reviewed The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau a few weeks ago. Soon after, Caramel reviewed the second book in the series, The People of Sparks. Today, he talks to Sprinkles about The Diamond of Darkhold, the 2008 sequel to The People of Sparks.
Caramel reviews The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau.
Sprinkles: So Caramel, you began reading this book recently, right?
S: Does the story simply continue on from where that book left off?
C: Yes. It is now winter and the people of Sparks and the people of Ember are all people of Sparks now. It is actually quite cool.
S: I agree. I really liked the end of that book. So what happens in this book?
C: Lina and Doon meet a roamer who comes to Sparks and they get a few pages of a book from him that is dedicated to the people of Em. The rest of the word is gone but Lina and Doon are sure it means Ember. So they try to figure out what was in the book. And they start traveling because they think that there is something valuable in Ember that they should bring to the surface.
S: I see. So there is a puzzle that they need to solve like there was in the first book, right?
C: Yes. And I like puzzles. So that was cool.
S: Do we learn what the valuable thing is?
C: Not immediately. It takes more or less the whole book. So I won’t tell.
S: Okay. We don’t want too many spoilers.
Caramel is reading The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau.
S: So how did you like the book?
C: I think it was fun to read. It reads like an adventure book. The second book was more about how it is difficult for different people to live together and such big things. but this is more like the first book and there is a lot of adventure and excitement and I liked it.
S: That sounds like fun. I liked both of the first two books and I agree with you that the second was a bit more philosophical, in a way, and the first one felt more like an adventure. So you are saying this feels more like the first than the second.
C: Yes. And Lina and Doon are trying to figure things out together again, which is also good. They were always separated in the second book. I didn’t really like that too much.
S: They do make a good team.
C: Well, it seems they will make more than that but I won’t say more.
S: Hmm, I’m intrigued. Maybe I should read this book, too.
C: Yes, Sprinkles, you definitely should.
S: Alright. Let us wrap up this review this book then. What would you like to tell our readers?
C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!
Caramel enjoyed reading The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau and recommends it to all the bunnies who enjoyed the first two books in the series.
Today Caramel reviews The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau, the second book in the author’s City of Ember series, published in 2004. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.
Readers may recall that Marshmallow has already reviewed the first book, City of Ember.
Caramel reviews The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau.
Sprinkles: So Caramel, can you tell us a bit about what this book is about?
Caramel: The people of Ember come up to the surface and settle down in a town named Sparks.
S: Wait. Tell us a bit more about Ember. It is the city from the first book, City of Ember, right?
C: Yes. But at the end of that book, most of the people from that city ran away because their generator was failing and the city would soon be uninhabitable.
S: That is a big word, Caramel!
C: Yes, but it is the right word. It would be too dark without the generator, and it would be unlivable for people. And for bunnies of course. Because we like light too.
S: Sure we do. So okay, I remember that the first book had two main heroes, named Lina and Doon. Are they also in this book?
C: Yes, in fact they are again the heroes.
S: Okay, so what is the conflict of this book then? They are out and found a place to live.
C: Yes but the new place Sparks is not big enough or rich enough for all the people living there plus the new people from Ember.
S: I see. So there is some conflict between the two groups?
C: Yep.
S: Hmm, so in some sense it is a bit about immigration and refugees finding a new home but not feeling terribly welcome.
C: Kind of. But also Sparks people do not even have electricity. They do not know about it.
S: Hmm, that is interesting. I remember that in Ember, they had electricity even though they did not understand fully how it worked. So you are saying that they do not even have that much here in Sparks?
C: Yes.
S: So do the Ember folks try to teach them about electricity?
C: Well, only in the end. Doon finally figures it out.
S: Hmm, is that getting too close to spoiler territory?
C: Perhaps.
S: Okay so let us stop here with the plot then.
Caramel is reading The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau.
S: Tell me about Doon and Lina next. Are they any different in this book?
C: They are about the same. This book starts quite soon after the other book ends. So they are more or less the same people. They are curious and sometimes make mistakes, but they are trying to help their people.
S: I see. That sounds good. Are there any new characters that appear in this book that you liked?
C: Well, there is a whole new town of people, but I liked only Maddy. She is nice.
S: Who is she?
C: She is the traveling partner of Casper.
S: Who is Casper?
C: He is a person looking around in old ruins and finds things and brings them back to Sparks to trade them for other stuff.
S: So they are not quite from Sparks.
C: No. There seem to be a lot of small settlements all around, and some are abandoned.
S: I see. So this is some sort of a post-apocalyptic world.
