I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi Series: Under the Never Sky #3
Published by HarperTeen on January 28, 2014
Pages: 400
Source: the publisher
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The earth-shattering conclusion to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece" Under the Never Sky trilogy and sequel to the New York Times bestselling Through the Ever Night (Examiner.com).
Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.
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.
Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.
Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because 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.
In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.
Though I had heard great things about Into the Still Blue – that it was amazing and an epic conclusion to the Under the Never Sky trilogy – I was the black sheep of the group and did not enjoy it. The book was slow and boring, the characters were flat and the ending felt drawn-out.
The plot itself was interesting. I’ve been saying it since book one: I love the science, the technology, the genetics. I love the idea of the Pods and the Dwellers vs. the Outsiders. It’s a great concept! And Veronica Rossi is a beautiful writer. Those things really drove the book and kept me reading, more than anything.
But honestly, I found myself feeling very distanced from the majority of the characters in this book – and this series in general. I didn’t really care about them and I had a hard time worrying about their fates.
Throughout this trilogy, I’ve been on the fence when it comes to Aria. I liked her in the first two books and at the beginning of Into the Still Blue, I even liked her more than ever before. But as the book went on, she began to irritate me. I’m not sure why – just like I wasn’t sure why I liked her. She was just a meh character, in my opinion. She wasn’t a bad character, not at all. But there was nothing spectacular about her, nothing that stood out for me.
I know so many people who absolutely adored Perry. But I just never liked him. I found him annoying and I never swooned over him, like some of my fellow bloggers did. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Perry and Aria as a couple. I think they’re adorable and perfect for each other. I love Aria and Roar as just friends and YA could definitely use more male/female friendships like that. I DEFINITELY loved that there wasn’t a love triangle in this – very refreshing! But I just didn’t like Perry as a person or as a character. There was nothing special about him, nothing that made me root for him.
Cinder was a mild nuisance – his fate was very obvious from early on and I never expected much of his character, even through to the end. I could take or leave Soren – I never trusted him, anyway, so it made it hard to like him. We don’t see a lot of Talon and that felt like a let-down, considering the major role he played in Under the Never Sky. And the characters who met with a less-than-stellar fate.. Well, I didn’t really care. I tried to – I know I was supposed to – but I just didn’t.
The only characters I loved were Roar, Brooke and Liv. And, unfortunately, we don’t get to see much of Brooke or Liv. I wish they had had bigger roles in these books. Roar just needs his own book because I completely adore him.
It saddens me that I didn’t enjoy this series more. I had heard so many amazing things from friends, bloggers and other authors. I WANTED to love it, I really did. But I’m very character-driven when it comes to the books I read and the characters really didn’t stand out or catch my attention. I didn’t care enough about them.
I would still definitely recommend this book and this series. Like I said, I seem to be a black sheep where this series is concerned. Most people loved it and felt Into the Still Blue was the perfect ending.