Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

 

Description

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 abarbarian, 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

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure. (Goodreads)

Book Details

Title: Under The Never Sky

Author: Veronica Rossi

Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: January 3, 2012

ISBN-10: 006207203X

ISBN-13: 978-0062072030

Author’s Website

Source: NetGalley/ Publisher

Why The Two Covers?

I know normally I only put the US cover up. In this case that is the cover on the left which I do like a lot don’t get me wrong. But, I fell completely in love with the UK cover on the right. The UK cover was what I put up on my Waiting on Wednesday forever ago.  Now having read Under The Never Sky it is the version I want! Which one do you like more?

Review

Let me start my review by saying that I completely agree with the last sentence of Under the Never Sky’s description. I was completely captivated and enthralled by this amazing fantasy adventure! In fact when I finished the last words on my reader’s screen and pushed the button for there to be another page, realizing I had reached the end, I looked at my reader horrified and yelled “No! No! No!” I really was not ready for it to end. Yes, that is how much I liked it.

The world Veronica Rossi built in Under the Never Sky had me engrossed in the novel from the start. Under the Never Sky starts out in the city of Reverie. Reverie is really a pod community in which people live in virtual reality most of the time to pass their time. I will say that the beginning  is much more Sci-Fi than the bulk of the book, which I didn’t mind,—I am a bit of a Sci-Fi nerd, so take from that what you will. As the story progresses we get to see the outside world and why people would be hiding inside. I loved all the fantasy aspects of Under the Never Sky, especially the crazy Aether storms. Do I really know why there are these strange storms? No, but it didn’t take away from the flow of the story and I have a feeling we will learn a lot more about the odd sky and weather in future books:)

Under the Never Sky is told in alternating POV between Aria and Perry. I was so scared about the alternating POV after recently being disappointed by Dearly, Departed in that aspect, but Ms. Rossi got it right. I loved Aria’s character. Aria starts out physically frail but never that way mentally, just very sheltered. It was a joy to watch Aria change and learn new things about her body as she was in the outside world. Lucky for her she has Perry to help her through those changes. Mmmm Perry, I just love the way he is written. Perry has grown up a hunter and knows what must be done in the cruel outside world to survive. He also knows how to lead and take care of others in his own way. Reading Aria and Perry’s lives slowly growing together was wonderful.

My absolute only complaint about Under the Never Sky is that now I am impatiently waiting for its sequel. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this fanciful world of an Aether filled sky and people with heightened abilities who are just trying to make it Under the Never Sky.

Happy Reading,

Loved it! I want to know about everything this author writes.

Recommended For

Teen and up: There is violence, kissing, and mention of having sex.