The Prophet of Yonwood is next on my list of books I finished and still haven't blogged about!
My Pre-Reading
I was really having a hard time getting through The People of Sparks, and I was not excited about reading the next two books. I have to say though, I was pleasantly surprised by The Prophet of Yonwood.
I think I really just hated Lina and Doon. Nickie, on the other hand, was nowhere near has annoying. Although she had her flaws, all she really wanted was to do something good and help the world. The characters weren't well developed, and the plot was only so-so, but I think that this Book of Ember was a nice read for what it was. It didn't take me 6 months to finish it either, so props to it on that.
I'm not really sure it was entirely necessary as part of the series, although it was interesting to see all of the pieces fall into place with "The Builders" and the woman who left behind the journal. I also don't really agree with the order in which they were written/published, since I think it's really weird to have two books, then a prequel, and then a sequel to the second book. Maybe that's just me though.
While I really, really hated The People of Sparks, I would definitely encourage a middle-grade reader to get through it so that they could read The Prophet of Yonwood. Or I might just tell them to skip The People of Sparks entirely and have them read this book first.
This book definitely deserves a 3/5, since it was good for what it was but could have used some more depth and a better plot. And it's also a little young for people in their early-mid twenties to be reading. Give this to your elementary/middle school kids, and they'll love it.
--Ashley
And another!
Title: The Prophet of Yonwood
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Year Published: 2006
Synopsis: It’s 50 years before the settlement of the city of Ember, and the world is in crisis. War looms on the horizon as 11-year-old Nickie and her aunt travel to the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina. There, one of the town’s respected citizens has had a terrible vision of fire and destruction. Her garbled words are taken as prophetic instruction on how to avoid the coming disaster. If only they can be interpreted correctly. . . . As the people of Yonwood scramble to make sense of the woman’s mysterious utterances, Nickie explores the oddities she finds around town—her great-grandfather’s peculiar journals and papers, a reclusive neighbor who studies the heavens, a strange boy who is fascinated with snakes—all while keeping an eye out for ways to help the world. Is this vision her chance? Or is it already too late to avoid a devastating war? In this prequel to the acclaimed The City of Ember and The People of Sparks, Jeanne DuPrau investigates how, in a world that seems out of control, hope and comfort can be found in the strangest of places.
Why?: I read both The City of Ember and The People of Sparks, and figured I should continue the series. As much as I really don't want to.
Expectations: I really don't expect much from this book. I didn't really enjoy the first two books in the series, and I'm only reading the rest of the series so I can get it over with.
Judging a book by its cover: From the cover, it looks like a missile will probably be dropped somewhere - maybe Yonwood? Also, birds are important.
--Ashley