C: Yes. It seems like this is a world after a World War Three.
S: Hmm, this reminds me of a quote by Albert Einstein: “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
C: Yes, that is essentially what is happening in this world. I mean, they are not going to start another big war, but they lost almost all of the modern technology of today and the knowledge behind it.
S: That is interesting. And sobering at the same time. Alright, let us get back to the book. Did you enjoy reading it? Do you think you will read the next book in the series?
C: Yes. And yes.
S: I wonder if Marshmallow will read the third book before you so she can review it.
C: We can wait and see.
S: Alright. Let us do that. So before we wrap up this review, can you describe the book in three words?
C: Happy ending page-turner.
S: Hmm, that is a good description. I might need to read it before Marshmallow gets her paws on it.
C: You probably will.
S: Alright. What do you want to tell our readers?
C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!
Caramel enjoyed reading The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau and is keen to read the next book in the series to learn about what happens next to the people of Ember and Sparks.
As her first review for the new season, Marshmallow chose to talk about the first book of Jeanne DuPrau’s Books of Ember series: The City of Ember (2008). Sprinkles also read the book and enjoyed it so much that she is asking questions and taking notes.
Marshmallow reviews The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.
Sprinkles: Welcome back Marshmallow!
Marshmallow: It is good to be back!
S: So let us dive right in. Please tell us a bit about this book.
M: This book is about a girl named Lina and a boy named Doon who live in a city named Ember, which is lit by artificial means. There are no suns, stars, or moons. The city has city lights which go off at night, and so it becomes completely dark.
S: At the end of the book, we learn why this is so, of course.
M: Right, but we are not giving away any spoilers today!
S: Sure. So tell me about the girl and the boy.
M: They are eleven, and the book starts right about the time they are finishing school and being assigned their jobs for life.
S: So they go to school only till they are eleven or so and then they are assigned a job for life. Do you like that idea?
M: Well, not particularly. Plus you don’t even get to choose your job. You can switch around in a year or so, but it is still kind of limiting. But these people do not know anything different. So maybe they do not feel it is a bad thing.
S: Makes sense to me.
M: Unfortunately schooling is so short and everyone gets trained on the job. They also do not know a lot. I mean, the city has a system that generates electricity that works the lights and so on, but they do not know or understand fire, electricity, or the inner workings of the generator. So when the generator begins to malfunction, they are at a loss.
M: It does have similarities actually! There too you have a society that does not understand how their planetary computer system is sustaining them, and then the system starts to fail. Though in The City of Ember, there are no computers.
S: Sure. So Lina and Doon try to figure out how to solve their city’s big problem, right?
M: Well, Lina kind of stumbles into it, but Doon has been thinking of trying to save his city for a while now. But yes, they are trying to figure out things.
S: I think that is a good overview of the plot Marshmallow.
Marshmallow is reading The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.
S: So now tell me a bit about the characters. Did you find them compelling?
M: Yes. I thought the most compelling character is Lina, and she tries to make sure her baby sister is safe. Lina’s life and that of her sister is more precarious than some of the other folks in town, and she is very caring of the little baby. They have been orphans for a while, but now their grandmother who is taking care of them is also starting to have health problems.
S: Doon also does not seem to have a mother, right?
M: True, both of the main characters are coming from families where at least one parent is missing. But they are both self-reliant and also want to help all the others.
S: Still they make some mistakes…
M: Yes, but unlike in all the Harry Potter books where Harry and Ron and Hermione make all kinds of mistakes, these two feel remorse that they did not consult with or confide in the caring adults in their lives. So in some sense, Lina and Doon are a lot more responsible.
S: I can see that. So overall, did you enjoy reading this book?
M: Yep.
S: I liked it too. I read it in one sitting.
M: And I want to read the next book in the series. Though it will likely be quite different.
S: For reasons we cannot quite divulge, of course.
M: Of course.
S: So let us wrap up this review then. How would you rate the book Marshmallow?
M: I’d rate it 100%.
S: Sounds fair to me. What do you want to tell our readers?
M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!
Marshmallow rates The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau 100%.
The book bunnies are all Whovians, that is, they are all fans of the British science fiction TV show Doctor Who. Having watched and enjoyed many episodes of the show from both its original run 1963-1989 and the reboot series 2005-present, they also have several books about the series on their bookshelves. Today Marshmallow talks about one of these books, Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia, written by Gary Russell in 2011. Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.
Marshmallow reviews Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia by Gary Russell.
Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, tell me a bit about why you wanted to talk about this book today.
Marshmallow: We went to a Doctor Who convention recently, and I thought it would be fun to revisit this book.
