Review: Under The Never Sky - Veronica Rossi

Title: Under The Never Sky (Under The Never Sky #1)

Author: Veronica Rossi

Release Date: January3rd 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins

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.

Veronica's world-building was outstanding. She created two worlds, and in one there's a boy who's living in the 'past' (primitive,outsiders) and the other, a girl living in the 'future' (living in Pods, virtual realms, genetic engineering). I thought the plot was fantastic, and I normally care a lot more about the characters than the actual storyline. Give me great characters, and I'll forget your crappy plot. But THIS. This is a perfect combination of a killer plot and very engaging characters.

There were suprises and revelations inking through the pages, and I never would have guessed that. By the end of the book, I fell in love with all the characters - Perry (or Peregrine), Aria, Roar(!), Talon, and even Cinder. 


At first, I didn't like Aria at all. She was insanely stupid, so naive and innocent that I worried  it would make me less enjoy the book if I can't even cheer for our heroine.  But her transformation to a whiny girl into someone who has grown up a lot has massively impressed me. One of the main things I love about a heroine is their transformation from a weak and quiet girl, to someone who can make their own decisions and does it well. Aria is definitely that. By the end of the book, her courage shone through. 

Perry deserves his own paragraph. Oh my. Where can I find my own Peregrine? He was just so real. He acted and responded to how you would expect an 'outsider' or a 'savage' to be and I loved his inner depth. That boy has got depth, you can never label him. I also appreciated that Rossi didn't create the perfect male (i.e tall, dark and handsome, perfect with six-pack-kinda-guy), he had imperfections, scars around his muscled body from years of fighting, he acts like a real guy would, and the best thing about him is that he knows that he has done a lot of bad things in his life and he knows that saving his nephew is the key to redeem himself.

The idea of the 'Marked' ones was very fascinating, with how the tribes have a very special and rare gift of one or two of the senses. Perry is a Seer (which means his eyes are clearer and can see in the dark) and a Scire (his nose can smell people's emotions and tempers). 

I was very satisfied at the ending. There was a slight cliffhanger, and to be honest I wouldn't be horribly sad if this was a stand-alone book. But alas. The second book will be released next year, I believe. 

I really recommend Under The Never Sky even though if you get confused at the beginning (I've heard a lot of people did - with all the use of technology and such) and felt that it was slow. Just please WAIT. It will get better. I promise.