Into the Still Blue

Gr 7 Up—This heartfelt, action-packed conclusion to the dystopian series begins where the second book Through the Ever Night (HarperCollins, 2013) ends. Liv is dead and Aria's recovering from a disabling gunshot wound. Roar and Perry blame each other for Liv's death and it's tearing them apart. The magnetic Aether storms are getting worse. Before it's too late, they must find the Still Blue, a paradise where they can live safe from the storms. Sable, the ruthless and cruel Horn tribe leader, kidnaps Cinder to use his ability to generate an Aether to destroy the Aether currents. Perry, Aria, and the others determine to rescue Cinder, knowing that a showdown between rival tribe leaders Sable and Hess, the cowardly Dweller leader, is inevitable. Perry and Aria are strong yet imperfect characters struggling to balance their love for each other with their responsibilities as tribe leaders. Some of the book's most interesting characters, such as Liv and Cinder, aren't fully developed and are, sadly, short-lived. The inclusion of the identity of Aria's father, while not essential to the story, is a nice surprise. The humorous quips made by Roar and the 6, so welcome in the series' previous books, are largely missing here. The fact that Perry, Aria, and company are repeatedly captured by Sable does become a bit repetitive. Still, the forthright and compelling plot has just enough of a twist to make this book, and the series, stand out from others like it. Fans will be desperate to find out how it all ends.—Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton