Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronika Rossi

Goodreads Summary:
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


Other works by this author:


Release Date: January 3rd, 2012
Pages: 374 (Hardcover)
Series? #1
Publisher: HarperCollins

LONG STORY SHORT:
This book does stand out in the crowd of YA dystopia that is published these days. Some very unique ideas in the areas worldbuilding, plot and relationships guarantee a rather fresh, somehow different reading experience. Anyway, especially in retrospect I am sure that this is one of the last dystopian trilogies I am going to put on my shelf.

REVIEW:

The main reason why I waited so long to get started with this book is that I am getting tired of dystopian novels and their seemingly always similar scheme. The first book usually works as an introduction to the characters, the world and the main problem with it. During the second one someone decides to plan a revolution and in the third one it happens. And the more dystopias I read the lower sinks my interest for those kinds of stories.
If you feel the same way you should try Under the Never Sky, mainly because the concept is different. We actually don't get to see all that much from Aria's very futuristic and technologically advanced world but more of Perry's rough lifestyle in the woods which is a refreshing take on dystopia.
The only disadvantage of that concept is that although Rossi invented a really cool item with the smarteye which basically works as a smartphone in the form of a patch in front of your eye, we barely get to know anything about it - I hope that will come in the next book, though.
What carries the story, in my opinion, is Perry and his relationship to his family and tribe. His story is sad and heartbreaking and I just wanted things to turn out good for him in the course of the novel. In comparison, Aria appeared rather flat to me. She gets thrown into this new world and tries to somehow survive and yes, she grows as a character but she lacks those rough edges that Perry has.
To make up for that the author reveals a pretty huge secret about Aria towards the end of the book which I certainly wouldn't have suspected!
All in all, I enjoyed Under the Never Sky as I read it, but it didn't overwhelm me. I would recommend it to everyone looking for a dystopian book that is a bit - but not too much - different from the usual stuff.

Side Note: You have GOT to read the novella after you read this book! I loved the story of Roar and Liv, that's what really made me attached to the characters!

RATING: 2/3 Smarties