I chose to read "The City of Ember" for a short literary analysis essay at school and I loved it. So naturally when I found out that there were two other books in the series that had also been published I bought both of them and started reading. In the novel "The People of Sparks" it was nice that Duprau did not have to use as much descriptive language as she did in her first installment. It made sense that since the world in which the characters were now experiencing was our world, with some changes, mild description would suffice. The beginning was engrossing and a good way to start the book. Though whether this was because of how the perspective was changed or because I was just excited to read the second book is debatable. The middle became slow in parts, but this is understandable considering character development and plot building. The climax was excellent; not so nearly desperate as the climax in "The City of Ember", but definitely worth the read. I loved this book along with its predecessor, and having also read "The Prophet of Yonwood" I cannot wait for the final installment. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves good character development and post-apocalyptic novels.