The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #1)

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The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth #1)

by Carrie Ryan (Goodreads Author)

3.62 · rating details · 20,844 ratings · 4,409 reviews

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

...more

Paperback, 310 pages

Published July 2009 by Gollancz (first published March 10th 2009)

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Oct 21, 2011

Ceridwen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: america-and-environs, capital-r-romantic, omg-were-all-going-to-die, sexy-nihilists, zombies, young-adult

Well written but squandered book. Mary is down at the river being an annoying teenage girl with romance issues when the sirens go off. The walls of her small enclave of humanity have not been breached; instead her mother has seen her father beyond the fence, and gone to him, and been bitten. Her mother has a day or two before she dies and becomes undead – or Unconsecrated in the religious nomenclature of the town. The opening is a slam-dunk of rapid exposition, setting up the world and then drop...more

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Mar 25, 2010

Tatiana rated it

Shelves: 2009, ya, why-the-hype, ala-ya-2010, series-dropped-lost-steam, dystopias-post-apocalyptic

I was very much looking forward to reading this book. Great premise, rave reviews. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

First of all, I truly disliked the writing style. Present tense writing can do wonders in skillful hands (see Wake, Fade by Lisa McMann), but in this case this style was mishandled, it didn't add any kind of intensity to the story. Quite the opposite, I was extremely irritated by it.

I don't think this book was in any way original. It read mostly like kind...more

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Aug 07, 2009

Meghan rated it

Synopsis:
Sometime in the future, the world is overrun by zombies--people infected by an unknown virus that causes them to return as the undead and feed on human flesh--called the "Unconsecrated". Mary lives in a village surrounded by the Forest of Hands and Teeth, where the Unconsecrated are kept out by a chain-link fence, and to the villagers' knowledge, they may be the last bastion of uninfected humanity. Mary's little world is ruled by fear and the people have turned to a Med...moreSynopsis:
Sometime in the future, the world is overrun by zombies--people infected by an unknown virus that causes them to return as the undead and feed on human flesh--called the "Unconsecrated". Mary lives in a village surrounded by the Forest of Hands and Teeth, where the Unconsecrated are kept out by a chain-link fence, and to the villagers' knowledge, they may be the last bastion of uninfected humanity. Mary's little world is ruled by fear and the people have turned to a Medieval-like religious fervor to give them hope. Mary grew up with stories of Outside the Forest and fences and her latent desire to uncover the truth eclipses everything when Mary finds out a dangerous secret. However, a blooming romance further complicates matters, and Mary will have to make a choice...

My review:
The story sounds promising, right? It does have potential and the idea is rather unique (especially with the deluge of vampire-related YA novels that has been happening) but, ultimately, it didn't do it for me. The writing was fine and moved at a nice clip, but lacking in detail. So much so, that there were times when I wasn't even sure where the action was oriented! I never got a real feel for the setting. I also found myself not caring for the characters, and there didn't seem to be much character development (one of the pitfalls of first-person narrative?). Travis, the love interest, had no discernible personality and so I had no idea why our narrator was so in love with him. And for all her suffering, I had a hard time drumming up sympathy for Mary.

The biggest problem was that the author had too many ideas going on at once, and would completely drop story lines altogether. No questions were really answered by the end. And while I assume the author is planning one (or more) sequels, I have no compulsion to follow Mary's story. Because so many (seemingly important) threads were cut in this book, I don't know how they can be picked up again (if they would be at all).

Oh, and a chain-link fence? Come on!

(less)

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Aug 17, 2011

Kira rated it

Recommends it for: The Unconsecrated

Recommended to Kira by: The Unconsecrated

Shelves: ya, dystopian, zombies, awesome-heroine, favorites, awesome-ya, books-that-changed-my-life, argh-you-made-me-cry

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

This book is amazing. Did you hear that? It is an amazing BUK.

Oh, God. Sorry for the nuttymadam reference. Dear Lord.

Anyway. I'm not quite done, but fuck! is this book good. I can't believe I actually thought of giving up on it once. It's SO GOOD.

How many times has Kira ever told you that a book was amazing? Italics amazing? Not that many times.

I just can't get over it. Here are a few things that I fucking love abo...more

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Nov 11, 2010

Kat Kennedy rated it

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, apocalypse-rah, oppressive-dystopian-regime, to-ya-or-not-to-ya

See this family?

family

Or this family?

other family

Take a good long hard look at all of their faces.

See how happy, how healthy, how loving they are. Imagine you've known them your entire life and that you love each one more than life itself.

Now imagine if you were one of the people in that photograph with them.

Now imagine that I told you and all those other people standing and smiling with you that I was going to kill you all so that I could...more

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Sep 04, 2011

Leanne rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fic-dystopia, why-yes-this-is-ya, i-recommend, troll-magnets

The first and foremost thing I have to say is:

DON'T JUDGE ME

i know this book has gotten very mixed reviews.

So I have gathered together a series of different reviews and complied three categories that more or less summarize what different people thorought this site thought of this novel. Well, mostly. because I'm warning you now not to take my three categories as 100% accurate. Because their probably not.

...more

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Mar 03, 2009

Yan rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. “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...more

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Jul 26, 2011

Morgan F rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: fans of The Giver and I Am Legend.

