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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
Wow, this book is full of adventure and suspense!! I felt that a lot of what happens to Mary is repetitive. Nothing ever seems to go right and hardly anything good ever happens to Mary. I almost gave it 3 stars because of this but it is a really good story and is full of twists and turns...literally. I love the zombie-like people and the author really paints a good picture so I could see the scenes in mind very easily!
This book had a lot of ups and downs, and left me with a lot of unanswered questions at the end (sequel? I hope not). I felt like I was reading a bad version of M. Knight Shyamalan's, "The Village."
The story started out well enough with Mary in a village, unspoken for and sent to the convent to join the sisterhood. Here she finds many secrets- though none explicitly answered- and stays until she is spoken for... Then the "unconsecrated"- zombies- invade the village...
***********SPOILER****************************
I wanted answers about the Sisterhood and what was their purpose (aside from controlling the actions of the townspeople) and what were the specific secrets they harbored (what was written in that book?!) and why exactly was there food and weapons on the trail behind the cathedral?
I wanted to know more about the "Return" and how the "unconsecrated" (zombies) came to be. I wanted to know more about the villages and the roman numeral marked trails. Why Roman Numerals and where the trails led and where had the people come from. I wanted to know more about where Mary ended up, and how many other souls there were in her safe haven.
The story started out well enough with Mary in a village, unspoken for and sent to the convent to join the sisterhood. Here she finds many secrets- though none explicitly answered- and stays until she is spoken for... Then the "unconsecrated"- zombies- invade the village...
***********SPOILER****************************
I wanted answers about the Sisterhood and what was their purpose (aside from controlling the actions of the townspeople) and what were the specific secrets they harbored (what was written in that book?!) and why exactly was there food and weapons on the trail behind the cathedral?
I wanted to know more about the "Return" and how the "unconsecrated" (zombies) came to be. I wanted to know more about the villages and the roman numeral marked trails. Why Roman Numerals and where the trails led and where had the people come from. I wanted to know more about where Mary ended up, and how many other souls there were in her safe haven.
One of the things I kept thinking was that this book is zombie apocalypse meets M. Night Shyamalan. It was an interesting book, and I liked that there's this secluded village that the world has forgotten about.
I liked the world Ryan built- there's a clear hierarchy. While she doesn't completely explain everything that's happened, it is pretty easy to figure out.
The characters, though, fell flat. They were all really annoying, and it seems like this book is much more plot-driven than character-driven. And as much as I liked the plot, there were too many things going on. Keeping zombies at bay, romance, staying safe...her obsession with the ocean. She finally gets to the ocean, but it felt really lame and forced.
I give it a 2 out of 5. It reminded me too much of The Village by M. Night Shyamalan for me to really get into it.
I liked the world Ryan built- there's a clear hierarchy. While she doesn't completely explain everything that's happened, it is pretty easy to figure out.
The characters, though, fell flat. They were all really annoying, and it seems like this book is much more plot-driven than character-driven. And as much as I liked the plot, there were too many things going on. Keeping zombies at bay, romance, staying safe...her obsession with the ocean. She finally gets to the ocean, but it felt really lame and forced.
I give it a 2 out of 5. It reminded me too much of The Village by M. Night Shyamalan for me to really get into it.
It sounds a little weird to say, but I would call this a beautifully written zombie story. This is not your mass market zombie fiction. The prose is tight and wonderfully descriptive.
The world Mary and her friends live in is terrifying and strange, yet they have come to accept that that is just the way it is. Well, everyone except Mary. Mary can't help but want something more. Mary needs to believe that there is a world beyond The Forest of Hands and Teeth. And when the fence is breached and the Unconsecrated swarm her village, Mary gets the chance to find out if there is anything beyond.
The world Mary and her friends live in is terrifying and strange, yet they have come to accept that that is just the way it is. Well, everyone except Mary. Mary can't help but want something more. Mary needs to believe that there is a world beyond The Forest of Hands and Teeth. And when the fence is breached and the Unconsecrated swarm her village, Mary gets the chance to find out if there is anything beyond.
This wasn't my favourite book ever, but I didn't hate it either. I found the plot points similar to many YA novels. Love triangle... small town girl who wants to get out etc.
But like I said, didn't love it, but I enjoyed it. I thinks I will continue to with the trilogy.
But like I said, didn't love it, but I enjoyed it. I thinks I will continue to with the trilogy.
Interesting take on a YA zombie novel. I didnt really like the main character but the story kept my attention and I didn't want to put it down. I wonder what happened to the dog?
I really wanted to like this book. It has a good plot idea and was pretty well written. However, the main character, Mary, is another one of these self-centered teenagers that seem to be so popular these days. Maybe Mary is supposed to be someone with which today's teenagers can relate, but in my opinion the protagonists in YA novels should be role models. Characters like Mary and Twilight's Bella are only reiterating to teenagers (especially young girls) that their misguided infatuations are "true love" and more important than anything or anybody.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Not since the Hunger Games have I been so engrossed in a book. I could not put Carrie Ryan’s Forest of Hands and Teeth down. I felt like I was there in the forest, full of fear of the character’s precarious situation and full of hope that there is another village somewhere that survived.
