The Forest of Hands and Teeth- Carrie Ryan

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Author: Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Synopsis: 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?

    Since a very young age, I have been fascinated with the living dead. Corpses reanimated through various means; such as, a mad scientist or a viral infection received from a hungry sewer rat. Zombies, in short, are amazing. So, when I learned that there was an entire YA series set in the world post-zombie apocalypse, I quickly added it to my wishlist. I've just finished the first in the series and I LOVED IT!
     From the first line, the book took hold of me. I found every excuse to read and put off important stuff so that  I could curl up with the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Carrie Ryan has done a wonderful job crafting a great novel that introduces us to what I'm sure will be an amazing series. She writes with a power and control over her words usually seen in the works of veteran authors and her ability to manipulate prose astounds me. The story she created is both action packed and filled with the tribulations of first love. Her description of the budding romance between Mary and Travis is truly beautiful.
    The story is very unique and lays a path for more novels in the future without leaving the reader with a cliffhanger. Most action in the first book is resolved, but the greater theme of surviving in a world with the Unconsecrated remains present at the close of TFHT. My favorite aspect, aside from the style, was the characterization. Mary and Travis, along with the other characters, are relatable even though they live in a village surrounded by the undead. Their questions, longings, thoughts, and fears are relevant to people living in 2011. This was another one of my favorite reads of the year, so far. I am looking forward to picking up The Dead-Tossed Waves. Now, I will leave you with some examples of Ryan's amazing writing style-my favorite quotes from TFHT:

"Travis's hand slips away from mine. I feel its absence the way it must feel to lose a limb. Desperate, the ghost of its presence still taunting me."

"I am filled with emptiness as I nod my head because I cannot bare to tell him the truth. Even as he reads my mind, as he proves to me how well he knows me. Even though he already knows my answer. Because I am still hoping that he can fill the emptiness and longing and that tomorrow morning I can wake up in his arms and it will be enough

I don't own those words, though I wish I did. They are the genius of Carrie Ryan.

Thanks for reading and until next time,

I'm Theresa with
The Book Nook