Under the Never Sky - Review

Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, # 1)

By: Veronica Rossi

Published: January 3rd 2012 by HarperCollins

374 pages

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Fantasy

Source: Borrowed from my SNL, Holly @ Words Fueled by Love

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Goodreads description--WORLDS 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.

I put off reading Under the Never Sky because my sister-in-law reviewed it and said she felt like it had a slow start, but she ended up loving it. (You can read her review here.) I really haven't been in the mood to get bogged down with anything that might be slow at all. So despite knowing that she ended up being really impressed with the book, I put off reading it for fear of getting stuck in a slow beginning.

I didn't have that problem. I read Under the Never Sky in around 24 hours. It's one of the better books I've read recently (and I've read some good ones), and I really got wrapped up in it. Sometimes when I'm reading a book that I'm only semi-interested in, I find myself getting sleepy while reading. But that wasn't a problem at all. I was totally absorbed in the world that Veronica Rossi created. Speaking of that, Under the Never Sky is definitely ones of the best worlds I've read recently as well.

Ok I'm trying to stop gushing and write something coherent, but I'm having a difficult time putting my thoughts into words.

Aria, as the description says, has lived in this protected and mostly virtual world her whole life. And she loves it there. Because her mother has gone radio-silent, Aria pretty much worries to the point of taking some risky chances with some friends in order to find out some information about what might have happened to her mother. She ends up thrown into the "outside" world where she expects to die pretty quickly because her people aren't known to be able to survive the outside. However, what she finds is a whole new world that she grows to adapt to and eventually find beautiful.

Perry has always been on the outside. Yet he has a deep struggle between his love for his family, specifically his nephew Talon, and his duty to help his people. Perry's brother, Vale, is Blood Lord over their tribe, and any move Perry makes against Vale's decisions results in this teetering, unstable balance of a fight to the death or Perry leaving the tribe. A crucial incident takes place that forces Perry's hand. He sets off on his mission and there runs into Aria.

I really connected to Aria. She's a quick learner, but I probably connected to Perry more. Aira and Perry come to an uneasy agreement, and then strike off on their journey together in hopes of solving both of their problems and returning to their homes. Aria and Perry are both quick to believe everything they've been taught about the other's culture and thus the tension between them. Aria thinks Perry is a savage and will just as quickly eat her as help her. Perry thinks Aria is a spoiled by her virtual worlds and will just as likely get herself killed as actually help him in their mission. But they suck it up and continue, all the while grieving in their own ways and for their own reasons. I also really enjoyed the alternating POVs, because I like to see how each character sees and preceives differently.

I loved the development between Aria and Perry. How they slowly begin to trust each other. How they both annoy each other to death at first, but then eventually small moments of kindness eek out and are seen. I loved how Aria begins to adapt to the outside. How I can see her change and grow. I'm intrigued by Perry's ability to scent tempers and the other Marks in this world. The Aether too. What a terrifying but beautiful picture. The beginning jumped into this world with terms that we're not accustom to, but it didn't take me long to figure them out and I actually enjoy being thrown into this world this way. I don't want every difference from the real world to the created world to be laid out for me like I'm not capable of figuring it out on my own.

I don't think there was too much of anything about Under the Never Sky that I didn't like. I've got Through the Ever Night in my possession, but I have to read some other review books before I can pick it up. I must say that I've got that feeling in my gut that I won't be satisfied until I get my hands and eyes on Through the Ever Night.

Under the Never Sky gets 4 stars from me. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys world building and dystopian novels. Have you read Under the Never Sky? What did you think? Let me know!