review - Through the Ever Night

	Through the Ever Night by: Veronica Rossi | Website | Twitter Publication Date: January 8, 2013 Publisher: Harper Collins Series: Under the Never Sky #2 Format: Hardcover Page Count: 352 Genre: YA, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic Get your copy: Amazon | B&N
Summary: It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both. Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder,Can their love survive through the ever night? In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable. Summary and cover image from goodreads.
Fighting against a clock, with ever mounting Aether strikes, and the perilous conditions of whole in general; Aria and Perry struggle to protect and provide for the ones they love in this daring sequel to Under the Never Sky. Aria's made a deal with Hess to find the Still Blue, a supposed safe-land free of Aether, in return of Talon. Perry is stepping into his new role as the Blood Lord of the Tides and finding a lot of push back from his people. They fail to see him as a capable leader and protector in these tough and troubled times. So when Aria journeys to Tides land with Perry, they keep their relationship on the down-low. Nothing like fraternizing with the enemy to lose what few points Perry has with his people. Getting the Tides to warm-up to Aria is tough going, furthering her feeling of isolation and not belonging. To show their support and acceptance of her, Perry and Roar try to help Aria by having a marking ceremony (where she gets tattoos to designate her as an Audile). But her life is threatened with poisoned tattoo ink. This leaves Aria with a mess of a half-finished marking. My heart broke for her; she feels that she'll never be fully accepted, not with the Dwellers or the Outsiders, not anywhere. People only see the foreign-half of her heritage. Now the this uneasy feeling is physically and permanently on display. Once Aria's life is threatened, Perry wants to stay with her and protect her on the journey to find the Still Blue. But Aria knows how his leaving with her would look to his people. That he would abandon them for a Dweller. So Aria flees in the middle of the night with Roar; he in search of his lost-love and Perry's sister, Liv. Perry left on his own begins to seriously doubt his ability to lead (stay and fight for their land; or follow his plan b and squirrel away in a protected cave) and whether Aria's intentions toward him are true. Cue the jealous boyfriend; his girl is off gallivanting with Roar, a fellow Audile, thus providing a deep connection between the two. I just wanted to shake Perry and yell, "Fear not Perry, you're rendered to Aria. Stay strong. You guys belong together. Plus, would Roar do that to you?" Aria and Roar make their way to the city of Rim, only to find Liv alive and well and set to marry Sable in a few short days. Aria can't believe this is the same Liv that Roar has described to her. She questions Liv's intentions; while sizing each other up, Aria describes her and Perry's relationship with a Carmen opera lyric, "Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame." "Are you the bird, or is my brother?" "I think the bird is the connection between us…I'd do anything for him." Love it! Sable's emissary, Kirra, visits Perry, bringing much needed food and man-power. But she quickly becomes all kinds of overbearing and assuming, sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. I knew this wouldn't bode well for Perry, especially after she takes it upon herself to fix his roof, removing his nighttime view of the stars and Aether. I kept thinking, "Not cool lady!" whenever she was around. Soren's character arc from UtNS to TtEN is interesting; to see how even in the "perfect" virtual world, Soren can be made an outcast and to feel unwanted. The theater scene, where he was reintroduced, was written brilliantly, with the dark theater and the use of shadows and lights. In closing, TtEN was a solid follow-up to UtNS; bold moves were made and risky actions taken. The characters' growth throughout TtEN highlight their journeys searching for safety (physical, mental, and emotional) and perfectly positions the pieces for the finale.