Down With the Aether

"What was the point of all their sacrifices and struggles? 
Why bother fighting for the Still Blue if Dwellers and Outsiders were only going to tear at each other’s throats?"
--Veronica Rossi, Into the Still Blue

Genre: YA Dystopia

Publisher: Harper Collins, 400 pages

Publication Date: January 28th, 2014

Source: eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
Goodreads
Previous Books in Series: Under the Never Sky & Through the Ever Night

Goodreads Description 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 Belle

Is this really the end?! Ermagosh! I remember the first time I read Under the Never Sky and just fell in love! And here we are reviewing the final book in this fantastic series. *sigh* I don’t even know how to write this! I shall try my best to make coherent sentences and linear thoughts.

The World. The world building continues to be mentally stimulating with the Aether descriptions and the technology behind the transport in search of the Still Blue. The dynamics between the Outsiders and the Dwellers continues to be a constant struggle for supremacy because each one thinks they are the best and most-suited to lead. I understand both sides and I think Rossi did an amazing job at helping the reader empathize with both sides. While the Dwellers may be superficial and mean, she writes them as fragile and wounded when adjusting to the outside world. I loved this. The juxtaposition of the strengths vs weaknesses of each culture is amazing.

The Romance. The relationship between Perry and Aria…I mean, c’mon. You can’t get enough. The fact that their love for one another is unquestionable is beautiful. These two care so much about each and will do anything to protect the other. They are strong and independent yet thoughtful and aware of each other always. Watching them grow and learn from one another and accept one another for who they are has been a beautiful reading experience. I love that come from opposite worlds basically and learn to love one another and accept the other when they’ve been taught their whole lives to hate each other. Love from hate, can’t get enough.

The Dystopia. What is a dystopia without a little hopelessness? This is a central theme throughout the novel and while it sounds horrible, it made the story perfect for me. The Still Blue and defeating Sable and Hess will not be easy. They are at a major disadvantage and things don’t always go their way. That’s life. I thought the overall plot was realistic to the world and I could just feel the emotions coming off the page. While I could feel the love, I also felt the loneliness, the hopelessness, the despair. It was all there and it was all necessary to complete this amazing story. The exploration of sacrifice, the greater good, strength in the face of hopeless odds are all present. These characters are so well fleshed out that you feel with them throughout their entire journey.

The Story. The plot was fantastic. We see great character development with characters old and dear to us as well as some newer faces. The story felt consistent and linear with the previous two books and I loved where Rossi takes us and where we end up. It is not without sadness, sacrifice, and loss but life isn’t about the easy or perfect.

The Beast

The Action. More kissing?...There can always be more kissing...

Should You RSVP To This Ball? 

YES YES YES. It goes without question. I LOVED this book. I LOVE this series. I think it is a fanastic ending to an already fantastic series I am so sad to say good-bye to Perry, Aria, and Roar but hey…that’s what re-reads are for, right?