The Diamond of Darkhold
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The Exact Location of Ember
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Well I have a picture of it, but I have no idea how to get it from my iPad onto this thread. The html codes only work if it's a picture from the Internet, and I can't find any there. I could describe it?? Or if you know how to get it on here that would help too. :P
What I did to make the image you see is I uploaded the image to imgur, and then copied the code (that imgur supplied) over here.
sorry that took a while, I'm not the best with technology :P
Yeah Sic Transit Gloria asked if anyone had a picture of it so she could see the map.
That's perfect, thank you.The greatest clue on the back of this book is the compass rose. Notice how Ember isn't directly north of Sparks; it's more northeast. This helps establish that my theory may be correct. Also an important fact: the river runs north-south.
My latest line of research has focused on the Pioneer Hotel. Surprisingly, a lot of small towns in California boast a "historic pioneer hotel". "Historic California supermarket" isn't turning anything up either.
Update:I learned just today (in aviation class) that the Sacramento Valley is often foggy and rainy in the winter because of the surrounding mountains. Sounds like Sparks's winters.
Ooh nice.And you're in aviation class?? That sounds awesome!
GUYS! GUYS! I GOT A REPLY FROM JEANNE DUPRAU!Dear _______(I omitted my name),
Thank you so much for writing to me. I'm glad you love the Ember books--and study them so closely! You're quite right about the locations of Ember and Sparks. I imagined Ember in the Sierras of Northern California, and Sparks in the foothills of those mountains. I didn't pinpoint a spot more specifically than that. No doubt you also figured out that the ruined city Lina travels to was San Francisco.
Cheers to you!
Whoot! We were totally right!
Lesson learned: e-mailing your favorite authors totally helps!
THAT IS SO GREAT!!! :D
Wow, very impressive!
I just finished Diamond Of Darkhold, I was googling around a bit to see if she was describing something the diamond was but not actually saying, like some other things, and I found this. Didn't actually imagine there was an actual place for the citys. This is really cool. I'm now on to finish The Prophet of Yonwood. Hope it's good!
I totally get it. I’ve been pondering the entire time I’ve been reading Sparks where it could possibly be on a map. For some reason, maps enhance the enjoyment of a story for me. Well done all!
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First of all, it's obviously in California, as mentioned in "The Prophet of Yonwood". Couple this with the mild winter season, and Ember (as well as Sparks) must be in the mid to low latitudes of California.
The next clue is the "great city" that popped up in "The People of Sparks". Among other things mentioned about it is the "great bay" it sits on. Also, Sparks once had an earthquake, so it must be close to the San Andreas Fault. Thus, San Francisco. (Also, Jeanne DuPrau lives in San Francisco.)
Next, we must find Sparks. Our biggest clue is that it's a five day journey from Sparks to San Francisco. Considering that the roamers often travel by wagon, their speed is probably comparable to the travelers of the Oregon Trail. In other words, eighteen to twenty miles a day, or 90 to 100 miles in total. By drawing a circle on a map with a radius of 100 miles, we can get where Sparks should be.
We have some more clues as well. Sparks is situated by a river, and not a small one. This could be the San Joaquin River. (It could also be the Sacramento River, but the book never mentions crossing the Sacramento/San Jaoquin delta. Also, to get to San Francisco from the North, you would have to follow the river almost all the way, and the book didn't mention that either.)
Thus, Ember sits either in the Sierra Nevadas or the Coastal Range. The Sierra Nevadas are the much more likely spot, as they are of complete granite composition; unlikely to cave-in and very bomb-resistant. The Coastal Ranges are of a much more mixed type of composition, making them not as suitable for a large cavern.
I am regretful to say that I was not able to exactly locate either Sparks or Ember. The only clue for Ember is the underground river, searching for which brings up conspiracy theories and such. The only (partially) underground river in California is the Mojave River, far closer to Los Angeles than San Francisco. It might be a man-made feature.
If anyone remembers anything more about directions, travel times or notable features from any of the books, please let me know. I do not have the books directly in front of me right now. The resource I really wanted to see was the map from Ember to Sparks on the back of "The Diamond of Darkhold", so if anyone has that, snap a picture of it and send it to me.
(By the way, I'm e-mailing Jeanne DuPrau to see if she has an answer for me.)