Young Adult Fiction for Adults discussion
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Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
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Erin
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May 17, 2009 08:08AM
Has anyone else read this yet? I was told it was the new big thing in YA, and after reading it I can see why. I would be interested to hear others thoughts!
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I read it and loved it! I kept hearing about it, so I tried reading it, even though I am not normally a fan of zombie movies and such. I am excited, because there are already plans for a sequel.
Oh that's nice to hear! I finished it and went about my day, and couldn't stop thinking about it. I was devastated! I called up three friends and told them to go get it, NOW!
I thought it was really well-written and extremely interesting. I couldn't put it down. Although, I was not happy with the ending, but I think that was done on purpose. Will there be a sequel?It definitely gave me the creeps. *shudders* I don't recommend reading it when you're alone in the house and there's a storm outside.
This sounds so good! It's on my TBR list!
It started out well and then it turned into a "B-move-just-waiting-to-be-made"....
I really enjoyed it but I didnt feel satisfied at the ending. Like it needs a sequel. I felt sorry for Mary - what an existence. I can understand her not feeling satisfied. And I am still trying to understand what happened with the Sisterhood and Gabrielle?
Yes she whined but at the same time I understand her dissatisfaction with her life.
I'm totally wondering if I should read this. Is it scary?
There are scary moments - I mean its a zombie book. But I don't know what's too scary for you. It's certainly not over the top violence.
Thanks for the advice Terri! 
This book was kinda weird, but it was OK.
I have only just started this book today and so far I'm really getting into it. Haven't read anything else by this author. She appears to be new into the UK market & this book is being heavily marketed over here. I'm guessing they want it to be the next Twilight.
This was one of my least favorite books and lead characters. In case anyone was wondering!
I think the book had such great premise and it really fell flat. And the main character continually pissed me off. Don't get me wrong, it was OK, but the way it was hyped, I thought I was going to be blown out of the water.
Peep wrote: "This was one of my least favorite books and lead characters. In case anyone was wondering!"
Of course we were wondering! Still might have to take a look at it even though you didn't like it. ;)
Of course we were wondering! Still might have to take a look at it even though you didn't like it. ;)
Well try it anyway and let me know what you think. Haha. At least Victoria agreed with me! Way too much hype, I agree. You could read my review when you're done (because it has spoilers) and then see if you agree.ETA: Make sure you pay attention to how people react to Mary.
I finished this book yesterday and I have to say that I was not really a fan. I found it engrossing but quite dark and depressing at the same time. (Spoilers ahead)And I honestly have no idea why both of those boys would have been in love with Mary. I didn't think she was selfish until she spent all that time alone with Travis in the house and she kept going away from him to wallow in her discontentment. After all that pining she did for him, she could have at least realized that the situation was temporary and enjoyed her time with him while she had it. It was then that I realized that she was a rather unlikeable character.
Has anyone read the sequel? I've heard it's better than the first one, but I'm extremely hesitant to try it.
Laura - I have heard only bad things about this one, so it is in my permanent skip it pile!
My review trashed this book. I could have sworn I was the only person who disliked it. Nice to see that I'm not though!
Peep wrote: "My review trashed this book. I could have sworn I was the only person who disliked it. Nice to see that I'm not though!"You are not - all the reviews I have seen were similar to yours.
Oh I just looked. I think I was surprised by all of the 5 star reviews!
I thought this book was good. I def. thought that Dead tossed waves was better though. I thought Mary's character got kind of annoying sometimes though and in Dead Tossed I think Gabry made a lot of dumb choices but I still found them entertaining and I know I'll read the last one that's going to come out.
I am reading this now. I usually pick up a book if I find it interesting enough, even if it has poor reviews. Just because someone else didn't like it doesn't mean I won't :).
I thought it was an amazing book. It had the right amount of suspense, romance, and action. I'm looking foward to reading the Dead Tossed Waves.
Finished reading this earlier this week. For me....it was just okay. It wasn't awful but I wasn't sold either. I can see where people come from when they say they didn't like it all that much.
I just read this one. It wasn't really my cup of tea, and I found it quite depressing - I actually put it down about halfway through and read something else so I could cheer up and then went back and finished it. I'm not into zombies, and I have to agree, Mary did get irritating after a while. I hope the people on the shore are a little less depressing than the sisterhood in the sequel! And it was stupid that they let "infected" people go outside the fence! When it comes to survival of the species, I don't think that is realistic. I'm sure anyone who could throw a girl to the zombies for not following rules wouldn't let new zombies be released to join the enemy!
Peep wrote: "My review trashed this book. I could have sworn I was the only person who disliked it. Nice to see that I'm not though!"Nope, I didn't get this book at all. It started out really strong and then when the forest becomes a main character the book went totally offbeat. Nothing was redeeming about it and it gave me a headahce. I still dont understand the ending.
I didn't understand why an author would write such a crazy character. She made me want to scream. And the crazy thing is that I finished it. That ending was so weird, but then so was the book. It def earned it's spot on my hate list.But there were some people that liked it. Part of me wanted to like it because it was my first zombie book, but it was just to bad, bad, bad.
Victoria wrote: "I think the book had such great premise and it really fell flat. And the main character continually pissed me off. Don't get me wrong, it was OK, but the way it was hyped, I thought I was going t..."I agree about the main character. She seemed so selfish and everyone was willing to do things for her and I just didn't get her appeal. And then the ending-just sucked.
I just finished this book and I really liked it. I do agree though the ending is kind of flat but I am hoping it picks up from there in the next book and explains it a bit more.