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, 2000s, dystopian-apocalyptic, goodreads-author, series, zombies, scary, favorite-covers, own, its-a-girl, read-2010, medium-sized, awesome-titles, re-read, read-2011

I was really excited to read this book when it first came out. But being short on money (like always), I had to wait an entire year for it to come out in paperback. You should have seen my face when I spotted it's cover at Borders. It immediately went to the enormous pile I was lugging around (sadly, I had to put half the books back, because it would be called stealing otherwise).

This book is told from the perspective of Mary, a young woman growing up in a small, isolated villag...moreI was really excited to read this book when it first came out. But being short on money (like always), I had to wait an entire year for it to come out in paperback. You should have seen my face when I spotted it's cover at Borders. It immediately went to the enormous pile I was lugging around (sadly, I had to put half the books back, because it would be called stealing otherwise).

This book is told from the perspective of Mary, a young woman growing up in a small, isolated village surrounded by a fence that keeps the unrelenting zombies out. But they are not called zombies in this book (in fact the word zombie never mentioned), but rather the Unconsecrated. Trust me, they are true zombies. They eat flesh and babies and everything. Anyway, Mary grows up believing that her village, run by the dubious Sisterhood that claims that their little pocket of humanity amidst the formidible forest is the last of mankind. Mary, of course, questions this and is not content with her future as a member of the Sisterhood or married to man she doesn't love. Instead, she dreams of the ocean and the other stories her mother used to tell her of generations long gone.

From the first chapter, Mary's life is turned upside down. Her father walks among the dead, and her mother goes to join him. She is turned away by her brother and is sent to live in the Cathedral with the Sisterhood, which has well-kept secrets in every room.

This book is very well-written. Fluid and suspenseful, I had a hard time putting it down. While it did have some zombie-slaying action, it wasn't the focus of the book. Instead what kept me going was the sense of mystery and doom. Nothing good ever happens to Mary and the questions just kept coming with little-to-none answers. Mary was an unreliable narrator and a little crazy. All what the reader sees is first filtered through her eyes. She selfishly clung on to her dream of the ocean and refused to settle for anything less, even when it cost her the people she cared about. But hey, she is still one of the few chracters alive at the end, and the only one with a chance at a life, so she must have been doing something right. The rest of the characters wouldv'e gotten eaten long ago if Mary wasn't there to drive them.

This book is severely creepy, what with zombies relentlessly moaning in the background. I got skeeved out in a couple scenes (zombie baby). Like I said earlier, nothing good really happens at all. This book isn't for the faint at heart as it can be somewhat depressing. But I still found it intelligent and refreshing. It's so nice to read a young adult novel without a saintly narrator and a perfectly happy ending.

My least favorite part of it though was the love triangle? rectangle? I don't know what to call it. But the gist of it is Mary is in love with Travis. Travis is in love with Mary, but is engaged to Mary's best friend, Cass. Cass is in love with Harry, but Harry is engaged to Mary. Harry likes Mary, but I wouldn't call it love. I think he just wants a wife. Oh, and Travis and Harry are brothers. It's just a mess of duty and love. No one wants to marry who they are supposed to, but feel like they have a duty to do so. So, its complicated without ever being really interesting. I never really saw what was so great about Travis. Mary nursed him and her previous crush on him turned into full out love (or so she says). This might sound weird, but I could never tell when they were kissing or not. The scenes between them were written oddly, and I kept thinking they were kissing, but later on in the page I was proved wrong. Their lips were just really close together and they were almost kissing. My bad.

Anyway, despite some personal preferences and little annoyances, this book was really good. Not for everyone, but I recommend everyone try it. I'm sooo looking forward to The Dead-Tossed Waves, where some questions might finally be answered. (less)

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May 08, 2009

Arlene rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-2009, dystopic, ya-dystopic, autographed, books-i-own

I really wanted to like this book because the premise sounded interesting and somewhat original and it was recommended by one of my fave authors. I was looking forward to being "creeped out" as some of the reviews said would happen. Well, I wasn't creeped out and I didn't care for the book at all.

Mary lives in a confined village surrounded by fences to keep the Unconsecrated out. The Unconsecrated are zombie like beings that thirst for human flesh/blood. They came after Th...more

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Jan 07, 2012

Phoebe rated it

Shelves: funtasy, kiddie-lit, horror

It's difficult for me to review Carrie Ryan's first novel, The Forest of Hands and Teeth objectively--because I can't help but feel like there were two very different books packed into the volume's three-hundred-some-odd pages.

The first was the delicate story that was clearly and wisely aimed at young adults: that of Mary, who lives in a village isolated from the rest of the world thanks to a zombie plague that rages outside its gates. In this tale, when Mary's parents become infecte...more

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Mar 06, 2009

Kristi (The Story Siren) added it

Shelves: books-i-own

I’ve been trying to write my reviews soon after I read a novel why the emotion of the story is still fresh within me, but with The Forest of Hands and Teeth, I needed a few days to digest.

I particularly enjoyed this novel. The writing was beautiful, it was one of the best written novels I’ve read in a while. The plot itself, while it did remind me of a mix of the movies The Village and I Am Legend, I still found it to be original in context. It was captivating and suspenseful, I had...more

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Sep 09, 2011

Cait rated it

Warning: some spoilers do run about freely in this novel; like carefree little bunnies. If you are afraid of spoilers and/or bunnies, do not continue on.

Awwww! Sooo cute! Let's look at just one more before I start my review.

Sooo..... Cute.... Kind of weird to see little baby bunnies if you know what this book is about. Probably just my ADHD kicking in.

Bunnies..............

