Review: Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky, #3)

Author: Veronica Rossi
Series: Under the Never Sky, #3
Published: January 28th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover, 400 pgs
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: The Book Depository

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.

The long-awaited, breathlessly anticipated final book in Veronica Rossi’s Under the Never Sky trilogy is finally here, but is it everything I’d hoped for? Not really. Rarely does a middle book end up being the strongest of a trilogy, but it’s been known to happen now and then, and it happened here. Through the Ever Night set the bar extremely high for this conclusion, and while Into the Still Blue reached significant heights, it stayed well below its predecessor.

The struggles and losses continue in this book – some more painful than others – but none have the impact of the loss we faced in Through the Ever Night. Looking back at the whole picture, I’ve come to realize that the intensity present in the first two books, the gripping fear and uncertainty of survival simply weren’t there now. If anything, Into the Still Blue was somewhat predictable, and while there were lives lost, I saw every death coming from a mile away.

How strange that I didn’t find Perry and Aria’s relationship convincing at all in this book! Perry held back too much, they each had their struggles and secrets and things they just didn’t discuss, and even when that changed, the closeness I’ve hoped for, the intimacy I’ve come to expect, was gone. It pains me to admit this, but there was something missing between them and as a couple, they lost at least some of their shine. That’s not to say that I didn’t appreciate the daring route Rossi took with Aria and Perry. They remain a favorite in so many things, most of all the complete lack of drama and/or love triangles between them. But while I liked the idea, the execution was somewhat lacking, and their previous chemistry was virtually non-existent.

Strangely enough, Aria and Roar’s friendship continued being the highlight of the series. That’s where I found the closeness I wanted to see in other relationships as well. While it was never more than a pure, honest friendship, I still felt more intimacy between them then I did between Perry and Aria. Aria found a perfect friend in Roar and he found the same in her. However, by far the most interesting and emotionally intense part of this book was Perry’s friendship with Roar. The pain, the guilt, the resentment, it all came crashing down on them both and they were tested unlike ever before.

Into the Still Blue would have benefited from a longer epilogue, a chance for fans to calmly say goodbye and close a book with a satisfied sigh. After all the pain and suffering we (and the characters) were put through, after all the tears for lives lost, I felt that we deserved something more, akin to what Melina Marchetta gave us in Quintana of Charyn or similar to what Ann Aguirre did with Horde. Here, the ending felt rushed and entirely insufficient, so here’s to hoping for another novella to make things right.

Despite feeling a bit underwhelmed by this conclusion, I’d never hesitate to recommend the trilogy to anyone who would listen. The quality of Rossi’s writing makes up for most things that went wrong, and these characters will certainly stay with me for a long time to come.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.