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Under the Never Sky – Veronica Rossi
Book Reviews
July 29, 2013 posted by Nichole

Under the Never Sky - Veronica Rossi

10756656WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she’s never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He’s searching for someone too. He’s also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other’s best hope for finding answers.

 

My experience with Under the Never Sky was sort of funny, because I knew nothing about the book when I bought it at Barnes and Nobles. I’ve heard about that book, and I knew that people LOVED it (and Perry!), but I really just had no clue what it was about. When I was in B&N, I decided that I was not in a dystopian kind of mood. The thought brought me down. I just wanted something paranormal. When I was browsing through the new YA section, I ran across the second book in the series, Through the Evernight. Again, I knew nothing about this series. Honestly, the second book looks like a paranormal book. I didn’t even consider reading the back of it, because I’d heard such great things and it was OBVIOUSLY a paranormal book cover. Uhm. No. I was wrong. It ended up being a dystopian book!

I wish that I could join the crowd and say how much I loved Under the Never Sky. I want to be one of those girls who gushes over how awesome and hot and spectacular Perry is! I wish that I was gaga over Aria and Perry and craving the next book. Now, I didn’t DISlike Under the Never Sky. There really was nothing THAT wrong with it. Here comes the but…..I found it boring. I didn’t care for any of the characters. I wasn’t fascinated with the world that Rossi created. I wasn’t even blown away by a single scene. I was just bored. I don’t know if this happened because I was in such a dystopian funk. I really didn’t want to read a dystopian book. It actually got to the point that I set Under the Never Sky down around halfway through it and picked up Burn Bright by Bethany Frenette. I just wanted something paranormal. When I eventually went back to Under the Never Sky, it didn’t get any better for me. I stayed bored throughout the entire thing. It got to the point that I just skimmed probably the last 25% of the book. I had read it consistently up till then, but by that point, I just didn’t care what happened anymore.

The thing that bugged me most about this book was how unrealistic everything was. Now, I know that dystopian is supposed to be unrealistic, but that’s not what I’m talking about. First complaint: some things made absolutely no sense! How did Perry get into Aria’s world in the beginning of the book? They unlocked a door to let themselves out. How did that let Perry in? And how did Perry miraculously run across Aria when she was dumped off in the desert? Because he’s really just going to stumble on her and know who she is RIGHT. AWAY. Not. No. Also, Aria and Perry HATED each other. I mean…they didn’t have a single cell in their bodies that liked each other. Normally that’s fine, because there’s a progression of feelings over time. Not in this book. It literally went from them hating each other all throughout the book. And then BAM! A page turned and all of a sudden Perry had feelings for Aria. A few chapters later, Aria had feelings for Perry. WHAT?! No. That just doesn’t work for me.

Veronica Rossi’s writing is very beautiful and smooth. There was a lot of detail….probably too much for my personal taste. She’s obviously a great writer. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t rock my boat. It was okay. It wasn’t bad by any means. But….I don’t think I’ll be reading the second one. I barely even know how the first one ended, because I just didn’t care. I think that a lot of dystopian lovers are going to enjoy Under the Never Sky, and I would encourage everyone to read it based on how popular it is right now. It sucks that it wasn’t for me, but I gave it a shot!

 

Kiona previously reviewed Under the Never Sky and gave it 5 stars! Check out what she had to say here.

 

If you liked Under the Never Sky, you should check out:

Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Gravity by Melissa West

The Ward by Jordana Frankel

 

Pages: 374

Publication Date: January 3rd, 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins

Rating: : ★★★☆☆

 

Teaser Quote “She looked up. “A world of nevers under a never sky.”
She fit in well then, he thought. A girl who never shut up.”

Under the Never Sky — Veronica Rossi
Book Reviews
December 3, 2011 posted by Kiona

Under the Never Sky — Veronica Rossi

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

Aria was raised in Reverie, a small Pod that protects her and a few thousand other Dwellers from the outside world. Living in such an enclosed space was stifling, so the Realms were created as a means of distraction and entertainment. In the Realms, Dwellers can live out their wildest dreams and fantasies, free from fear, pain, and sickness. Reverie and the Realms are the only life Aria has ever known, until she’s left for dead in the outside world. There, Perry finds Aria just as the hovers that deposited her abduct his nephew. Though every fiber of his being rebels against the idea, Perry realizes that the only way to get Talon back is to team up with Aria, if he can manage not to kill her long enough for her to help him.

From the very beginning, I wanted to like Under the Never Sky. It’s unlike any dystopian novel I’ve read so far. It’s intriguing, the plot is unbelievably unique, the tantalizing descriptions are fresh, and the chapters shift between Aria’s and Perry’s points of views, providing insight into both their worlds. But for some reason, I didn’t fall right into it. The beginning chapters felt kind of forced and disjointed to me. I liked the world Rossi was creating, but I didn’t love the characters. And then Aria was thrown out of Reverie and it was like a flip switched into my mind. Everything fell into place; I was riveted.

While I loved the crazy-interesting and intricate world Rossi created, the characters really stole the show for me. At first, Aria didn’t stand out to me. She seemed nice enough, but I was far more interested in Perry, the complicated Savage. He had so many different sides to his personality and I loved seeing how certain characters brought out certain aspects of that personality. As Aria and Perry grew more comfortable around each other, Aria opened up. I saw how brave and selfless and funny she could be. As the two got to know each other, they truly brought out the best in each other. The development of their relationship was fascinating and gripping, especially given the fact that we could experience it through both of their eyes.

Then there was Roar, one of Perry’s closest friends. He stole my heart from the second he opened his mouth. He was just so, so amazing. I wanted to cuddle with him. I still want to cuddle with him. And he did a great job of managing the awkardness between Aria and Perry. But the amazing supporting cast didn’t stop there. Cinder and Marron also brought a smile to my face, just because they had such distinct personalities. Every character really leaped off the page for me so that I felt like I was experiencing Under the Never Sky in 3D.

Beside the phenomenal character development, the book is very plot-driven. There was a sense of urgency and suspense to it that kept me eagerly flipping pages. Not to mention the top-notch world-building. Rossi’s explanation of both societies is clear and fully detailed, providing excellent imagery and a logical back-story. Under the Never Sky is a remarkable debut, proving that Veronica Rossi is an author to look out for.

Pages: 400
Publication Date: January 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Challenge: Debut Author
Rating : ★★★★★

Teaser Quote: “It’s time, Perry.” He let her go. She took a step back, taking in his face one last time. His green eyes. The bend in his nose and the scars on his cheek. All the tiny imperfections that made him beautiful. Without a word, she turned and made her way downhill.