Ahem...... alright, so before I get to what I didn't like abo...more

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Dec 30, 2009

Becky rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Zombie lovers

Shelves: zombies, young-adult, library, 2009, apocalyptic-types, fantasy, dystopias, horror, mystery-and-thrillers, reviewed, blog_etb

I ♥ zombies.
I know, I know, big secret. I say so on my profile page. But what I really love are zombie apocalypses. I love the terror of feeling that you're alone and there are legions of the undead swarming around and the only thing between you and certain (but temporary) death is a marginal amount of luck and maybe a little skill.

I love apocalyptic fiction on its own, of course. But there is just something about zombie apocalypses. Now, you're not just on your own to fend f...moreI ♥ zombies.
I know, I know, big secret. I say so on my profile page. But what I really love are zombie apocalypses. I love the terror of feeling that you're alone and there are legions of the undead swarming around and the only thing between you and certain (but temporary) death is a marginal amount of luck and maybe a little skill.

I love apocalyptic fiction on its own, of course. But there is just something about zombie apocalypses. Now, you're not just on your own to fend for yourself in an empty world... Now you have to fight off zombies who want nothing more than to see what you taste like. Gives me a shiver every time.

This book was a really good ZA story. The zombies were exactly the kind that I love. Ruthless, eternally hungry, and persistent. Dead, broken, and hungry, just the way I like them. The zombies, or the Unconsecrated, as they are called in the story, set the tone for the rest of the book, and it's pretty dark.

Set an unspecified number of years after the Return (I'm guessing probably about 100 to 150?), we're shown what the world has narrowed to: a little village surrounded on all sides by teeming undead and run by the fervently religious Sisterhood. We're shown that at this point in time, nobody currently alive in the village has ever been or even seen outside of their village/world, and believe that they are the only remaining island of the living left.

The Sisterhood does well to encourage and teach this line of thinking, with the "For The Good Of All" mentality that's so popular among those who hold power. They don't want a breach in their fences when people go looking for something else, which is understandable. They don't want people to harbor a hope that may never be realized when instead they could simply live their small and semi-sheltered lives within the village. So, to this end, they teach and believe that the world outside is gone, and the village is all that is left. Until everything changes with an outsider showing up.

The story was pretty suspenseful, and I never really knew what was coming. I enjoyed the concept of love vs. duty and commitment, and the confusion that arose from that.

I loved Mary's character and her conflicting desires to follow her heart in two different directions while still trying to do the right thing. She was completely believable in the situation that she was put in. I also loved Travis's character. He stole my heart from the moment he covered for Mary in the Cathedral to prevent her from being caught breaking her vow of silence. I have to say that he was my favorite character, and I loved him for his sadness and devotion to Mary when she wanted to risk everything following her dreams.

I devoured this book... The zombies, the conflicts and confusion and romance and terror and hope. I wish I could give it 5 stars, but unfortunately, I can't. I had a bunch of unanswered questions, and there were quite a few things that just didn't make sense to me. The ending was left pretty ambiguous, but I'm OK with that. I have other issues that I wish were addressed in a more acceptable way.

For instance, Mary talks about how important it is for everyone to marry and have babies so that they can keep the village alive, and how there was an illness that reduced the number of marriageable people her age to a whopping 4: her best friend, her two brothers-in-law (whose sister is married to Mary's brother), and herself. Now, I find it a bit unbelievable that an illness would wipe out all but two intact families and one loner who happens to be Mary's best friend.

Also, Sister Tabitha, who heads up The Sisterhood, has an uncanny knack for knowing exactly what Mary is up to at pretty much all times, yet when Mary makes a big discovery (and a LOT of noise doing it), not a soul shows up to find out what's going on, and it's never mentioned.

In addition to this, I think that the writing was a bit clumsy in some places, and the editing could have been tighter. Sentence structures were such that the line would read differently in my head than it should have, and I'd have to reread it again to understand what was going on. And Ryan used far too many sentence fragments in her writing. I understand that sometimes they work and work well, but they should fit the flow and enhance the story, not detract from it or cause confusion, which they did in a couple cases.

But, overall, I thought that the story was well done and intriguing. It certainly kept me guessing, and didn't pull any punches, so I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. (less)

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Oct 13, 2009

Jennifer Wardrip rated it

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Ashley B for TeensReadToo.com

Mary lives in a village surrounded by the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

The Unconsecrated fill the forest, moaning, trying to get into the village, to devour and make more of their own by a single bite, which will spread the infection. They don't give up. They want to feed.

The Sisterhood holds the secrets of the village, from before the Return. No one knows the truth, except them.

The Guardians protect the vil...more

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Mar 12, 2009

Angela rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: horror, ya, zombies

I can solidly say that my acquisition of The Forest of Hands and Teeth is entirely the work of John Scalzi's Big Idea posts that have been prominently featured on his blog. This book was just recently featured, and as soon as I saw the post go up I knew I had to check this one out. I don't read a lot of YA, but this one had all the right elements for me: a young heroine anxious to explore beyond the confines of her restrictive world. A post-apocalyptic setting, where what's left of humanity has ...more

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Mar 10, 2009

Lauren rated it

Shelves: own

It's been a couple of hours since I finished reading this and I still can't believe how truly remarkable The Forest Of Hands And Teeth was. In my view, this defiantly has the potential to be one of the best debuts of 2009, if not the best.

The writing, the world, the characters were all so interesting and haunting, which made you become totally involved in the story from the beginning.

