Review: UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

Title: UNDER THE NEVER SKY

Author: Veronica Rossi
Publication Date: 01/03/2012
My Rating: 5/5-- Incredible! Loved it!
Plot in One Word: Dystopian
Good if...you want something that's a little sci-fi mixed with dystopian

Since she’d been on the outside, she’d survived an Aether storm, she’d had a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered. This was worse. Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive. A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky. In her enthralling debut, Veronica Rossi sends readers on an unforgettable adventure set in a world brimming with harshness and beauty.

My Thoughts:  The perfect mesh-up of Scott Westerfeld's UGLIES and Kristin Cashore's GRACELING.

This novel is a duel narrative switching between Aria--the 'Dweller' who has lived her entire life indoors in a virtual reality world where all luxuries are an eye piece away--and Perry--the 'Savage' who is part of a tribe of outsiders fighting for survival.  It's dystopian with a little mix of sci-fi or maybe sci-fi with a little bit of dystopian.  Whatever.  The pairing of Aria and Perry is what makes this book exciting.  Two polar opposites who are forced to help each other despite their prejudices of one another.  It sets up an exciting stage.

SO why the comparison to UGLIES?  Well, the novel UGLIES (if you haven't read it) is about a girl living in a post apocalyptic world where technology is very advanced but humans have lost touch with reality.  The main character is forced out into the wild where she meets a 'savage' aka 'ugly' on the outside.  Sound familiar?  UNDER THE NEVER SKY follows the same recipe.  Enter GRACELING.  In the novel GRACELING people have developed 'Graces' or special abilities or mutations.  In UNDER THE NEVER SKY the outsiders--forced to adapt to a harsh world--have developed abilities of their own.  I'll leave it at that.
So that explains the comparisons.

In addition, this book delivers romance, friendship, run-ins with cannibalism!, action, knife flights, a strong female lead, more action, tons of suspense, and more action...did I say action?  Expect a cliff-hanger at the end, but luckily book #2 is already out!  :)  I wouldn't be surprised if a movie was already in the works for this one.

Bottom line: A must read!  (And I don't even like dystopian all the much!)