Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Jul •  11 •  2010
Review: The Forest of Hands and TeethThe Forest Of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers on February 9th 2010
Genres: Young Adult- Dystopian/Post Apocalyptic
Source: Bought
Goodreads
five-stars

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 in so much death?

Mary lives in a separate world in the forest. No one is ever allowed to leave. Those who do mange to leave simply do not return. Mary has grown up being told that there is nothing beyond that wall. There is no one in the world but them. To go outside the wall will mean death. But Mary knows better. She has hope that they are not the only ones. That there is life beyond the wall. Mary starts to sneak around, going in places she is not allowed to look for answers. She had be warn several times to leave it alone, but Mary would not give up.

Mary makes a mistake on leaving her barely-there mother alone and her mom leaves the wall. As soon as she does, her mom is bitten, now changing into a zombie. Mary is blamed and sent to live with the Sisterhood to shape her into a woman. Basically teach her to confine her to what they want. Mary still snoops stumbling onto something she never thought she find.

Mary ends up making it out of the wall, and thrown into a whirlwind of an adventure. She learns the truth about the world and ends up discovering a whole new one.

Carrie Ryan wrote an divine book. I can’t count how many gasps I must of had while reading this. Mary learns some very hard lessons in such a harsh way. I felt for Mary in all the secrets that were kept from her. From her people. She learn that they were kept stupid. No one ever telling them anymore than they should know. This book was greatly written. The plot was nothing that I have read before. This is definitely a one of the kind story.

Happy Reading!

 

five-stars
Posted by on Jul 11, 2010 in 2010, Carrie Ryan, Review, Young Adult | 6 comments

6 Comments

  1. Khadija
    Jul 11, 2010

    been waiting to read this one, i think i’m borrowing it from a friend 🙂

  2. Candace
    Jul 12, 2010

    I’ve been thinking about this one. Not so sure about the whole zombie thing, but I’ve heard so many great things that when I get caught up I may have to give it a try!

  3. Kayla + Cyna
    Jul 14, 2010

    Ah, this was a really good book. Found Mary a very frustrating and selfish character, but the book itself was definitely engrossing. I can’t wait to read the sequel, but gotta wait for the library to get it, lol.

  4. Aleksandra
    Jul 21, 2010

    Great review! I have it on my tbr list, but still haven’t read it 🙂

  5. HollyB
    Apr 12, 2013

    This is a fabulous book, I loved it too! I haven’t read the 2nd or 3rd yet, but that’s one of the great things about the book – it stands on its own and you can definitely just read this one if you were so inclined (though why would you?!?!). Glad you enjoyed it so much!

    Also, Candace, don’t let the fact that it’s a zombie book deter you too much. She does talk some about the zombies being gross and stuff, but it’s really more an exploration of the human condition and a post-apocalyptic world, the secrets we tell each other to keep ourselves “safe” (so we think), questions about what it means to be human and whether the zombies have any remaining humanity, etc. There’s so much more to this book and the story than the zombie thing. Hope that makes sense – just would hate for someone to miss out on this thinking that it’s heavy on the gross zombie aspects. There are parts that are scary, to be sure, but it’s not a horror book by any means. Just my two cents!! 🙂

    • Savannah
      Apr 13, 2013

      Agreed! I love this series!!