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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
This review is my review for the trilogy as a whole:
When I decided on a whim to try marathoning another series, I'm glad I picked this one. It was quick, fun and action-packed.
I made an impromptu library run with my sister during the Bout of Books 10.0 readathon and saw that book Through the Ever Night and Into the Still Blue were in. With book 1 sitting at home on my shelf, I decided to stray from my TBR and do another trilogy marathon.
It ended up being a good choice. Under the Never Sky suffers a bit from being book 1 in a tentative trilogy. And by that I mean, some of the super important resolution stuff near the end felt like I was going through it with the remote on fast-forward. Like Rossi was trying to cram in a bunch of resolution and denouement into as few pages a possible, to tease at a sequel but without having to commit to one necessarily.
Book 2 picks right up where book 1 sort of vaguely left you hanging. But by this point, it's clear there's going to be more, because book 2 is all about the set up. Not that important things don't happen here, but it's obvious there's a larger goal, a larger scope to the conflict here.
Book 3 then takes you through that conflict. And though I felt parts of Into the Still Blue were not quite as smooth narratively as they could've been, it was still a darned good conclusion to the trilogy.
All right. But at 4 stars, I did enjoy the series, but I never really loved it. I never got quite as invested in the characters and the world as I did in marathoning another series. I felt a lot of the time that I was sitting above everything, skimming the surface, instead of being as fully immersed as I could've been.
Part of this, I think, is that I didn't actually really like Perry that much. And with dual perspectives, half of the trilogy is in his voice. I've had a hard time pinning down exactly what it was I didn't like about him. And I will admit, that as the trilogy progresses, he grew on me. But he was never a swoon worthy love interest for me. All the more power to you, Aria, you go get him...
I'll just be over here with Roar.
I almost think that's the problem there. You can either be a Perry-person or a Roar-person. And I am definitely Team Roar. Now, I don't want to imply that there's a love triangle here, because that is the furthest thing from the truth with this series (thank god). Aria and Roar's friendship was one of the highlights of the series for me. But there was something about Roar as a character that I clicked with better than with Perry.
Regardless, I did truly enjoy Aria as a character, though. She was interesting, flawed, strong and stubborn. She was smart and very capable as the series progressed. She was a solid female lead and I appreciated her as a character.
The series also does a great job at portraying complex friendships and relationships. There were a lot of varied dynamics between the many characters. And spread out over the course of a whole trilogy, it was very interesting to see how those characters and their relationships changed.
The worldbuilding here is also interesting. It's a different mix. Aria's world is highly technological. Perry's world is not. The contrast was striking. That combined with the ever-present threat of the Aether meant there was bit of mental adjusting that needed to go on to get used to all the terms and realities of this complex world. That said, there was still some stuff that I think only barely scratched the surface. There were parts of the world and mythos and culture that was hinted at in places, but never fully explored. And things that were brought up when convenient to the plot and then dropped when not.
Lastly, despite all the build up and then desperate desire to find the Still Blue, I never really felt that the stakes were high. Or, at least, certainly not as high as they should've been.
But even as I was racing through the second half of Into the Still Blue, I never really expected to get anything other than a happy ending. Even as Perry was lost and Sable was inflicting his brutality, I still knew it would all get nicely and neatly tied up with a bow by the end. And I wasn't wrong.
But that expectation, set by the narrative, sort of weakened some of the final dramatic moments of the trilogy. Because it didn't do anything to surprise me. Not really.
Regardless, it was still immensely fun and completely worth it. I'm really glad to have read the series. I'd definitely recommend giving it a go, especially if you like your dystopians fast-paced.
When I decided on a whim to try marathoning another series, I'm glad I picked this one. It was quick, fun and action-packed.
I made an impromptu library run with my sister during the Bout of Books 10.0 readathon and saw that book Through the Ever Night and Into the Still Blue were in. With book 1 sitting at home on my shelf, I decided to stray from my TBR and do another trilogy marathon.
It ended up being a good choice. Under the Never Sky suffers a bit from being book 1 in a tentative trilogy. And by that I mean, some of the super important resolution stuff near the end felt like I was going through it with the remote on fast-forward. Like Rossi was trying to cram in a bunch of resolution and denouement into as few pages a possible, to tease at a sequel but without having to commit to one necessarily.
