Fantasy Book Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Posted by: Lisa Parkin December 15, 2011 10 Comments

Under the Never Sky has the potential to beat out Divergent as my favorite book of this year…

Book Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

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Title & Author: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Series: 1st in a planned series (??)

Publisher: HarperTeen

How I Got the Book: ARC from Publlisher

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.”

Under the Never Sky: Obsession Has Never Looked This Scary

You know that scary moment when you have started pushing books on not just your friends and family but total strangers who have never read YA fiction a day in their lives? Yeah, that was me at my tamest with Under the Never Sky. I’m so so excited about this book!!!

Here are a few reasons why:

1. The interesting mix of fantasy and science fiction. The fantasy part of the book comes into play with the elements- like the “Never Sky” that rains down lightening and crazy energy- and Senses. Outsiders (everyone who doesn’t live in Reverie) have Senses, or heightened abilities like crazily amplified hearing or smelling. It sounds cooler than how I just described it, I promise.

The science fiction part centers on the technology aspect of Aria’s world. Aria is a Dweller and lives in Reverie where everything she experiences is simulated. No one actually feels fear or excitement anymore- it’s all part of simulations in the different Realms (mini-worlds) that Dwellers can enter. Plus, she gets to wear a cool Smarteye that sounds like it might look like Steampunk goggles. A Smarteye is like a mix between the googles and a gadget out of the movie, The Minority Report.

2. The breathtaking romance. Say goodbye to instalove, my friends, and welcome the slow-and-steady romance instead. It’s scintillating and exciting and demands that you read more and more.

I really enjoy when romances start off with people who have biased or twisted perceptions of each other and then get proved wrong slowly over time. It makes everything feel more rewarding at the end.

3. Rossi’s writing is smooth and flowing- with tons of vivid descriptions and emotion infused in every page. She has a true way with words. She made me feel something when I read her work, and that is a priceless skill.

4. The character dynamic . Relationships aren’t easy in this book. They’re complicated and messy and – no surprise- very relatable. Unlike some books where characters can’t see the blatantly obvious like someone in love with them, danger or betrayal, in Under the Never Sky, Aria and Perry act in a way that is dramatic at times (it is fiction, after all) but not unrealistic.

Bonus: I fell in love with this book. I loved everything about it- Perry and Aria are people I want to be friends with, and I love the buried meaning in so many different elements- like the singing and the falcon.

OVERALL: Make Under the Never Sky the FIRST book you read in 2012 (it comes out January 3). Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to remind you. If you’re looking for a book that make sweet love to your mind, then Under the Never Sky was written exactly for you.