The characters in The Forest Of Hands and Teeth were extremely three dimensional to the...moreIt's been a couple of hours since I finished reading this and I still can't believe how truly remarkable The Forest Of Hands And Teeth was. In my view, this defiantly has the potential to be one of the best debuts of 2009, if not the best.

The writing, the world, the characters were all so interesting and haunting, which made you become totally involved in the story from the beginning.

The characters in The Forest Of Hands and Teeth were extremely three dimensional to the point were you felt that they jumped off the page. Since, you could feel their fears, their fight for happiness, and their battle to be strong in a world were all you want to do is cower in a corner. Carrie even crafted the unconsecrated in a way that you began to feel sorry for what they had became even though you wanted to hate them for what they had done to the world. Mary was probably my favorite character overall because her strength just amazed me. I loved how no matter what happened to her she never gave up and always found the bright side of things. Also, I liked the romance between Travis and Mary. It was a cute and great add to the story.

Also, I became completely enthralled in the world Carrie Ryan had created. Since, I always find it interesting to read about what an author thinks may happen in the future. Plus, the world felt real to me. Though, I had a couple of problems with it. Such as, Carrie never really said what had lead to the unconsecrated. Also, she never really came out in said what the unconsecrated were, leaving me to infer that they were zombies.

The writing was up to par, too. Carrie Ryan shows in this that she has big talent, which makes me extremely excited to read more by her.

Overall, there is not enough adjectives to describe how incredible The Forest of Hands and Teeth was. As said above, I'm really looking forward to reading more by Carrie. Also, I truly hope she wrights a sequel to this telling of what happens to Mary. Since, the ending was kind of a cliff hanger.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth will appeal to fans of The Hunger Games or to people looking for a great book that contains romance, fantasy, and horror.

Grade: A+(less)

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Apr 04, 2009

Amber rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really really enjoyed this book--very compelling. It felt a bit like THE HANDMAID'S TALE, THE ROAD--same dark not so distant future only this one has zombies in it. However, the further from the book I get the more two things bother me and get in my way--takes suspending belief a little too far because--

It's been long enough no one remembers the ocean so we're talking a generation or two--at least 50 years. And if the zombies burn themselves out--how in the hell are there still zom...more

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Jul 28, 2009

The Holy Terror rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: zombie, suspense, horror, and mystery fans

Shelves: horror, zombies, borrowed, suspense, young-adult

The Forest of Hands and Teeth instantly reminded me of the movie The Village and it also made me think of the movie Dawn of the Dead as well. But even if you didn't like those movies or never saw them, don't let it detract from wanting to check out this book.

Mary, the main character, lives in a village some time in the not-so-distant future where civilization has been set back by hundreds of years, because of something called "The Return." The village is surrounded by a fen...moreThe Forest of Hands and Teeth instantly reminded me of the movie The Village and it also made me think of the movie Dawn of the Dead as well. But even if you didn't like those movies or never saw them, don't let it detract from wanting to check out this book.

Mary, the main character, lives in a village some time in the not-so-distant future where civilization has been set back by hundreds of years, because of something called "The Return." The village is surrounded by a fence which holds back the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Within the forest are Unconsecrated, or really, zombies. The inhabitants of the village live their lives while the Unconsecrated moan, push their fingers through and shake the fence.

But Mary has dreams of the ocean. She remembers a photograph that her mother showed her of her great-great-great grandmother standing in the ocean. She can't shake the image and she longs to see it for herself. But leaving the village means death or becoming another of the unconsecrated so Mary has to be content with dreaming.

Until the fence is breached and she's forced to leave the village and survive.

This novel was at times frustrating, heartbreaking, and horrifying, but it's one of those books that you just have to read that next chapter to find out what happens.

That part that was frustrating for me was the first part of the book when Mary is still in the village. Women have two choices; either be spoken for by a man or join the Sisterhood. If a man doesn't speak for you, you default to the Sisterhood. The Sisters and the Guardians are a bunch of Puritanical crazies, but I can see how they'd want to create order in a small village that could be the last of humanity.

There's a heartbreaking love story told throughout this book as well. I can't really say anything without giving something away, but this aspect of the novel really adds something to the story and it makes you care that much more for the characters.

There's a lot of gruesome parts to this book and if you're squeamish about decapitation and things of the sort, you might want to look for another book. It's not too graphic, but there are some disturbing scenes.

At the end, there's still a lot of unanswered questions. This chapter of Mary's life has ended, but her story is not over.

Now I can't wait for The Dead-Tossed Waves. I read the description, don't read it unless you don't mind spoiling yourself, and it sounds just as good as The Forest of Hands and Teeth. There aren't that many zombie books around, but this is definitely one of the best.(less)

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Sep 09, 2010

Misty rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: dystopia-postapocalyptic, excited-for, helluva-halloween, horror-mystery-suspense-thriller, juvenile-ya, read-in-2009, recommended, sci_fi-fantasy, zombies, cover-appeal, own, favorites

This seems to be one of those books that gets really mixed reactions. I've read more than a few rants that complain of the writing style (present tense), the love aspect, the originality aspect, and Mary herself, saying she's selfish and unlikeable. And most of the things that seem to bother people about this book help me to love it.

