Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky

by Veronica Rossi 

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.

(summary from book cover)

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Great book! Mystery, romance, some lovely dystopian survival moments ... fascinating. I thought the premise was fabulous - very Hunger Gamesish in it's taking one aspect of our modern life and blowing it out of proportion. Instead of reality TV this book uses virtual reality. Very cool to see where we could go (you know, in a hyper dystopian kind of way) if we continue on the path we're on. Also riveting to explore the differences between "real" and "better than real". I'll stick with real any day, thanks, though an occasional "better than real" would certainly be a lot of fun. The genetic leaps and bounds that caused supernatural senses was a little far fetched, but a fun addition to the story. I loved the characters, I enjoyed seeing Aria grow from an extremely sheltered (but never whiny! Thank you Veronica Rossi!) girl to a strong capable woman. I will certainly read the next in the series.

One thing I had to overcome before admitting I loved the book was the name of one of the main characters. Perry? Really? I guess my kids watch way too much Phineas and Ferb, and unless the character is a semi-aquatic egg-laying mammal of action, the name just doesn't work for me. It didn't even seem to fit with the other names in the book - Hawk, Roar, Vale, ... and Perry? I get it, I get it. The falcon motif was important. So just keep it Peregrine! We're reading, not speaking. A name doesn't need to be shortened to the point of ridiculousness (cough, Wanda) when it's in a book. Just my nit-picking opinion. (Even Peri would have been better. Like Nessa would have been SO much better than Nessie. But I digress.)

Mom note: As a mother of readers, I also want to make a note to myself (and others if they care) why I would or would not have my children read this book, because honestly, sometimes I forget. This is a YA book, so everything is within YA strictures. Violence: moderate fighting, including between brothers. Profanity: none that I can recall. Sex: yes, moderate for a YA book.