Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi Series: Under the Never Sky #3
Published by HarperTEEN on January 2014
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 389
Source: My copy
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The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do--and they are just as determined to stay together.
Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.
Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival--he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.
Please note: This review is for the third book in the Under the Never Sky trilogy, and so contains spoilers for the first two books. You may wish to read my reviews for Under the Never Sky or Through the Ever Night on The Oaken Bookcase, or Leila’s Under the Never Sky review instead!
I read the first two books in this trilogy early last year and loved them. It’s been a long wait for the conclusion to Aria and Perry’s story, and after being disappointed with the end of the Divergent trilogy I was a little worried about this one, but thankfully it mostly lived up to my hopes.
Things are in a bit of a mess at the end of Through the Ever Night – Perry has assumed the chain of the Tides Blood Lord, Aria and Roar have returned from their journey to the Horns’ city, and Sable, the leader of the Horns has joined forces with some of the Dwellers from the pod city of Reverie to try to find a way to the Still Blue. The aether storms are getting worse all the time, but the only way out lies with one young boy, currently being held by the enemy.
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I loved book two. I’m not sure why, exactly, but I think it’s because things were a little flat through the middle. There’s certainly plenty of action right from the start, but the Tides have had so much trouble sorting out their plans for the Still Blue that when it actually comes time to go, it all feels a bit anti-climactic. In some ways I would have liked a bit more to the story after the ending as well, just to see how the group pulls together or falls apart, but I think it was probably finished at a good moment before too much is known about the world outside and things become complicated again. Still, I sort of put the book down and went: “Oh. That’s it?”
The character relationships have become a lot more complex and they are what makes this part of the story great. Aria and Perry are so much in love that its almost painfully sweet at times. I still love Roar the most though. It’s difficult to see him going through such hard times. I’ll be very interested to see what Ms Rossi gets up to next, simply because I am in love with her characters!
In all, Into the Still Blue was an exciting and satisfying conclusion to this excellent trilogy. I’d recommend the series to anyone looking for a fresh post-apocalyptic adventure with lovely romance and high-stakes action.
Under the Never Sky trilogy
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Anni
Anni lives in Brisbane, Australia with her young family. She loves everything fantasy and science fiction and believes sleep is really very underrated.
Anya
Yes, so agreed! I felt like such a black sheep that I didn’t like this one as much as book two D: I really really really wanted to see more about the Still Blue and how they make their new life there since it’s kind of a crazy place ya know? Oh well, maybe Rossi will make another trilogy taking place after this one >.>
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Angelya
Yeah, I felt a bit let down by how much we get to find out about the rest of the world and what exactly the aether is.. but I guess that just adds to the primitive feeling of the “new world”.