The Forest of Hands and Teeth
by Carrie Ryan
Genre: Post-apocalypse
Published: 2009
Hardback: 310 pages
Rating: 4
Inspiration: Debut Author 2009 Challenge
Description from author's site:
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. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.
Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?
Genre: Post-apocalypse
Published: 2009
Hardback: 310 pages
Rating: 4
Inspiration: Debut Author 2009 Challenge
Description from author's site:
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. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.
Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?
Zombification: unknown how they came to be, but being bitten zombifies
Zombie mode: feral
My thoughts:
In-a-word: Ocean
Overall I thought the story was just alright. Being my first zombie book, I had high expectations. However after letting the whole story sink in some and thinking about it, I agree that this is a pretty darn good book.
Growing up watching George Romero's Night of the Living Dead and subsequent zombie flicks, I could totally envision the Unconsecrated. It was sad to see how the people in the village were resigned to living the way they did in the forest.
Like a couple of the characters said in the story, it's all about Mary! The pacing of the novel is very much like the Unconsecrated beings. It slowly shuffles along forward reaching for its heart's desire. Even the love story lacks passion - maybe because their world is lacking. In the end, well I'll just say it ends well.
Read Carrie Ryan's thoughts and explanations on the book on Amazon.com.
Series:
The Forest of Hands and Teeth
The Dead-Tossed Waves (release: Spring 2010)
