If you like: dystopia * corruption * enhanced abilities
Under the Never Sky
is a dystopian future where Aether storms are turning the environment
into a violent and dangerous place. Privileged people have fled to
secure Pods where they can live without ever interacting with the
outside world. Outside the Pod barriers, those who remain have evolved
with the planet. They interact differently with the world that many
would imagine possible. When Aria is forced into the outside, she
discovers that it may be safer than inside the walls.
Rossi
has created a strong contrast between these two coexisting worlds. One
is sterilized; everything is the same and rigorously controlled. The
other is very chaotic; no one knows where the next month’s food will
come from, or where the next Aether storm will be. In the Pods, Pseudo is
everything; very few things are experienced outside the virtual world.
Outside the walls exists an enhanced reality of sorts. Aether has given
people super-heightened senses, which gives them an enhanced intimacy with
the world. Inside the Pods, the majority of people operate with a herd
mentality. They do not question their security or how the Pods are run.
Most people are one of the masses who can easily hide everything inside
the virtual world and blend in. Outside, the exceptional individuals are
prized and their skills sought out.
The world doesn’t need to completely fall apart for the message of Under the Never Sky
be relevant. Prejudices keep us from exploring the world. People
hesitate to interact with those outside their own circle – not only
because they may look down on them, but also out of fear of the unknown.
As time goes by, we learn that sterilized and clean isn’t always
better. People need coping mechanisms to deal with the monotony. Much
like in the Pods, virtual escapism is becoming an increasingly important
part of life. Why face a disappointing reality when the illusion of the
internet is so much more attractive? Apathy is easier than empathy. No
one can predict the future, but Rossi encourages us to ask ourselves
what we want the future to be like. Don’t let compassion and altruism
become obsolete.
If you would rather stand out than blend in, read Under the Never Sky.
Rossi, Veronica. Under the Never Sky. New York: Harper Collins, Inc., 2012. Kindle Edition.
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