I found Ryan's writing beautifully and painfully evocative, and the present tense lent an immediacy to the narration that really worked. There are tim...moreThis seems to be one of those books that gets really mixed reactions. I've read more than a few rants that complain of the writing style (present tense), the love aspect, the originality aspect, and Mary herself, saying she's selfish and unlikeable. And most of the things that seem to bother people about this book help me to love it.

I found Ryan's writing beautifully and painfully evocative, and the present tense lent an immediacy to the narration that really worked. There are times when the things that Mary says in the novel are so perfectly phrased as to make me actually stop reading and just dwell on them. I could see everything so clearly, and sometimes just ached with it. It was lovely in a heartbreaking way.

Much like the romance between Mary and Travis. I loved every moment of that, and bought it all. This bit is a teensy bit spoilery, so if you haven't read it, look away.

I know there are people who find the relationship unbelievable, and think that Mary was selfish for a) choosing Travis over Harry for no reason (? did they read the same book I did?), and for feeling like there was something more even than Travis. I understand why people were frustrated by this and thought Mary selfish -- so many people read YA for the easy romance and the lies. I hate to say it, but it's true. I respect Ryan so much more for not making things easy like that. I absolutely loved that, although Mary loved Travis, she realized there was more to the world, and since she lives in a pretty effed up world, there most certainly is. Mary is a woman on a mission, and she doesn't let anything sway her from that. It's a bit maniacal, maybe, but understandably so, and it makes for a much more complex, nuanced, adult novel than people typically get from YA. I appreciated that.

Same goes for the ending. Some people were really upset about the lack of resolution in the end, and I personally loved it. (And even though I know there is a sequel (and 3rd!), and fully intend to read them, I would have been content with 1 open-ended but powerful book.) It would have been a cop-out to have everything wrapped up neatly. I like a book that makes you wonder and makes you think, and even that makes you uncomfortable. It means the writer was working and doing their job, not just churning out some schlocky mess for $$.

This isn't to say I thought it was a perfect book. There were times when the prose was a bit purply, and I was worried on occasion that it was about to go over the top. I originally rated it a 4 on Goodreads, but as time passed, I found myself craving it, and thinking about Mary and the things she went through, the choices she had to make, and respecting it more and more. It's one of those books that I know I will reread and appreciate in different ways, but that I would reread even if that wasn't the case, just to get back to the beauty of Ryan's writing.

(less)

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Mar 25, 2010

Osho rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, young-adult, horror, fantasy-science-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This has been tagged as a young adult dystopian novel, and while I agree with "young adult," it's dystopian only in the sense that all zombie novels are dystopian--a spreading horror, present or past, destroys much of civilization. Perhaps it shades slightly more into dystopian territory, in that a character alludes to the Unconsecrated--this village's name for the zombies--having originated in scientific attempts to make people immortal. However, this aside is so tangential to the act...moreThis has been tagged as a young adult dystopian novel, and while I agree with "young adult," it's dystopian only in the sense that all zombie novels are dystopian--a spreading horror, present or past, destroys much of civilization. Perhaps it shades slightly more into dystopian territory, in that a character alludes to the Unconsecrated--this village's name for the zombies--having originated in scientific attempts to make people immortal. However, this aside is so tangential to the action of the story, so peripheral to the central narrative, that, while intriguing, it is not a sufficiently central point to support calling this a dystopia. It is young adult horror with science fiction elements.

There are things I can live without knowing. I don't need the whole back story; in many ways it's more interesting not to have a huge revelation about the long, long ago time and how things came to be. Perhaps some of that is filled in in the next book; perhaps not. What we should have learned: Why on earth the Sisterhood allows infected people to join the Unconsecrated rather than chopping off their heads; how or why both Mary's and Gabrielle's villages are overrun; why Mary and her group of survivors assume the members of the Sisterhood who bolted themselves into the Cathedral didn't survive; why Mary thinks that Gate I would lead to the ocean. There's more, but these are the big points. More irritating, and constituting plot disruptions/bad writing: If the zombies can pile up enough to get to an upstairs story, why don't they do this with the village fences? Who does maintenance on the path fences beyond the Guardians' range? If zombies can take down sturdy, braced wooden doors in a relatively short time, why can't they take down cyclone fencing even more quickly?

Psychologically, this is a novel about claustrophobia. The (seemingly) lone village, the tiny beacon holding back the unending, zombie-filled forest. The stern and secret-keeping Sisterhood, a religious order that controls the village, its inhabitants' lives, and access to historical and current knowledge. The young girl, who wants to marry for love, break out of the village's tight periphery, and re-discover this "ocean" her mother described to her in her childhood. It is also about selfishness; more specifically, selfishness rewarded. Mary, the protagonist, is cut from the same histrionic and narcissistic cloth as Twilight's Bella. She is moody, impulsive, self-focused and self-preoccupied, willing to put her ambivalent desires ahead of (as far as she knows) the well-being of everyone in the world. Why is Travis attractive? For the same reason Edward is: Because the female protagonist says so.

