In “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” Mary lives in an isolated village protected by a wall from the forest which is filled with zombies. The village is protected by the Guardians and governed by the Sisterhood. This is all that Mary knows and she longs to see the ocean (a story her mother told her all her life). When the village is overrun by the zombies, Mary, her brother and others take off to try and find a new life for themselves. Carrie Ryan had written an intense story of teenage angst in this world of post-apocalyptic zombies. It was an uncomplicated read and the story was compelling. ( )

Could not finish. All I have to say is: Mary, shut up about Travis, you whining idiot.

It had great potential..but main character just couldn't grab me into the story.

zombies, horror, dystopian, romance, escape, death, survival, religion, LRC, KS3, KS4 ( )

I really liked this book for the first few chapters. In fact I was so excited about it that I nearly finished the book in one day. However, the more I read past the half-way-point, the more disappointed I got. This book had everything going for it until the main character suddenly became so selfish and callous that I felt she had as much humanity in her as the zombies who chased her. Every time she got something she had previously been desperate to get, she suddenly decided she really did not want that anymore and just threw it away like a piece of trash. She left a wake of desperation and suffering behind her that rivaled anything a zombie could produce. Basically, the main character totally fell apart and became a vapid idiot that would throw her own grandma in front of a bus without a second thought. Seriously disappointed. ( )

Mary lives in a world that is set in stone; there are things you just know and things that you just shouldn’t wonder about. Some things are simple, true, and have been for as long as anyone knows:
1. The Guardians will always protect
2. The Sisterhood is always right.
3. The Unconsecrated are always there, and always trying to break through.

Mary has spent her entire life surrounded by these infected shells of people, some of which were her friends, family, neighbors, etc. They attack the fences, crave human flesh, and moan the most chilling sound you’ve ever heard. Think of every zombie movie you’ve ever saw, and combine all those creepy figures into one and that’s the image that goes through my mind when I think of the Unconsecrated. Now imagine living in a lone village, smack in the middle of a forest that is full of these “people” with only chain link fences and the armed Guardians to protect you. This is Mary’s life.

The Sisterhood controls the knowledge; they control what everyone else knows about the world outside the fence, and what everyone doesn’t know. Mary dreams of life outside the fence, of life at the other end of the gate that leads to the path, the only path that leads to and from the village, the path that no one has ever been allowed to go down. Slowly everything Mary has ever known starts falling apart one by one; the Sisterhood has secrets and Mary learns things that she was never supposed to know.

One day the fences are breached, the Unconsecrated descend upon the village, upon the only lives these people have ever known. The village is in chaos, there’s only one safe place to go, and it’s forbidden. Now Mary has some choices to make: Will she stay in her village and fight for it or will she save herself and the people she can and take the path? Will she choose the one she loves or the one that loves her? Will she find out if there is life outside a village and a forest that is surrounded by so much death and constant danger?

This is such an amazing book! I am having trouble putting how much I actually love this book into words outside of a fangirl scream “OMG”! I am also tickled purple (not pink, pink is too girly and not exciting enough!) to find out from Carrieryan.com that there is not only a sequel called The Tossed-Dead Waves that will come out Spring of 2010, but there will be a THIRD (!!!!!!) book that will come out Spring of 2011. And the possibility of a movie, because Seven Star Pictures (which is a new company, but they are doing K-11, with Kristen Stewart and Nikki Reed), and it is listed on their website as an “Upcoming Film”. This is such an amazing read, as I have already said, but it chilling, gripping, it has just enough romance to satisfy someone, without overwhelming the horror, and the hope that the story employs. It’s such a dark and terrifying tale, but at the same time it’s extremely beautiful and hopeful; and that mix is just what the doctor ordered. ( )

I've been waiting awhile to read this one - it's about a zombie apocalypse, and zombies are my thing.

Mary's lived in a town surrounded by a fence, surrounded by zombies, surrounded by the Forest of Hands and Teeth, and according to the town's Sisterhood (the religious leaders), the Forest is unending. However, Mary's mother has been telling her stories of what the world was like before the Unconsecrated, and Mary dreams of a day she, too, might see an ocean.

There's plenty of zombie action, for which I am appreciative, and plenty of fear and desperation. Mary's hope and longing muck up things for her - especially for those who escape with her, and the two brothers who've both fallen for her.

I was a bit disappointed - the ending is a bit of a non-ending, and very little seems resolved, but Mary's tough and the the zombies were scary, so I did end up enjoying it! ( )

The first half was so awesome that the second half didn't stand a chance. It was a fun read! -- Ms. Lopez-Gerlach

Mary’s story is just another one of those time-honored, heart warming classics of coming of age, post apocalypse, amid flesh-eating zombies. Like many a similar tale, the main goal in the telling is not the gore and/or violence but rather the struggle of the soul and mind to make some sort of sense of the destruction and absurdity around the protagonist.

Her village is fenced to keep out the roaming, hungry undead who claw at the gates, day and night. Of course, like any quaint, dystopian village, the social order within the protected compound is just as creepy as what lies beyond. The order about town is an Order with a capital O. The Sisters run the municipality with an iron, but seemingly loving, fist. For the most part, all seems well and good.

