New releases take a long time to reach our South African shores and I’ve been sitting
on the edge of my seat for this book for nearly a year now. Finally my bookshop
managed to bring me in a copy from the UK and this is what they sold me. Please
take a good look at the cover; it’s relevant to my review.
I started reading immediately and (I wince in disbelief that I could be saying this), I was disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s an exciting, fast-paced read, filled with all the
characters we love, and a few new ones too. But still I felt that it didn’t
live up to the promise of Under a Never Sky.
So, what went wrong?
It felt like a middle book. Veronica Rossi
hauled out all the tropes so familiar to us in YA fiction. The classic love
triangle is there with all its usual angst and betrayals. Misunderstandings
abound.
But as a plus, I really liked Sable, the
Blood Lord to whom Liv is betrothed. I can see myself enjoying him a lot in the
next book. Yes, I know, he did something horrendous, but I happen to like bad
guys if they have a fair balance of likeability and nastiness to their
characters, and Sable has that in abundance. Well done, Veronica Rossi. But I
must say, your masterful creation of Sable really had me scratching my head
about the rest of your story . . .
I was hoping to see Aria and Perry work
together, but no, they were thrust apart almost from the start. In some ways,
Through the Ever Night felt like a bit of a rehash of Under the Never Sky. Aria
is again on the run and there is a lot of walking across the countryside,
dodging the Aether. This time without the excitement of the cannibals. And the
beautiful unfolding of their love.
Then came the shock. Perry – Perry,
rendered to Aria! - was put to the test in this book in a way that made my
blood boil. For a while there I thought him shallow and fickle and stopped
liking him. And that’s insane because he’s one of my favourite book boyfriends.
(I know, I really should get a life) But it just seemed so out of character –
Scires notwithstanding. I couldn’t get my head around it.
Thankfully, Perry, didn’t waver, redeeming
himself at the last minute. Still, I couldn’t see the point of it. It just
looked like YA angst to me. I refer you back to the cover.
So, it was with
real sadness that I went to Goodreads to rate this book with a measly 2.5 – 3
stars. Imagine my shock when I saw that all my friends and the people I follow
(whose opinions matter to me) had rated it 4-5 stars. (98% of people thought it
was amazing)
Did we read the
same book?
Then I saw the
difference. This is the book they read. Have a good look at the cover and spot
his difference.
A World Torn Apart. A Love Under Siege.
Two little sentences
that changed everything.
Suddenly it all
made sense. Suddenly I see how skilfully Veronica Rossi handled this assault on
Aria’s and Perry’s love and the breakdown of The Tides under Perry's rule as Blood Lord. Even Reverie wasn't spared. And I stand in awe. The woman is a miracle
worker. Yes, I will be re-reading Through The Ever Night and I know I will love
it as much as I did Through A Never Sky.
So, stars? Two rotten
little stars to the publishers who don’t understand the power of covers in
marketing books.
And four glorious,
Aether funnels to Veronica Rossi for a sensitive, gripping story that truly
rips open the souls of her characters. (No doubt I will change that to five stars
after my re-read)
So, here I am, yet
again perched on the edge of the chair, waiting for Veronica Rossi’s next
book.
Cheers
Gwynneth
For another comment on the power of covers,
see my Throne of Glass review.
