Review: Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

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 about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, 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?(copied from Goodreads)

My Review

The Forest of Hands and Teeth is a very interesting read. It is about Mary, who lives in a fenced in community. The Unconsecrated, zombies, fill up the forest around the fence. If one ventures to close to the fence, they maybe bitten and infected. After this happens to her mother, Mary is given over to the Sisterhood. The Sisterhood is a religious group of women, who are in charge of the village. While in the Cathedral, the headquarters for the Sisterhood, Mary begins to learn some of the secrets of the Sisterhood. 


Mary grew up listening to her mother’s stories of the time before the Return. Where there were buildings as tall as the sky, and of the Ocean. Mary dreams of being able to stand in the ocean, where it is untouched by the Unconsecrated. When the fences are breached, and the village is overrun by the Unconsecrated, Mary uses this as an opportunity to try, and follow her dream of the ocean. She decides to venture down the fence line, deeper into the Forest of Hands and Teeth. 


Mary does not complete this journey alone, her brother, Jed, her betrothed, Henry, and the love of her life, Travis and his betrothed, Cass, who is also her best friend. This is a very complicated long triangle, more like love square or circle. The Forest of Hands and Teeth takes the normal complications of love and commitment and then adds the pressure of being surrounded by fleshing eating zombies on top of all that. 


I loved Forest of Hands and Teeth, even though there are a few times Mary’s actions made me want to slap her. This book is a thrilling read, and I could not put it down. While Mary upset me on more than one occasion, I still loved her! This book is so quote worthy, and usually I do not pick quotes out but there are a few that stood out to me. Any dystopian or zombie fan should read this book! I cannot wait to start The Dead-Tossed Waves, the second book in the Forest of Hands and Teeth series. 

FAVORITE QUOTES:

From Page 15:

“In the moment between my mother’s death and her Return, I stop believing in God. “

From Page 146:

“Every Night I drown and every morning I wake up struggling to breathe.”

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
• Publication Date:  February 9, 2010

**Unabridged Bookshelf borrowed this book from the local public library**

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