How To Grow Your Geek: Parenting and More!

The Diamond Of Darkhold – By Jeanne Duprau

From the book: “It’s been several months since Lina and Doon escaped the dying city of Ember and, along with the rest of their people, joined the town of sparks. Lina knows they are lucky to be there, but life aboveground is hard. Instead of opening a can for dinner, they must plant and harvest their food. And while there was no sun or moon in Ember’s sky, neither was there rain, sleet or wind. Now, in the middle of their first winter, Lina finds herself feeling homesick for her old city.

It’s during this dark time that Doon finds a unusal book. Torn up and missing most of its pages, it alludes to a mysterious device, a piece of technology from before the Disaster. Doon becomes convinced that the Builders of Ember meant for them to find the device when they left the city, to help them in their new lives. Together, Lina and Doon must go back underground to retrieve what was lost and bring light back to a dark world.”

Woot! This is the final book in the series, and I have been waiting all this time to see how it was going to end. Lina and Doon are back, and I am so happy! The book starts out months after the people who escaped Ember have lived with the people of Sparks in the small village. There has been trouble, but they have all learned to work together. And although things are hard, and there is not that much to go around; friends have been made and there is a lot more respect for each other. They are making a community finally. Everyone from Ember is trying to make the best of things, but Lina and Doon soon see that they are going to need help if everyone is to survive. There is just not enough to go around. When a roamer comes around with a few thin sheep and some junk that she has found, Doon notices a book in her wagon, on the cover it says “For the people of Ember”. So he just has to have it! He knows this is probably the most important thing he has ever found and that it just might be what they need. Once he trades for it, he and Lina finds it only hold a few pages. The roamer can’t read, and she has been tearing out the pages, using it to start fires! UGGGH! They do find some drawings, and a lot they don’t understand, and the talk of a device that could bring light back to Ember. Doon decides it’s time to go back to Ember, to get food, old clothes and any supplies and bring back. He talks Lina into it, although she really doesn’t want to go. One they make it back, everything is dark of course. Well not quite……for in the middle of the city of Ember there is a large orange glow. Something or Someone else has found Ember. Is it friend or foe, hope or danger? Hehehe, I am not saying you are going have to read it.

I am SOOOOOO glad the author has gone back to the story of Lina and Doon, I have been waiting and waiting for the ending of this series of books. And wow, what a great book to end it. We meet new people, some are good, some not. And the hero of the day is the person you least expect it to be. I sure didn’t see that coming. The book is very well written, and I really like the way she treats kids. And how Lina and Doon are concerned not just for themselves but for everyone. I like how Doon takes the time and figures things out, no matter how little information he has. And I love Lina and how she never gives up hope. Finally, a writer that gets it! One that does have us kids making dumb choices and having to have a adult come bail us out all the time. Oh, don’t get me wrong. Lina and Doon both make some dumb mistakes, but they work themselves out of them and work together too. I love this series and I think you guys will too, it is very well written and will keep you guessing as to what will happen next. There is not a slow part in this book.

Okay I need to mention two things. One because I got some friends with kids younger than me I need to mention that there is one part in the book they talk about getting a sheep and killing it to eat. In DETAIL. I was like ewwwww. And honestly, I have no idea why she did that. There was just no reason too. Okay we get that things are hard, and they have to grow their own food and catch it. But do I really need to know how they cut it up to fix it for cooking??? Nopes, just say they caught a sheep and cooked it. There done, move on. So I am just warning parents of smaller kids, watch out for that part.

Second. And this is hard to write because I really like this writer and LOVE these books. But dad told me to always give a honest review and let people know what I thought. So here goes. The third book of this series, wasn’t good at all. She went back to the very beginning and told of the times leading up to the big Disaster. I know what she was trying to do was to show how remuors get started, and how people will believe something strong enough that it will split apart families, communities and friends. And I guess start wars. But the whole book just seemed like something completely different from the other books. It just did not fit. And in the end, the only explanation of the Disaster was that there was a big war. I kind figured that out from the first book.

So it’s like the last three Star Wars Movies, you don’t need it to enjoy the story. So I would say skip it.

Over all this is a great last book, and I will always come back to this series. Go out and get it. I know you’ll like it too.

Darcy