Built as a post-apocalyptic refuge for the human race, it is always night in the city of Ember. In Ember, there is no light from moon or stars. The city's only illumination comes from a city-wide electric system. But it is now 200 years since the city was built, and the lights that have lit up the city are beginning to go out even as food supplies are running low. What will happen when the lights finally go out? By the time Linda Mayfeet discovers the lost directions left by the city's ancient builders, her baby sister has already chewed them to shreds. It is now up to Linda and her friend Doon to piece together the directions before the city's lights go out. In so doing, they discover some unsettling secrets about their city and begin a dangerous journey to the city of light – a place that Linda has long dreamed of.