Book 2 picks right up where book 1 sort of vaguely left you hanging. But by this point, it's clear there's going to be more, because book 2 is all about the set up. Not that important things don't happen here, but it's obvious there's a larger goal, a larger scope to the conflict here.
Book 3 then takes you through that conflict. And though I felt parts of Into the Still Blue were not quite as smooth narratively as they could've been, it was still a darned good conclusion to the trilogy.
All right. But at 4 stars, I did enjoy the series, but I never really loved it. I never got quite as invested in the characters and the world as I did in marathoning another series. I felt a lot of the time that I was sitting above everything, skimming the surface, instead of being as fully immersed as I could've been.
Part of this, I think, is that I didn't actually really like Perry that much. And with dual perspectives, half of the trilogy is in his voice. I've had a hard time pinning down exactly what it was I didn't like about him. And I will admit, that as the trilogy progresses, he grew on me. But he was never a swoon worthy love interest for me. All the more power to you, Aria, you go get him...
I'll just be over here with Roar.
I almost think that's the problem there. You can either be a Perry-person or a Roar-person. And I am definitely Team Roar. Now, I don't want to imply that there's a love triangle here, because that is the furthest thing from the truth with this series (thank god). Aria and Roar's friendship was one of the highlights of the series for me. But there was something about Roar as a character that I clicked with better than with Perry.
Regardless, I did truly enjoy Aria as a character, though. She was interesting, flawed, strong and stubborn. She was smart and very capable as the series progressed. She was a solid female lead and I appreciated her as a character.
The series also does a great job at portraying complex friendships and relationships. There were a lot of varied dynamics between the many characters. And spread out over the course of a whole trilogy, it was very interesting to see how those characters and their relationships changed.
The worldbuilding here is also interesting. It's a different mix. Aria's world is highly technological. Perry's world is not. The contrast was striking. That combined with the ever-present threat of the Aether meant there was bit of mental adjusting that needed to go on to get used to all the terms and realities of this complex world. That said, there was still some stuff that I think only barely scratched the surface. There were parts of the world and mythos and culture that was hinted at in places, but never fully explored. And things that were brought up when convenient to the plot and then dropped when not.
Lastly, despite all the build up and then desperate desire to find the Still Blue, I never really felt that the stakes were high. Or, at least, certainly not as high as they should've been.
Spoiler
People die in this trilogy, don't get me wrong, but those who do aren't really main characters. They are side characters that you've grown attached to, but the emotional impact of their deaths wasn't really there. It was a weak spot in the narrative, I think. There could have been more major casualties.But even as I was racing through the second half of Into the Still Blue, I never really expected to get anything other than a happy ending. Even as Perry was lost and Sable was inflicting his brutality, I still knew it would all get nicely and neatly tied up with a bow by the end. And I wasn't wrong.
But that expectation, set by the narrative, sort of weakened some of the final dramatic moments of the trilogy. Because it didn't do anything to surprise me. Not really.
Regardless, it was still immensely fun and completely worth it. I'm really glad to have read the series. I'd definitely recommend giving it a go, especially if you like your dystopians fast-paced.
I can't believe my favorite series just ended! So good!
hmmmmmm.
I'm not sure what I thought about this one. It was okay, but I've finished it unsatisfied.
The story- pretty good actually. My main issue with dystopia series' is that they start off with a really intresting idea or set up, they totally breeze through the first book with a great story- but then they add sequels and it almost always ends in a rebellion or uprising that these authors suck at writing.
So UTNS really goes against the grain and it's strongest point is probably it's story. The romance for me was just enough to keep the whole saga interesting but not too sickening or overbearing.
I'm still dissapointed the series, despite giving you two main POV characters, is really the story of Perry. Aria, Roar and all the others are just circling his plot line. But I made my peace with that during the last book when I realised that we were never going to see any more of Aria's old world.
Aria FINALLY had some character development, had a break down, lashed out at people out of grief, felt embarrassed by the Dwellers' attitude towards the outsiders, had real human feelings that weren't entirely caused or driven by Perry. Thank god. It was such a relief, seeing her actually become a filled out personality rather than a love interest for Perry. It only took 3 books to get there! It still wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but I accepted that it was as good as I was going to get.
