Review: Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

Rating:  3 1/2 stars
Pub Date: January 28, 2013
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: young adult science fiction, futuristic dystopian fantasy
Format/Source: DRC, Edelweiss
Status: Final book in the Under the Never Sky trilogy

Summary:
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.

Review:

First of all, I need to apologize for the other night, when this review published before it was finished. I had company over, and all thoughts of my blog went right out the window. It was totally my fault. I should have postponed it before my guests arrived, and I'm really sorry that I didn't. Please forgive my forgetful brain!

Secondly,  I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Into the Still Blue is the long-awaited final book of the Under the Never Sky trilogy. I read UTNS on the recommendation of all the people on Goodreads exclaiming over it, and I really enjoyed it. The characters were lively, the plot exciting, and the world totally unique. Then I read Through the Ever Night, and it ripped my heart out. I was so emotional while reading TTEN. You know that one scene where Veronica Rossi laughs at our pain and does something horrible? I read that scene about 5 minutes before I met her. I was almost in tears! There was just so much passion and intensity in the first two books. Sadly, I just didn't feel it in Into the Still Blue. I still liked ITSB, but I didn't love it the way I expected to. Were my expectations too high? Probably. I just felt really disconnected, checked out, and Veronica's words didn't do anything to recreate that connection. After she drew me in and kept me hooked through the first part of Aria and Perry's adventures, I was disappointed with this finale that just felt so much less than the previous two books. And the funny thing is, while I was reading it, I wasn't disappointed. It was after that I was like, wait, what? That was it? I feel like I'm only disappointed because I wasn't wowed.

So after I finished reading ITSB and I sat pondering how to rate it (normally, I know immediately what I want to rate a book, but this took a lot of though), I read some other early reviews to see where I stacked up against others. It seems I am not alone in my odd disappointment so I went with the rating I saw most of these reviews give, which was 4 stars. But as the weeks went by, I considered it more, and my 4 stars are reserved for books I really-like-but-not-quite-love. I couldn't stop thinking that it didn't quite meet that status so I bumped it down to 3.5. 

Things I like: I like that the plot is fast-paced and exciting. Aria, Perry, and Roar go on another adventure pretty early on. It's nice to see the Dream Team back together, even if they aren't the Dream Team we once knew. I'll talk more about Roar in a minute, but all three have developed past where they were at the beginning, as is only right. For their part, Aria and Perry are both more assured of themselves and of one another, which is really refressing to see. They're both confident and mature. I've loved watching their relationship develop right along with their characters. They are one of my favorite ya ships, and for good reason. Perria are smoldering, and they have a such faith in their relationship. I dig it. Brooke can stfu because there's no way she and Perry were ever this good together. Stupid cow. As much as I love Veronica, I've never understood the point of Brooke. The good news is that ITSB settles that whole nonsense, and I'm very glad for that. Perry's sensitivity and leadership astoud me. His scenes with Cinder were, I think, the best in the book, the ones that actually made me feel something. I also like that Veronica didn't pussyfoot around. Everything was intentional and, with the exception of the Brooke thing, full of purpose and meaning. This is a finale so it is pretty dramatic. She didn't pull punches. Crazy things happen, and Veronica didn't spare the readers by copping out at any point. There is loss, sorrow, sacrifice, but there is also hope, love, and trust. It is a very balanced and successful ending.

My complaints are much more difficult to pin down, exactly. There's a character whose story is not wrapped up very neatly. I understand that there is some amount of sacrifice and tragedy that is required for a story with so much at stake, but I just felt that character didn't get his or her due. They get very little mention in this book after being pretty major in UTNS and especially TTEN, but then in ITSB...not so much. Also, Roar had his head up his ass nearly the whole book, and that was a pain in mine. I get it. You're upset. I am too, Roar. Grief changes people. I just didn't realize he would be that kind of person. Roar is easily my favorite character, and I'd like to say that I support him through one of the darkest moments of his life, but he is just not the character I fell in love with. Roar became selfish, argumentative, and unsupportive. His total personality makeover was not a good one. I just...I can't. And again, I am bothered by my lack of emotional response to most of this book. I just didn't care anymore, and that saddens me greatly.

Overall, I am really happy with the Under the Never Sky trilogy. I adore Veronica's writing style. She has a wonderful imagination, and the pictures she paints with her words are vivid and unique. I have met her twice, and each time I've been amazed by her inspiration. She's a lovely person and a very talented writer. While Into the Still Blue was not my cup of hot chocolate, I am not swayed from being a die-hard Rossi fan. I will read every single book she ever writes.

Recommended for: Anyone who has read the rest of the trilogy. You do need to see how things play out.

Not recommended for: I actually don't not recommend this book. It's a great series. I highly recommend UTNS and TTEN and then you really might as well read this one as well. I just advise that you don't get your hopes up and your expectations too high.

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About the Author:

Veronica Rossi is the author of post-apocalyptic fiction for young adults. Her debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, is the first in a trilogy. Released in January 2012, it was deemed one of the Best Books of Year by School Library Journal. The second book in the trilogy, THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT, debuted in January on the NY Times and USA Today Best Seller Lists. The final book in the series, INTO THE STILL BLUE, is expected to release January 2014.

Foreign rights to the UNDER THE NEVER SKY trilogy have sold in over twenty-five territories to date and film rights have been optioned by Warner Bros.

She completed undergraduate studies at UCLA and then went on to study fine art at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons. When not writing, she enjoys reading, painting, and counting down the minutes until she can get back to making up stories about imaginary people.

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