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thebookdreamersalley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
letstalkaboutbooksbaybee's review against another edition
4.0
I never actually read City of Ember as a kid, so a graphic novel was a fun way to experience it for the first time. I definitely want to go back and read the novels at some point but this was a fun YA dystopian along the lines of The Giver
katdfleming's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic novels aren't particularly my thing, but I can see the pull. I loved the original book of the same name much better, but it was interesting seeing how the pictures stacked up to my own visualizations.
sheena_sherburn's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
I read the normal book years and years ago. Really, it has been a long time. So I was excited to go back to this universe with this graphic novel. And I have to say it was a fun read! The story is simplified, at least this is how it feels to me, but still forms a good story. We follow both Doon and Lina in this underground city. Each of them finds out something about the city and also about how to get out. Because there is an outside, or something better, and with everything that is happening they are determined to leave and I loved how eager and hardworking they were. They found clues and solved things on their own. The grandma part had me in tears, and the ending was just super. I am glad that person was the one who found the note. The art is pretty nice!
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
I read the normal book years and years ago. Really, it has been a long time. So I was excited to go back to this universe with this graphic novel. And I have to say it was a fun read! The story is simplified, at least this is how it feels to me, but still forms a good story. We follow both Doon and Lina in this underground city. Each of them finds out something about the city and also about how to get out. Because there is an outside, or something better, and with everything that is happening they are determined to leave and I loved how eager and hardworking they were. They found clues and solved things on their own. The grandma part had me in tears, and the ending was just super. I am glad that person was the one who found the note. The art is pretty nice!
geekwayne's review against another edition
3.0
‘City of Ember: The Graphic Novel’ by Jeanne DuPrau with adaptation by Dallas Middaugh and art by Niklas Asker is a graphic novel based on a famous novel for children.
Lina lives in an underground city named Ember. As she comes of age, she also is assigned a job, as all children are. Her friend Doon discovers something wrong, and there are all those increasingly frequent power outages. Lina and Doon find a mystery that may provide an answer for their city if they can unravel it.
I’ve read the book this is based on, and, while there is no substitute for reading this classic, this is a decent adaptation. The art is good too.
Lina lives in an underground city named Ember. As she comes of age, she also is assigned a job, as all children are. Her friend Doon discovers something wrong, and there are all those increasingly frequent power outages. Lina and Doon find a mystery that may provide an answer for their city if they can unravel it.
I’ve read the book this is based on, and, while there is no substitute for reading this classic, this is a decent adaptation. The art is good too.
lsparrow's review against another edition
3.0
I loved this story. As a graphic novel it kept true to the story. I was not as thrilled by the illustrations.
totallywickedruth333's review against another edition
fast-paced
3.0
This book was okay, but I feel like it was too… short, or, fast paced. Like they were seeing the mayor on one page and on the boat the next. I just think that it could have been a lot longer and that they could’ve dove a lot deeper into the story. But the artwork is very nice
kitsuneheart's review against another edition
4.0
I have read lots of really, really bad graphic novel adaptations of YA books (couchArtemisFowlcough), so I was a bit nervous seeing this one. Would the kids look like adults? Would the artwork be terrible? Would it leave out the best lines?
No. No, actually. This is an entirely respectable adaptation! Yes, I still prefer the book, but the artist did a great job cutting down the story into the pertinent parts, without butchering things. For example, discussions with the Ember botanist are entirely gone, but that bit was not important to the plot overall.
If you've got to read the City of Ember for school, don't think you can go with this version and not get snagged, but if you're just a casual reader wanting to experience the story for the first or second (or any number) time, then this is just fine.
JUST DON'T WATCH THE MOVIE.
No. No, actually. This is an entirely respectable adaptation! Yes, I still prefer the book, but the artist did a great job cutting down the story into the pertinent parts, without butchering things. For example, discussions with the Ember botanist are entirely gone, but that bit was not important to the plot overall.
If you've got to read the City of Ember for school, don't think you can go with this version and not get snagged, but if you're just a casual reader wanting to experience the story for the first or second (or any number) time, then this is just fine.
JUST DON'T WATCH THE MOVIE.