Poor Roar, he was a right pain for the first half but at least it was a realistic reaction to the loss of Liv. I loved the development with Soren and Brooke that was a nice addition. Saben continued to be a great antagonist, you really just fucking hate that guy. All his motivations are written off as greed and sociopathy, but I wish we could have spent more time learning about how messed up he was. The thing at the end where he was randomly attracted to Aria was a bit weird though, where did that come from? That felt like a disjointed addition to the plot, there was no build up to it at all and I couldn't work out why Rossi had written it in- other than to show that Aria was a higher rank than others maybe. I don't know, it was weird, but I didn't hate it.
Cinder's death, also super weird. No body, no confirmation... is this purposefully left open ended? I wouldn't be surprised if another book came out following Cinder and Willow at a later date. That left me luke warm anyway, and threw me off the ending. Unsatisfying.
It would have been nice to have a clearer reasoning as to why Perry decided there shouldn't be blood lords anymore, because there wasn't one. At all. I know he was constantly saying that being a leader was hard, but he was also doing a really good job, so isn't that the point?
The ending didn't feel lazy, and it felt well thought out and planned nicely. But it was also quite basic, and it would have been nice, yet again, for some more...more. More detail, more depth, more commentary about the society that they want to build.
Simple, but not bad, in conclusion. I think Rossi played it safe, which is fine if you are content with safe, but I've been looking for books that make you think for days afterward and question what you know about the world. This is not that.
I'm not sure what I thought about this one. It was okay, but I've finished it unsatisfied.
The story- pretty good actually. My main issue with dystopia series' is that they start off with a really intresting idea or set up, they totally breeze through the first book with a great story- but then they add sequels and it almost always ends in a rebellion or uprising that these authors suck at writing.
So UTNS really goes against the grain and it's strongest point is probably it's story. The romance for me was just enough to keep the whole saga interesting but not too sickening or overbearing.
I'm still dissapointed the series, despite giving you two main POV characters, is really the story of Perry. Aria, Roar and all the others are just circling his plot line. But I made my peace with that during the last book when I realised that we were never going to see any more of Aria's old world.
Aria FINALLY had some character development, had a break down, lashed out at people out of grief, felt embarrassed by the Dwellers' attitude towards the outsiders, had real human feelings that weren't entirely caused or driven by Perry. Thank god. It was such a relief, seeing her actually become a filled out personality rather than a love interest for Perry. It only took 3 books to get there! It still wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, but I accepted that it was as good as I was going to get.
Poor Roar, he was a right pain for the first half but at least it was a realistic reaction to the loss of Liv. I loved the development with Soren and Brooke that was a nice addition. Saben continued to be a great antagonist, you really just fucking hate that guy. All his motivations are written off as greed and sociopathy, but I wish we could have spent more time learning about how messed up he was. The thing at the end where he was randomly attracted to Aria was a bit weird though, where did that come from? That felt like a disjointed addition to the plot, there was no build up to it at all and I couldn't work out why Rossi had written it in- other than to show that Aria was a higher rank than others maybe. I don't know, it was weird, but I didn't hate it.
Cinder's death, also super weird. No body, no confirmation... is this purposefully left open ended? I wouldn't be surprised if another book came out following Cinder and Willow at a later date. That left me luke warm anyway, and threw me off the ending. Unsatisfying.
It would have been nice to have a clearer reasoning as to why Perry decided there shouldn't be blood lords anymore, because there wasn't one. At all. I know he was constantly saying that being a leader was hard, but he was also doing a really good job, so isn't that the point?
The ending didn't feel lazy, and it felt well thought out and planned nicely. But it was also quite basic, and it would have been nice, yet again, for some more...more. More detail, more depth, more commentary about the society that they want to build.
Simple, but not bad, in conclusion. I think Rossi played it safe, which is fine if you are content with safe, but I've been looking for books that make you think for days afterward and question what you know about the world. This is not that.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
What an awesome ending to a great trilogy. I have loved every second of this journey.
