Saturday, February 20, 2010

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Author:Carrie Ryan
Pages:308 Hardcover
In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her.
****Some Spoilers****
This book is probably one of the best books I have read so far this year. I will not lie to you it is depressing, and full of darkness. Mary lives in a village surrounded by zombies. They call them Unconsecrated, and the town is run by a Sisterhood. Many tragic events unfold that lead Mary, and her band of friends onto a secret path. A path an Outsider used to get to the village. This means that outside their village other people live. They had been told that outside there only are zombies, zombies, and more zombies. Now they know somewhere other people thrive. They go on a quest, and its a quest of survival. Mary is determined to find the ocean, but the others aren't so sure about that quest. Its sad, and you hope for the best for everyone. Mary is sometimes a hard character to like you just want to shake her. She realizes the consequences for her determination a little to late. She has to make it the ocean in the end you are rooting for her because if she doesn't make it to the ocean everything that came before is pointless. Gabrielle the Outsider said the ocean was dangerous zombies roam free and there is no fence to protect you. Mary can't believe that and honestly I don't think she cares. You sometimes might want her to stop and appreciate still being alive, but that isn't the way Mary is. Her goal is like the only bright thing in a world of darkness. She can concentrate on getting to the ocean, and maybe it means all the sacrifice was worth something. This book is extremely emotional, and it makes you stop and think about your own life. What you would do in Mary's situation, and could you survive a zombies attack. Which is better living on the beach free to do as you please fighting the zombies, or living in a secluded village safe and just surviving.

5 comments:

Simcha said...

I've been hearing really great things about this book, even from people who don't read fantasy, so it's been on in my TBR pile for a while. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I'll really try to get a hold of this book soon so I can read it as well.

Katy said...

I thought it was great, and am excited for the companion book The Dead Tossed Waves. If you have seen the movie The Village its kind of like that in a way.

WonderBunny said...

I read this last year sometime and while I enjoyed it, I found Mary a little whiny. It felt like she had something to complain about almost all the time. I did enjoy it and will pick up the next in the series and see what happens.

Katy said...

Ruthann-I totally see that she is a hard character to like. Sometimes I wanted say.."Mary really your still not happy come on now."

Danielle Zappavigna said...

i really enjoyed this book too, i thought it was very well written and the tone was so dark but so well done, i was suprised at how much a book about zombies could be such good literature :-) i'm really looking forward to the dead tossed waves.