If I were still back in my text deconstructin' days, I'd say that Mary's fervent desire for a particular kind of love, bolstered by the repeated symbol of the ocean (Freud's oceanic oneness, q.v.) and the image of the ocean-like forest, is what causes the village fence to be breached, admitting the endless tide of Unconsecrated who consume or infect just about everyone, converting them from individuals to an undifferentiated, oceanic mass of zombies. In psychoanalytic terms, it's the ambivalent desire to return to the pre-individuated ego state (bonus for you Kleinians: Snapping and rending included!). Since Mary's village understands the zombies in religious terms, a translation of the above might be that desire casts one out of paradise; this Mary has original sin. While Mary doesn't lust after a creature of darkness as Bella does, this theme is present, though displaced onto Mary's mother. The story is that Mary's mother allows herself to be bitten by her husband (who is now a zombie) because Mary isn't there to stop her. Mary is too busy getting creeped out by her friend and nice-guy Harry, who in a prefiguring of this zombie/ocean trope grasps her hands under water (she's doing laundry) and initiates a courtship. However, it's not clear that Mary would have prevented her mother from being bitten by her father; Mary, though devastated, also apparently finds it all unbearably meaningful and argues with the Sisterhood, and her brother, that her mother should be permitted to join her father as part of the unknowing, uncaring zombie horde. Who can say that the addition of Mary's mother and of Gabrielle (a parallel sacrifice by the Sisterhood) isn't the tipping point that allows the Unconsecrated to breach the fence?

At the end of the novel, having navigated the oceanic forest and seeing her love interest (who turned out not to be enough for her, anyway) zombified and castrated, I mean decapitated, by her, Mary reaches the real ocean. There, she immerses herself with, incidentally, a large number of zombies and chopped-up zombie parts. Then, to the lighthouse with an older man whose job is to decapitate the zombies who wash onto the beach. It wasn't her mom she wanted all along, it was her dad! Oedipal mystery solved.

Oh, and this bears little resemblance to The Hunger Games, with which I've seen it compared. Instead, think The Road, but with zombies instead of the charred ashes of a ruined civilization, and a whiny self-serving kid. Same ending, though: It's sad about the other(s), but now you're safe because you've found another claustrophobic enclave, where you can be protected (until the horror engulfs it as well).(less)

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Mar 12, 2009

Becky rated it

Our heroine, Mary, has a dream. A dream to leave the safety of her village and find this ever-mysterious ocean her mother romanticized through stories. Mary has always been taught that her village is all there is. Well, all that remains of pure humanity at the very least. Her village is surrounded by a forest--the forest of hands and teeth. Outside the fences and walls of her village, the Unconsecrated roam. Zombies. They're an ever-present threat, but as long as the fences hold. As long as the ...moreOur heroine, Mary, has a dream. A dream to leave the safety of her village and find this ever-mysterious ocean her mother romanticized through stories. Mary has always been taught that her village is all there is. Well, all that remains of pure humanity at the very least. Her village is surrounded by a forest--the forest of hands and teeth. Outside the fences and walls of her village, the Unconsecrated roam. Zombies. They're an ever-present threat, but as long as the fences hold. As long as the guardians protect the borders from breaches, then life goes on normally. They're raised to respect the Sisterhood, respect the Guardians, respect the rules of society. And one of the rules is that all young people should make the commitment to family and marriage. All eligible young men and all eligible young women should go through the strict rituals and vows and settle down, start families of their own. Mary has always assumed that her life will follow this course. But after several years of being passed over, she fears that she may have to join the Sisterhood and dedicate her life to God. The idea doesn't thrill her--or the Sisters.

On the day when a young man, Harry, does ask to court her--and courtship almost always leads to marriage--the siren interrupts her response. A breach. The zombies. The two rush to safety. But in a way, it's too late, Mary's life is forever changed. Her mother, Mary's mother, has been bitten by the Unconsecrated. The decision remains...kill her now out of mercy, or let the disease overcome her and release her into the Forest. Her mother's choice? To join her husband who is among the Unconsecrated. Days later--after her mother's release into the Forest--her brother returns angry and vindictive. Jed. He kicks Mary out of his home. Forces her to join the Sisterhood. Harry, it seems, has not gone to her brother. He has seemingly withdrawn his interest to court her, to marry her. While she did not love Harry, she did have a long friendship with him, with his family--his brother, Travis, and his sister, Beth.

But now...now she's being forced into the Sisterhood...forced to dedicate herself to a God she can't believe in. How could God have allowed both her father and mother to have become Unconsecrated? How could God have allowed her brother to turn his back on her? How could God have allowed her sister-in-law, Beth, to miscarry? In just a few days, her life have become a mess, a disaster. It soon becomes apparent--within minutes really--that the Sisterhood is not what she thought. They are more than what they seem. That there are dangerous secrets. That the Sisterhood poses a threat to her very life.

What's a girl to do when there are no choices that can lead to a happy ending?

How could I ever do justice to this book? Seriously. It's so intense. It's so exciting. Full of danger and secrets and betrayals and hopes and fears and love and loss. It's incredibly fast-paced, near-impossible to put down. It's dark and dangerous--not light and cheery. But it's so compelling, so well-written, that I just have to sing its praises(less)

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Feb 15, 2010

Annalisa rated it

· review of another edition

Recommended to Annalisa by: Annie

Shelves: dystopia, young-adult, apocalypse, speculative, horror

Creepy. It's a combination of The Giver and I Am Legend with a flair of The Village. I spend so much of the book trying to shake off the hopeless feeling that Mary would never escape the zombie apocalypse that it did its job creeping me out. There was a little too much of the zombies have a hold of her and their mouths are reaching for her and she closes her eyes and knows she's going to die and then someone saves her with no plausible way for either of them not be bitten, but it was still suspe...moreCreepy. It's a combination of The Giver and I Am Legend with a flair of The Village. I spend so much of the book trying to shake off the hopeless feeling that Mary would never escape the zombie apocalypse that it did its job creeping me out. There was a little too much of the zombies have a hold of her and their mouths are reaching for her and she closes her eyes and knows she's going to die and then someone saves her with no plausible way for either of them not be bitten, but it was still suspenseful and the world Ryan created very interesting.