I don't know if I'm right because I haven't read or looked at the synopsis for the second one, but I think they have different characters. ??????
I read the summary and it is from the point of view of someone in a different town:Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.
Yep, I looked at the cover and it says it's a companion to Forest. The synopsis doesn't make it sound very interesting though... (at least to me).
Yeah I'm on the dislike side of this book. I came very close to not finishing it but I kept hoping there would be some kind of explanation to the sisterhood, or the sonnets, or SOMETHING. There were too many strings left at the end and Mary was stupid. The author didn't give a single reason as to why the boys loved Mary, or why Mary should love Travis more than Harry. She actually gave more backstory to Harry and Mary (haha--their names rhyme) and made the possibility of their relationship much more believable. I was not impressed by this book. I was bored. And annoyed.
The second book is about Mary's daughter.. I don't think I want to read about her kin. :x
I am also on the dislike side on this book. I thought it was predictable and lacking. I think a lot more should have been done about the sisterhood and the whole behind the scenes stuff there and less with Mary and her selfishness. I think the book could have been much better than it was, but the author chose to skim past the most interesting parts of the story.I thought I'd read the second book, but after finishing the first, I'm not that interested in the second.
I won't read the second one, but some have said that the lead girl in the second book is more likable than crazy Mary.
I actually liked this book. It was a quick read. Not brilliant, but enjoyable.I think because of things that have happened in my life I could relate to Mary. When she stopped believing in God when her mother changed...to me that rang really true. I found the fact that she liked Travis so much frustrating and you guys are right about no logic reason (However, since when is love logical?) and actually thought Harry sounded like the better man.
I disliked Travis a lot more than Mary. He just didn't try. I can understand being a dreamer and wanting to know about the outside world. It's also easy to forget that she's probably grieving throughout the entire process of the book. (I've spent over a month grieving at this point so I could see how she might be selfish & withdrawn).
Some things that bothered me:
-The fire (it was like the author just needed a way to get them off the platforms but didn't really have one).
-Didn't quite understand how Mary always avoided being bitten. Does she just taste bad?
-Travis
Overall I enjoyed it, read it in like 3 hours and will read the next one. The other book I'm reading right now is soooo slow I needed something quick.
I was really disapointed in this book. I really wanted to like it, too. But it just didn't work for me. I didn't like the main character, and the concept of miles and miles of fencing winding through the forest seemed a little too bizzare. And not to beat a dead horse, but I hated the ending.
I really didn't love it. At all. I did finish it thought and their were parts that I liked. -Who was Mary? I don't feel like I knew her.
-The relationship between her and her bestfriend. I didn't buy it.
-How did she end up in the ocean.. She fell down a waterfall?
Sorry it's been a while since I read it.
Cinderela wrote: "I really didn't love it. At all. I did finish it thought and their were parts that I liked. -Who was Mary? I don't feel like I knew her.
-The relationship between her and her bestfriend. I did..."
**********Spoiler***********
There were some holes. I couldn't get over how selfish Mary was and how everything still seemed to work out for her! It really pissed me off that her brother and Travis loved her so much they were willing to die for her and she just wanted to see the ocean...
Agreed Lani.P.S. Love your name!
I really enjoyed the first one. The second one I never quite got as into but that probably because I was unfocused and in airports/airplanes for the entire reading process.There were a lot of holes but the emotion (especially when she lost her mother) really struck me.
I read this book last year and while it held my attention in the ended I really didn't like it. I think it had to do with the main character. She was so unlikeable and unbelievably selfish. There was times where I had to stop reading and I'd say out loud as if she could hear me, "You're kidding right? It's not all about you." I liked the concept and it had some very emotional moments especially, like Cassi said, the part with her mother, but I couldn't get past my dislike of the main character.
Cinderela wrote: "Agreed Lani.P.S. Love your name!"
Thanks! It's my real name too.
I really didn't like this book. When I saw the title and read the back cover I was really excited to read this book. However, once I got started I just couldn't stand the main character... I didn't really feel she deserved all that love. I didn't really find that she created bonds with the people she was with and felt she was entirely too selfish for my liking. Even though I wasn't a big fan of this book I plan to read the next one. I'm a sucker that way, once I start I can't finish!
This was one of the worst YA books I have read bar none. It made me want to hit something hard. If you haven't read it yet, don't. Rather pick up Hunger Games!
see, I totally loved this book! I could not put it down. I hated Mary, but the story was completely engrossing for me. And who says that the protagonist has to be lovable, or even likable? I think it was nice to see a lead character who was extremely flawed. Another thing that I kept thinking is that no one knows how they would change when living under the stresses of this world.It's interesting, because I went to see Carrie Ryan at a book signing, and I told her that I loved the book but I hated Mary. She said that she didn't really like Mary either and that lots of people tell her that. She is fantastic to talk to and to listen to, so I suggest going to hear her if she's ever near you.
Personally, I think that Mary's push to keep going is her way of dealing with what's happened to her mother. It was her mother that told her that stories and I think she is determined to go on FOR her mother. But I could be completely wrong! : )
There are a lot of extremes out there... you either hate or love it, and there's no in between...(?)Its on my TBR pile; I have to see for myself. :)
Isn't this book part of a series? I doubt I'll read the second one, even though I was lukewarm on this one. Mary didn't bother like it did most everyone else in the universe. And I did like the first half of the book, but the second half just didn't work for me. It was a lot of running and bleeding and moaning. Felt sort of like she was drawing out the first book in order to have a second book.
