Early Review : Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi
Saturday, January 04, 2014
Title : Into the Still BlueAuthor : Veronica Rossi
Genre : Dystopian
Expected Publication : January 28th 2014
Publisher : HarperCollins
Pages : 400
Pages : 400
Source : Publisher, in exchange for a fair and honest review
From Goodreads :
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.
Review
You know, the very first time Under the Never Sky came out, I actually didn't really think it would be such a great story. Because well, it was the age of The Hunger Games, and then dystopian stories popped out everywhere like fungi on rainy seasons (Excuse my scientific-ish language, peeps. Exams were just over). I first thought that this series would become one of those Hunger Games-wannabe. Turns out? I was wrong, like, totally. And this book, as the last of the series is just whoa.
"I keep trying to fraction. I keep thinking my Smarteye is malfunctioning, and it's kind of like I've gone deaf. Like there's this huge missing piece. Then I remember this is all we have. Real is all that's left."
—Jupiter
Into the Still Blue told us where the story left off from the previous book, where Aria found out that the Reverie had broke down, Hess had to sacrifice his own people for his own safety, and Perry had led the Tides away from their territory and into an isolated cave, all to escape the Aether and discover the Still Blue, the rumored place where the sky is clear and the Aether is nowhere to be found. But when Roar and Perry's relationship is crumbling, and Sable and Hess joined force against the Tides to discover the Still Blue—with Cinder's life as the price, what will Aria and Perry ultimately do to save them all?
While the first and the second book definitely makes me fall in love with this series, the third just totally got me hooked and managed to make me read it all in one sitting. The story was heated right from the very first page, and the flow was really nice—not too fast, not too slow. Also, love the way the story always proceed toward the unexpected, always moving forward, and gave us such an interesting read.
The narration of both Aria and Perry was also much more entertaining to be read than the two other previous book. It had more souls and characteristic to it, and it's much more easier to distinguish between the two.
The twist toward the ending was totally unexpected too, and reading that really just make me goes :
At first, however, maybe you'll find yourself getting a little confused about who's who, more so if you already forgot the details of the previous books. There's like, so many character naming already at the beginning, which honestly make me goes "Er, who are you again?". Plus, their role from the previous book was not really memorable either, which make it even more harder to remember them. But after a while, you'll get used to it (Like me, who just read it on because I'm just too curious. You'll end up remembering them, anyway :D)
Moving on to the main character, Perry. Previously, I imagined him to be those barbaric-looking man, unruly hair, (Smelly, probably?) and overall so not swoon-worthy. And maybe, if you offered him to me as a boyfriend, I'll be like :
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But, ha, I take it back now. GIVE HIM TO ME NOW. Because he was just soooo adorably sweet and super aww-ie in this book, melting us all with those little romantic gesture toward Aria that will turn us into that gooey puddle of hopeless fangirl, all while still manages to avoid that I-love-you-and-will-kiss-you-like-every-second-if-I-could-because-I'm-just-that-sweet-and-you-all-will-die-swooning kind of cliche, like that one particular book *coughtwilightcough*. Ahem.
Aria as the other leading character was particularly very charming as well. Love that she was such a reliable character with a decent backbone, not just a whinny girl who can do nothing, even if she don't have the muscle power like the Dwellers, but rather, brains (Which is, by the way, a really nice touch, because it proved that Rossi really followed her own concept and not just making anything possible in sake of the story : a.k.a Mary Sue).
And she also had this really nice relationship with Roar also, which (Thank goodness, by the way, that Rossi didn't take those turns toward the evil love triangle) proves, that: Yes people, girl and boy can be close and just be friends. Like, really.
However, although the whole book was really satisfying, I think that the ending could have ended with a little more bang than it already is. Like, this is what the Tides have all been waiting for. What Perry, Aria, Roar, and basically everyone else was waiting while spending their life at The Death Shop. And when the final battle come, it was basically just a little chit-chat with some empty threats and 10 seconds of action? Mhm-kay.
Overall, Into the Still Blue was still a satisfying read for all of Rossi's fans out there. While the ending might not be packed with appropriate amount of feels I've been expecting, the whole book made up for it with its great plot and tension, the fast and always intriguing pacing, strong character development, and also lots of swoon and feels. Totally worth the read.
Cheers, x
NK
11 comments
Now I just want to know what happens in this! This is enough to tempt to hop back into Netgalley and sell my soul for the hope of being able to get accepted for a galley that I most likely won't be accepted for.
ReplyDeleteYour review just has me wanting so badly to be able to get my hands on this book. Everything in this book was so deliciously, temptingly vague that I'm burning with the urge to somehow find a copy of this book. Although I probably won't be able to.
And it sucks that the names are forgettable! Like, I can remember who Sable is, but who the heck is Hess?
Bahaha, it's like super total AMAZING (Just because I'm that mean ;D). Hess is like that so-called president from the place where Aria came from. You're not alone though, cause I suffer from that very similar name-amnesia!
DeleteAnd ooh, you'll never know what delicious is until you read Perry! XD (Just me making you want to read this even more, bahaha)
Okay so I definitely skimmed this because I haven't even read the first book! *head desk* I know, how bad of me! I have the first book too, but haven't gotten around to it because of how many other books I have sitting on my TBR pile waiting to be read. Also, I've heard soooo many great things about this series, and I'm afraid I won't be as impressed with it as everyone else is. :B But you seem to have the same opinion as I do, and you love it, so I'll still give it a shot! I know I'll end up reading it because it fits into one of my 2014 challenges, but it might take me some time before then. xD
ReplyDeleteSydney @ Utterly Bookish
Yay, hope you'll ended up loving it as much as I do! :D
DeleteI love this series so much, I can't even. I'm SO happy you loved this one and that it didn't disappoint. Too neat of an ending is aggravating, but I'll take it in stride now because PERRYYYY. Although I'm more of a Roar fan, but still.
ReplyDeleteI love Roar too!! :D And yep, hope you'll like this one, Sunny!
DeleteSo many feels right now!! A friend of mine got the ARC a few months ago and I just can't put into words how she made me feel once she finished it. I can't bring myself to read. I keep putting off because I want the series to be over. Loved your review. Hopefully I can get to read it soon. :)
ReplyDeleteAndy @ Owl Always Be Reading
Thankies! And yay, hope you'll like it when you get to read it :D
DeleteAnd that's right, I got to wait a few days before writing the review 'cause it's just like a whole bunch of feels O.O
It's probably time to start this series...I've already had the previous books at home but I just have no motivations to read them xP Like, I'm sooooo over dystopia but since I haven't read that genre anymore for a long time, I might not hate this one as much as I would last year. Awesome review. Neysa! <33
ReplyDeleteGogogogo read it now Kezia!! *I'm glaring at you ;)* It's not your usual boring generic dystopian, I promise you! :D
DeleteI feel so out of place because I think I'm the only one who isn't into this series! I haven't read Under the Never Sky yet, but there's been so much hype and great reviews, so I will make it a point to check this out soon. Great review! :)
ReplyDelete-Kimi at Geeky Chiquitas
A comment from readers make us happy, really!
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