My biggest complaint about the book is the writing--of course, isn't it always? :). You take a book written in first person and we're seeing more into Mary's head than the description of this world built to keep the zombies out, which really was very intriguing and we don't get enough of it. Then you write in present tense and the plot slows down, losing the ability to keep up the fast pace a horror novel requires. On top of that, Ryan felt the need to stop the dialogue after each sentence to tell us exactly what Mary was so obviously thinking and the story slows to a stand still. Sure zombies are creepy because they're slow but relentless, but I don't want the writing to mirror those traits.

Also, there were times when Ryan wanted to keep up the suspense so she's evasive with her details. I reread several scenes a couple of times trying to figure out exactly what happened, but at a loss to understand. I'd have to guess, often to find out later that I assumed the wrong thing. Like the almost kiss. There was way too much touching for there not to be kissing, so I thought I must have misunderstood the vague introduction to the scene, but no, I was supposed to believe that she was lying on top of him, his hands on her hips pulling him to her and they weren't kissing. I still don't think I understood exactly what happened in that scene. You can built suspense and still let your readers know what's going on.

And speaking of the love rectangle (is that what I should call it?), it got on my nerves. Not that it was there, that made the story interesting, but the back and forth of it. She likes Travis, she likes Harry, one likes her, than the other, no he likes Cass, who knows. It didn't really matter after awhile who ended up with whom; I just wanted the back and forth to end. For as much as she claimed she loved Travis, she did an awful lot of avoiding him when she had the chance to be alone with him. It seemed more like she lusted after Travis but could be herself with Harry. Ryan never justified Mary's love for Travis for me. I didn't see it build or grow, just a confession of it. For all that Ryan put me into Mary's thoughts, I should have had a better understanding of her feelings for the boys.

My favorite part of the book is when they're stuck in the house/platform with the constant moan of the zombies outside and no idea where to go or if there even is a where, so very reminiscent of what I enjoyed about I Am Legend. I wanted more interactions with Travis, more description of the world, more panic about time, but the creepy moaning zombies really captured the horror of the scene. The story was original, but there's too much saved in the nick of time and very slow writing for me to enjoy it like I could have.(less)

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Feb 11, 2011

Kelly rated it

· review of another edition

What will they think up next? If they were like some YA writers, most likely the same crap they have been spinning over the past two decades. Well, maybe just one decade. And this is the part where I yearn for the authors of my past lives, and/or the nineties.
Originally, when I wrote this prehistoric review, I gave an extra star out of acknowledgement of hard work. It can keep it, I guess. But by the time I revisited this in the future, I was hoping that the scenery would have graduated from zombies and vampires. It has, but it only has moved from the pits of hell to the exact opposite, sex appeal beings on earth. Hurrah. Though I have to say, I am looking forward to them graduating to gargoyles.

----Original----
The Forest of Hands and Teeth begins with quite strong grabber paragraph, "My mother used to tell me about the ocean...always moving towards you and away." That in itself was obvious to the one standing at the shore. But since I live in the Pacific, I am of course going to be cynical about this statement. I see the ocean almost every day, lucky me, but imagine how incredible it must be to a person who has never seen a body of water that huge and terrifying before.

As I progressed with this particular YA read I found, of course, errors that comes with your first book ever. Since I began with mine various titles I have learned that a flawed manuscript is better than a meticulously perfect and dreary one. Finding editing mistakes and sentance inprefections makes it WAY better, it reminds the reader that the creator of this world is human like them, and they have pains in the same manner (well, mostly.Writers block is worst than many cancers). But my mind readily agreed with this Zombie infested world. It was nicely crafted, and although I was not "enchanted" or anything with this book, it still has a place in my heart. Why? Well, for one, the YA authors I have met on Myspace and such are more CONNECTED with each other and their readers than adult writers, well, most of them anyways. I plan on being different, to let readers know I love them for trying to connect with their favorite writers. It is more important to readers the quality of the book if the author actually wants to talk to them, whether they are a bunch of macadamia nut cookies or not.

(I realize that this review is mostly thought and not information...but there should be a shooting rocket in reviews sometimes. It is an effort to not be conformitative."
(less)

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Aug 25, 2011

Karin rated it

Shelves: zombies, youngadult, 2009-reads, favorites, post-apocalyptic, audio-books, 2011-reads

Mary’s world is surrounded by the moans and shuffles of the Unconsecrated. The Unconsecrated look for ways to breach the fences that protect her village. They try to find weakness in the metal links. They reach through trying to grab hold of anyone unfortunate enough to walk too close to the fence. Mary’s world is based in fear. Fear that the Unconsecrated will one day break through and devour everyone in the village.

Mary’s mother goes to the fences everyday to look into The For...moreMary’s world is surrounded by the moans and shuffles of the Unconsecrated. The Unconsecrated look for ways to breach the fences that protect her village. They try to find weakness in the metal links. They reach through trying to grab hold of anyone unfortunate enough to walk too close to the fence. Mary’s world is based in fear. Fear that the Unconsecrated will one day break through and devour everyone in the village.

