Monday, May 26, 2014

Under the Never Sky - Veronica Rossi - Book Thoughts

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This copy was my own paperback. I purchased it myself. 

For a synopsis and more reviews click the link to the Goodreads page: 



* * * My Thoughts * * * 


I am certainly late to the Under the Never Sky bandwagon. It has been sitting on my shelf since it first came out and I am glad that I waited while the hype died down. I have mixed feelings about this novel, so I am going to do my best at sharing my opinion. I can say this though, I enjoyed it enough to order the next book and I cannot wait to see where Veronica takes the story,

When I started this, I went into it as blind as I could. I read the synopsis and it really intrigued me. I feel as though Veronica really executed the premise really well, although in truth I was looking for a little more science fiction then I got. This wasn't enough to deter me from the promise of the fantastic book that Under the Never Sky is. With semi solid world building and a unique concept, I was immersed with the landscape as a character in itself and the effects it had on the world as a whole [especially later on in the book when we meet a certain character. However I would have loved to see more of their home lands and the lands beyond. 

To me it read very character driven, the majority of the novel was about the characters understanding themselves and each other, developing stronger connections and transforming into the people they are at the end of the book. I love it when you can relate to the characters, I became invested in every aspect of their lives; especially the romantic intrigue, that thankfully was slow burning and realistic in this novel. I particularly liked the connection between Perry and Talon, their sub-story is beautifully explored and heartbreaking, while hands down my favourite side character had to be Roar, and I hope to see more of him in the next book. When it came to the two main characters Aria and Perry, I deeply enjoyed their individual battles as well as their battles together. They work so well together, the intriguing pasts that I am guessing are only touched on in this book. 

The dual perspectives was an interesting take. Being a big fan of writing in dual perspectives myself I found it great to be able to see the events from both points of view. It gave me as a reader a wider scope of understanding and enriched the emotional investment of the journey through reading. My main concerns with the book lay with a few scenes in particular that I could have done without, and if you have read the book you probably can guess which one I am talking about. I understood the impact of Arias change, however I felt it was poorly executed and didn't add to the story at all, other than to make Perry a little to creepy with his senses. My other concern was there was parts of the story read too convenient for me. I had a lot of trouble coming to terms with this giant village fortress in the middle of nowhere where everything was provided for them, without much of a back-story as to how it was created and who Marrion truly was.

Overall though I found Under the Never Sky to be engaging, creative, suspenseful and a promising start to the trilogy. It was a little slow in places, but the action scenes had my heart racing. I look forward to more development in the coming books and I cannot wait to see where Veronica takes the story next. I would certainly recommend it for all readers, especially those with an affinity to Dystopia novels with strong character growth, and great mystery. 



♥♥♥♥ ½

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