S: Yes, makes sense to me. So tell me a bit about Doctor Who for readers who may not know who he is.
M: Well, that’s a tall order. But let me try. Doctor Who is an alien, from a planet named Gallifrey, and he travels through time and space. Realistically, I think he finds himself on Earth way too often, but through his travels, he makes friends and defends humanity and anything good in this universe against all sorts of evil villains.
S: I think that is a good summary. And I like how you said he finds himself on Earth too often. In fact he finds himself in the UK, almost all the time, right?
M: Of course. It is after all a BBC show!
S: Of course.
M: And he has a companion or two almost in every episode. He is usually the only Time Lord — that is what people from his planet are called — but he often travels with a human or two, finding them in one of his many trips on Earth and bringing them along with him through many adventures.
S: I’m guessing Time Lords call themselves Time Lords. Kind of pretentious, don’t you think?
M: Yes, but they kind of are lords of time. They have the technology to travel through time and space, and they kind of have the ability to even get out of time sometimes. Which is of course weird, and even incomprehensible, for bunnies like us, who are bound by time.
S: I see. Okay, maybe they can call themselves Time Lords then. So tell me about the book. What is it about?
M: Well, it is written like an encyclopedia, and hence the title. So there are many entries, all ordered alphabetically, about all sorts of things about the show and its main characters.
S: I see on the book cover the faces of three of the Doctors.
M: Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you that one of the features of being a Time Lord involves regenerating as a new face and body when your original body is worn out or poisoned or otherwise damaged extensively. So of course this makes it awfully convenient for the BBC to change the actor who is playing the Doctor more or less regularly. And yes, the cover of the book has the ninth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston, the tenth Doctor, David Tennant, and the eleventh, Matt Smith. These are the first three doctors from the reboot era.
S: I see. So the book was published in 2011 —
M: And the Doctor was still Matt Smith back then.
S: But he is no longer?
M: Yep. At some point Matt Smith regenerated, and became Peter Capaldi, who was the twelfth Doctor. Then Capaldi regenerated to become Jodie Whitaker, who is the thirteenth. Apparently she will regenerate, and they will bring back David Tennant for a couple more episodes before he regenerates into Ncuti Gatwa, who will be the fifteenth Doctor.
S: Do you think it could be a bit hard to keep track of all these doctors?
M: Not really. They all have their own personalities. Even though it is supposed to be the same person, and the show is really about the life story of one particular individual, each actor has their own interpretation, and each Doctor is totally different.
S: That is amazing, and it is one of the things that keep the show fresh, no?
M: Yes. I think so too.
Marshmallow is reading Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia by Gary Russell.
S: Okay, back to TheEncyclopedia. So this was published before the twelfth doctor, so it would not have anything about his adventures or companions or those of the thirteenth Doctor. Does it have information about the companions and adventures of the earlier doctors, or is it only about the three new doctors, nine to eleven?
M: I think it is mostly nine to eleven. But they have had a lot of adventures and so there is a lot to say. At the end of the book they list the episodes that the book covers, and they go from Episode 1 of the ninth Doctor to the end of the second year of the eleventh Doctor. And they also have some stuff about The Infinite Quest, which apparently was an animated series with the tenth Doctor and Martha, one of his companions. Somehow we must have missed that one.
S: I see. So there are a lot of details for about six years of the new show.
M: Yes, so you could learn so much! And the book has a lot of colorful pictures. It is really neat to read and look at. Though I must say, there are some scary pictures. And if you just see a picture like that when you turn a page, it could freak you out… It did to me.
S: What do you mean?
M: You know some of the episodes of Doctor Who are pretty scary, and so the pictures about those episodes remind me of the episodes and how scary they were. And even if I had not seen the full episodes, the pictures would still be very scary.
S: Hmm. So maybe this is not a great book for young bunnies.
M: No. But if a bunny likes Doctor Who and is not too scared of the scary episodes, I’m sure they would love this book. There are so many details on each of the episodes. It will be fun to re-watch the show after looking over this book. I think I will notice so much more.
S: So then you like the book, right?
M: Yes. If you are a Whovian, and especially if you like the new series, you have to read this book.
S: I see. Then how would you rate it?
M: I’d rate it 95%, only because of the scary pictures. But otherwise it is a pretty awesome book and would be appreciated by anyone who likes the show.
S: Thank you Marshmallow. I think that is fair. So what would you like to tell our readers as we wrap this up?
M: Stay tuned for more amazing book reviews from the book bunnies!
Marshmallow rates Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia by Gary Russell 95%.
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