Review of Under the Never Sky
My Review of Under the Never Sky, the first book in a 2000s YA Fantasy trilogy.
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Published by Harper Collins on January 3, 2012
Review of Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
When I pick up a book that others have liked, I’m nervous. High expectations can ruin a perfectly good story if you’re expecting it to be amazing.
Luckily, Under the Never Sky delivered. It’s an imaginative and engaging book.
Under the Never Sky opens as Aria and a group of her friends sneak out of the enclosed city of Reverie and into the world outside — the ominously named Death Shop. Something goes terribly wrong. Aria is questioned, blamed, and banished from her community.
Aria’s certain that she’s doomed. After all, the reason that Reverie was enclosed was to protect its residents from the dangerous Aether storms.
Then Aria encounters Perry, a “Savage” who lives outside Aria’s hermetically sealed world. Perry is one of the Marked, a person who possesses a dominant sense. (He can scent others’ emotions.) Perry is searching for his beloved nephew, Talon, who was kidnapped by a group from Reverie. At first Perry wants nothing to do with Aria. Then the two of them realize they can help one another. Aria can help Perry get Talon back, and Perry can help Aria gather evidence that she was unfairly scapegoated.
The book is written in chapters that alternate Aria’s and Perry’s points of view in the third person. I found Perry a much more compelling character, but Aria grew on me. In fact, a lot of the story grew on me. It took me a good chunk of the book to piece together all the different aspects of the story world. There’s a lot to keep track of: Pods, Realms, Dwellers, Moles, Outsiders, Audiles, Savages, Seers and Scires.
Under the Never Sky is a book that kept me at a bit of a distance as a reader, engaging my imagination rather than my emotions. The world of the book is vivid and compelling, almost dreamy. I liked that the story incorporated elements of fantasy and sci-fi. There were some great secondary characters, and some intriguing loose ends (Liv the runaway bride, the genetic engineering that resulted in Aria’s singing talent, the mysterious DLS disease) that will undoubtedly be picked up in subsequent books.
Other Books in the Under the Never Sky Trilogy
Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi – book two
Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi – book three
I love the cover of this book! I can't wait to read it thanks for the review!
Hi ebaker!!
I really need to do some posts on covers.
I agree — the cover really suits the book. Aria looks like she's walking through the Aether. For some reason, Goodreads uses what must be the UK cover. I don't like it as well. Check it out here:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10756656-under-the-never-sky
When I first heard about this book pre-release I wasn't very interested in it. Thankfully they changed the cover, and as I read reviews that shed light on the book I am eager to read it. Great job Jen! You've sold me! 🙂
@Jen Goodreads is using the ARC cover. I'm so glad they changed it. In my opinon, it was awful! I actually was given the oppurtunity yesterday to get a finished copy of this for review. I looked it up on goodreads,saw the old cover and passed. lol Now I'm wishing I hadn't
Hmmm. My ARC had the "new" cover.
I just recently added this one to my TBR list! Great review Jen! The few reviews I've read have been very positive 🙂
Oh, I really, really want to read this! Thanks for the fabulous review! There are so many great books coming out but this one is at the top for me!
Hmm. Maybe I'll have to add it to my list for the blog hop I'm participating in at the end of January. I have some great stuff to give away 😉
Just an FYI, the pink cover is from the UK publisher (Little Brown, Atom). The blue one is the US publisher (HarperCollins). Not sure why Goodreads is using the UK cover. As a matter of fact I've seen other covers from the German and Dutch editions. They'll probably be more covers given it is being published in over 25 countries.
Thanks for letting us know! I really like comparing covers, either from country to country, or when a different cover is designed for the PB edition.
LOL. Clearly I need to get the hang of this new Blogger threaded comments thingy. I'm not in the habit of hitting reply. I'll get here…
Sounds like an interesting book 😀 thanks for the review.
ooh, how did u do that with the reply thing?
oooh, Blogger developed a reply option?? about time!!!
I have my copy, and I'm super excited to read it. I've heard so many great things and only a few not-so-great things about this book. Funny thing is, I have Divergent on my bookshelf waiting to be read as well. I better get reading…
Awesome review!
@manda-rae Divergent is so awesome!!! @Jen A book that is even a little like Divergent! I need to get this book! :)<
Shanan — dare I say it? You might like this book even better. This book has more fantasy elements.
Let me know what you think 🙂
Hi Marybelle.
I totally agree! So my goal on the blog is to help you decide if a book is for you. Or not. If you like dystopian and/or fantasy, give this one a shot. And then come back and tell me what you thought.
Thanks so much for dropping by!
Divergent. Yes. Ship Breaker. Yes. Never Sky. Oh yess! I'm going to die from my excitement to read this. I am so so glad I get to read this now that you've sent me a copy!
Ahh yes, the superb romance I mentioned above. When I first read the synopsis of UTNS I was scared that I¿d find a clichéd, insta-love kind of romance, but I found the complete opposite. Aria and Perry don¿t even like each other at first, and we really get to see their friendship develop first, then their romantic relationship. It¿s always refreshing to actually get see two characters fall in love.