Aria and Perry are probably two of my favorite characters. They have grown so much throughout the trilogy. Aria has proven to be strong regardless of the situations. Perry is very protective of his people, and will do anything to ensure their safety. These two show just how much they mean to each other in this book. I also enjoyed Soren. Probably far more than I should, but he’s really not that bad. I have always loved Roar and Aria’s friendship. They can lean on each other for strength when nobody else can help them.
There is so much action in this book it’s crazy. Every time you think someone has the upperhand, you’re knocked back a step. We get to see hovers, and many other things. I can’t go into too much detail because it will definitely spoil it. We find out some folks aren’t who we thought they were, and just how awesome the Tides are as a family.
Definitely add this one to your shelves. Such an phenomenal, and at certain times emotional, ending. I recommend this series to everyone!
Aria and Perry are probably two of my favorite characters. They have grown so much throughout the trilogy. Aria has proven to be strong regardless of the situations. Perry is very protective of his people, and will do anything to ensure their safety. These two show just how much they mean to each other in this book. I also enjoyed Soren. Probably far more than I should, but he’s really not that bad. I have always loved Roar and Aria’s friendship. They can lean on each other for strength when nobody else can help them.
There is so much action in this book it’s crazy. Every time you think someone has the upperhand, you’re knocked back a step. We get to see hovers, and many other things. I can’t go into too much detail because it will definitely spoil it. We find out some folks aren’t who we thought they were, and just how awesome the Tides are as a family.
Definitely add this one to your shelves. Such an phenomenal, and at certain times emotional, ending. I recommend this series to everyone!
2.5 for now. Liked the first two books but got distracted with this one. :( Just a tad bit slower than the others but hope to get back to it another time.
After the downfall of Reverie, Aria awakens in the Tides's new home to find that much has happened while she was asleep. Hess and Sable have joined forces and are keeping Cinder hostage, with the knowledge that his control of the Aether will be the only thing that allows them to get to the legendary Still Blue. Aria's old Dweller friends are still keeping to themselves and many are suffering illness from having entered the outside. Aria knows they'll have to work together if they are to survive especially with the Aether storms growing more powerful and dangerous everyday. But first, she and Perry will have to try to save Cinder.
I'm on the fence about this wrap up to the trilogy. I didn't love it but I did enjoy it. Part of it just seemed rather anti climactic after the build of the first two. I found the character development to be on the lean side in particular. One could argue that we already got plenty of Aria, Perry, and Roar in previous installments but this third book does introduce some new developments with regards to characters we've not really learned much about in previous titles. Sadly, there's little to no further development on anyone in the story here in this final release.
Much of the focus of the book is spent on rescuing Cinder. This is fine but - without giving anything away - it just felt as though a bit more time and energy could have been spent on fleshing out other aspects of the story as well, especially with regards to some of the BIG events and revelations that occur in this third installment. I also wanted to see more interaction between the Dwellers and the Tides. Instead, this is pretty much relegated to a few lines and Jupiter's help in flying one of the hovers (which I did appreciate).
I don't mean to knock the book too much. Overall INTO THE STILL BLUE was a fine installment and it did offer up closure to the series, but I wanted fabulous instead of fine.
I'm on the fence about this wrap up to the trilogy. I didn't love it but I did enjoy it. Part of it just seemed rather anti climactic after the build of the first two. I found the character development to be on the lean side in particular. One could argue that we already got plenty of Aria, Perry, and Roar in previous installments but this third book does introduce some new developments with regards to characters we've not really learned much about in previous titles. Sadly, there's little to no further development on anyone in the story here in this final release.
Much of the focus of the book is spent on rescuing Cinder. This is fine but - without giving anything away - it just felt as though a bit more time and energy could have been spent on fleshing out other aspects of the story as well, especially with regards to some of the BIG events and revelations that occur in this third installment. I also wanted to see more interaction between the Dwellers and the Tides. Instead, this is pretty much relegated to a few lines and Jupiter's help in flying one of the hovers (which I did appreciate).
I don't mean to knock the book too much. Overall INTO THE STILL BLUE was a fine installment and it did offer up closure to the series, but I wanted fabulous instead of fine.