Mary lives in a post-apocalyptic world where much of humanity is infected with a type of disease which turns people into zombies. Some zombie books can be rather goofy. This book is not! She lives in a village surrounded by a dark forest. The setting very much reminded me of the M. Night Shyamalan movie, “The Village.” A series of metal fences and gates are the only thing keeping the living humans apart from the “Unconsecrated.” Harsh rules enforced by “The Sisterhood” are meant to keep the people safe and preserve humanity. The people of the village are led to believe they are the only humans left.
The story takes off running when we learn Mary’s father is likely one of the Unconsecrated. Her mother, in her grief decides to join him rather than stay alive. The description of her change and how she’s dragged into the forest by her ankle is great horror story telling! Mary must suffer the consequences when her brother hands her to the Sisterhood because the boy she loves has not asked for her hand in marriage. The story takes another fantastic twist when we learn someone from the outside has found their way to the village. Mary won’t stop until she has answers about the girl, Gabriella.
This book is about so many different themes woven beautifully together. It’s about wanting. The hunger and want of the Unconsecrated is unending. They keep going even as their bodies can no longer move. Mary’s mother wants her husband so much she is willing to become one of the Unconsecrated. It is about dreaming of the great perhaps. Mary knows there is something out there. That curiosity never wavers. She puts herself in dangerous situations in an attempt to satisfy her curiosity. I could barely breathe as she hid in the basement of the Cathedral trying to find out what happened to Gabriella. She knows if she’s caught she’ll likely be tossed into the forest as food for the zombies. It is about love verses duty. Mary wants Travis, but Travis is willing to step aside because his brother loves her too. It is about how The Sisterhood withholds information and keeps the population ignorant, because they feel it will save lives. But mostly for me, this book is about the search for truth, even though everyone you know tries to stop you. Mary never stops believing. The ending, even though not a happy one, is satisfying. I love the way she figures out the gates and which one goes to the ocean. I love the struggle to survive and not accepting the status quo.
Mary lives in a post-apocalyptic world where much of humanity is infected with a type of disease which turns people into zombies. Some zombie books can be rather goofy. This book is not! She lives in a village surrounded by a dark forest. The setting very much reminded me of the M. Night Shyamalan movie, “The Village.” A series of metal fences and gates are the only thing keeping the living humans apart from the “Unconsecrated.” Harsh rules enforced by “The Sisterhood” are meant to keep the people safe and preserve humanity. The people of the village are led to believe they are the only humans left.
The story takes off running when we learn Mary’s father is likely one of the Unconsecrated. Her mother, in her grief decides to join him rather than stay alive. The description of her change and how she’s dragged into the forest by her ankle is great horror story telling! Mary must suffer the consequences when her brother hands her to the Sisterhood because the boy she loves has not asked for her hand in marriage. The story takes another fantastic twist when we learn someone from the outside has found their way to the village. Mary won’t stop until she has answers about the girl, Gabriella.
This book is about so many different themes woven beautifully together. It’s about wanting. The hunger and want of the Unconsecrated is unending. They keep going even as their bodies can no longer move. Mary’s mother wants her husband so much she is willing to become one of the Unconsecrated. It is about dreaming of the great perhaps. Mary knows there is something out there. That curiosity never wavers. She puts herself in dangerous situations in an attempt to satisfy her curiosity. I could barely breathe as she hid in the basement of the Cathedral trying to find out what happened to Gabriella. She knows if she’s caught she’ll likely be tossed into the forest as food for the zombies. It is about love verses duty. Mary wants Travis, but Travis is willing to step aside because his brother loves her too. It is about how The Sisterhood withholds information and keeps the population ignorant, because they feel it will save lives. But mostly for me, this book is about the search for truth, even though everyone you know tries to stop you. Mary never stops believing. The ending, even though not a happy one, is satisfying. I love the way she figures out the gates and which one goes to the ocean. I love the struggle to survive and not accepting the status quo.
A young woman is trapped in a small village surrounded by zombies years, possibly generations, after the apocalypse.
This was pretty good but not my bag; it is Y.A. to the point of what feels almost like a parody of the genre. Don't get me wrong, it all works. I'm just not the target audience. The characters, and their society, do a lot of excessively stupid things that are exactly the kinds of things that real people would do. So for once the dystopia makes sense: no evil adults, just generations of scared people trying to do their best, by lying to people. The main character is consistently smart, just doesn't possess the foresight to prevent that which would be easily preventable. Fair...just not my bag.
Recommend for Y.A. fans and some horror fans. If you're the type who likes all the explanations, please note this is the first in a series and not all explanations are contained in the book, although the plot is tied up and not a cliffhanger. Do not recommend for "don't go into the basement you idiot" horror fans, who will find themselves shouting at the characters on a regular basis.
This was pretty good but not my bag; it is Y.A. to the point of what feels almost like a parody of the genre. Don't get me wrong, it all works. I'm just not the target audience. The characters, and their society, do a lot of excessively stupid things that are exactly the kinds of things that real people would do. So for once the dystopia makes sense: no evil adults, just generations of scared people trying to do their best, by lying to people. The main character is consistently smart, just doesn't possess the foresight to prevent that which would be easily preventable. Fair...just not my bag.
Recommend for Y.A. fans and some horror fans. If you're the type who likes all the explanations, please note this is the first in a series and not all explanations are contained in the book, although the plot is tied up and not a cliffhanger. Do not recommend for "don't go into the basement you idiot" horror fans, who will find themselves shouting at the characters on a regular basis.