Mary’s mother goes to the fences everyday to look into The Forest of Hands and Teeth. She is searching for a glimpse of her husband who disappeared in the Forest months ago. Mary’s mother is the only one that remains hopeful that he’ll come back to her unharmed. Mary and her brother Jed, a Guardian, makes sure their mother never goes to the fences alone - afraid she’ll get too close if she sees her husband. When Jed is off on a fence repair mission and Mary gets held up doing laundry, her mother does the unthinkable. She gets too close to the Forest and is bitten by an Unconsecrated.

The ramifications of this disastrous event leave Mary with no choice but to live with the Sisters. The Sisters hold the knowledge of the village and make the rules for the community. They never marry, but instead devote their lives to the Scriptures. Mary must decide if she can settle for a life with the Sisters or if she is going to keep faith in the stories of a life outside the village and beyond The Forest of Hands and Teeth that her mother always told her about. However, after a major fence breach, her decision is made for her as she must brave the Forest along with Jed and his wife, Mary’s best friend, the man Mary loves, and the man who loves her. Emotional complications just add to the stress of staying alive when they are surrounded by the Unconsecrated.

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH is an enthralling post-apocalyptic masterpiece. Carrie Ryan’s description of the unrelenting Unconsecrated comes through loud and clear to the reader. At times, the suspense will cause you to put the book down for fear of what you might read next only to pick it up again because you can’t wait to find out. You’ll be able to feel the boney fingers of each and every Unconsecrated reaching for you as you turn page after page of this amazing novel. The ending definitely leaves the reader begging for the next installment in this amazing series.(less)

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Jan 31, 2009

Aerin rated it

Recommended to Aerin by: Jen Robinson

Shelves: young-adult, speculative-fiction

I was one of the first people to read Twilight, before the whole Bella/Edward craze took over. One of the reviews that I read months later said that Twilight signaled the new "in" subject in YA - vampires. They were the "new zombies;" and zombies were "out."

I had never read any books about zombies, for two reasons. First, Robin McKinley has never written a book about them. Second, I am a wimp. A big one. I saw "Poltergeist" when I was 19 ...more

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Jul 28, 2009

Kim rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: horror, young-adult, zombies, arc, own, favorites

I sat down with an advanced copy of The Forest of Hands and Teeth around midnight on Friday night, expecting to be able to put it down after a chapter and pick it up again in the morning. Yeah, that was a mistake. Around 3:00 in the morning, I turned off the light. And lay there, wide awake, thinking about this book, for another hour.

Carrie Ryan's tale is one that will get in your head and refuse to leave -- it is truly one of the most haunting tales I've read in a very long time. I ...more

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May 10, 2010

Parajunkee.com rated it

· review of another edition

Egad Brain! Shiver shiver, snicker snicker. Thrills and chills galore are embedded within the pages of The Forest of Hands and Teeth then wrapped up in an emotional roller coaster. Why did I read this book? Zombies scare me silly - and add the insanity of the innocent rural lifestyle and well you have zombies munching on heart-breakingly innocent villagers. This is much different than zombies munching on snarky British guys, at least they seem like they deserve it. I'm still in an emotional clo...more

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Oct 22, 2008

Betsy rated it

At first I enjoyed this tale of zombies and the attempts of Mary and people she loves to find an escape from their village surrounded by a forest full of these creatures who want nothing more than to infect them, making them into zombies too. It turned out that this was one of the few plot points explored, the other being a love triangle involving Mary, Travis and his brother Harry. It seems to me that there were a lot of squandered opportunities in the narrative. I wanted to know where the "...more

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Mar 09, 2009

Tez rated it

A creepy setting, difficult choices and an eerie scenario make Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth unforgettable.

It's a rare gem: a zombie novel in which the Z-word is never mentioned, and doesn't resort to shlock. Indeed, this is one of the most elegantly-written novels I've read; with characters to care about, a unique and disturbing setting, life or death decisions, and plenty of opportunity for social commentary. If you were hoping this was an escapist read, you may be su...more

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Jan 16, 2009

Heidi rated it

By the time I finished this emotional roller coaster ride of a novel my mouth was agape and I was breathless, wordless.

The horrifying world Ms. Ryan creates happens to have the Unconcecrated as its "evil other." The story is so strong that these enemies could have been anything: Nazis, slave owners, pirates, they just happen to be...zombies.

Part horror, part fantasy, part love story, The Forest of Hands and Teeth will leave you thinking about it for a long time.
...more

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About Carrie Ryan

Carrie Ryan was born and raised in Greenville, SC and is a graduate of Williams College and Duke University School of Law. A former litigator, she now pursues her true passion and writes full time. Although Ryan's 2009 novel, THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH, is set in a world roamed by the living dead, before meeting her fiance JP she was actually a self-proclaimed "scaredy-cat" who avoi...more

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The Dead-Tossed Waves (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #2)

The Dark and Hollow Places (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #3)

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“I want to sleep, I want dreams to pull me from this world and make me forget. To stop the memories from swirling around me. To put an end to this ache that consumes me.” — 241 people liked it

“Suddenly, all I can think about are all the things I don't know about him. All the things I never had time to learn. I don't know if his feet are ticklish or how long his toes are. I don't know what nightmares he had as a child. I don't know which stars are his favorites, what shapes he sees in the clouds. I don't know what he is truly afraid of or what memories he holds closest.
And I don't have enough time now, never enough time. I want to be in the moment with him, feel his body against mine and think of nothing else, but my mind explodes with grief for all that I am missing. All that I will miss. All that I have wasted.” — 147 people liked it

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