Our protagonist, Mary, aptly named for such a town, has been listening to her mother’s stories, though. Stories that question the order; question the safety within the fence and question the existence the villagers have always known. Most scoff at her dreams of escape. For what on earth could be so grand and wonderful if everyone else on the planet has perished? Her stories of oceans and skyscrapers from years ago do not interest most.

Until the breech.

When the security of the group’s very existence is shaken to the core, Mary is not the only one to look elsewhere for answers, pulling apart every conventionality the small society has ever known.

The idea of this story is fantastic. The cathedral and sisters are as creepy as creepy religious allusions can get. The Big Brother-like security and scrutiny are deep reaching and there is a very clear message from the get-go that thought and questioning of the safety provided within the walls will not be tolerated. Bible verses, along with the love and will of God are taught as the only truth. Allegory and allusion run thick in the story and for the most part, are referenced in a cohesive way.

Unfortunately, this is going down on my list of books that flopped. Due to the sparkling legacy of Fahrenheit, 1984 and their modern counterpart, The Hunger Games, it simply comes off as overdone and a bit of a washed out version of the old relics, at that. The writing is pretty at moments but isn’t anything to call home about as it skips or halts in more than a few places. It also has that horrible fault of present tense which was excusable in The Hunger Games, as the storyline and characters held together thick enough, but here just weakens an already flimsy book.

I think if it hadn’t held so many positives for me, the allegories, the relative similarities to dystopias past, I wouldn’t have been as disappointed but I truly wanted more from Ryan and she just didn’t deliver. If you don’t set your sights too high on this one, you may not be as disappointed. ( )

Mary leads a normal life in her small village in the forest. There are certain truths that she was brought up believing in - the Sisterhood always knows best; the Guardians will protect and serve and the Unconsecrated will never relent. But above all, 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?

First off, there was no way of telling that this was a zombie book by just looking at that cover... with that said, this is a zombie book! I love zombies! And our story starts off with a bang - or more like a bite.

Mary’s life is turned upside down right from the first chapter. You can feel her desperation as well as her resignation to this life. They have been brought up believing that they are the last of the human race. They have to marry not out of love but to keep their race going. If you don’t find a suitable match then, as a female, you join the Sisterhood. For Mary, the short weeks she spends under the same walls as the Sisterhood is life altering. She is now even more determined to believe in a world outside of their fenced in village... but especially, she dreams of the ocean. Her mother has told her stories of what the world was like before the Unconsecrated and Mary has always hoped for something more then her simple life in the village.

The story has its ups and downs but at no point did I feel like it dragged or anything. On the contrary, I was intrigued by the dystopian world Mary was living in. I wanted to know more and more. And although some things were left unanswered - it felt real. Mary is living generations after the Unconsecrated - so the information that we get is from a young girl with the limited knowledge that has been handed down to her by relatives and townsfolk. I will admit to having chewed off a nail or two and at one point or another having to put the book down because... yes, I admit it, I was freaked out.

All in all, I thought the story flowed real smoothly. There was plenty of action and excitement and I thought it blended well with the parts that were more informational in nature. I loved that throughout it all there was a hint of romance and that alone made the bleak world a more (dare I say) hopeful place.

I really enjoyed and highly recommend this. Plus, I can't wait for the sequel, The Dead-Tossed Waves. ( )

I found this book had a lot of potential but fell slightly short. I was hoping for more explanations and while I know there are sequels and the mystery is suppose to add to our suspense, I felt very little satisfaction at the end of reading it. The story was dull during some parts and I got rather annoyed with the protagonist. I felt Mary was at times selfish and only cared about reaching the ocean at the expense of her friends and family. I'm very curious to see how the sequel will continue this story, hoping I might feel some more satisfaction after reading it. ( )

Quite a good story. A desperate and yet hopeful story of struggle and survival. It's YA but the material is not juvenile by any means. The romance might be a little naive, but the pressure to conform, to survive the only way the community believes possible, is quite mature.

The book is creepy; the characters are desperate. And the whole thing felt so believable, it left me with the willies and an urge to check the closet before going to bed.

The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because the ending feels kind of dropped. I'm not sure how it could have ended better, but it feels like not enough of the "cause" was explained, or resolved. ( )

An excellent dystopian book! Riveting and very well done. Full review on my blog: here ( )

Reminiscent of Chris Wooding’s The Storm Thief, Lois Lowry’s The Giver, and the horror movie Night of the Living Dead, this zombie tale combines a high creep factor with romance and a feisty protagonist who constantly questions the limited world and belief system of her village. Flesh-eating zombies, known as the Unconsecrated, eagerly await the chance to sink their teeth into the human beings that dare venture too close to the fence that surrounds Mary’s entire village. Human life beyond the fence is believed to be nonexistent, and few have memories of any kind of life before the Unconsecrated, before — if there is such a before — rampant fear pervaded the villagers’ lives 24/7. At any moment a breach in the fence puts all the villagers in harm’s way. Just one bite from the Unconsecrated is enough to kill.

In addition to Mary’s life being restricted by the fences, she is “spoken for” by Harry. But it’s really his brother Travis with whom Mary is desperately in love. In a village governed by the religious Sisterhood, few if any options exist for Mary to defy the Sisters and the carefully circumscribed life in the village. Mary chafes at these limitations. Still, when she tries to look beyond the fence, the Unconsecrated wail and flail their arms through the fences — and betrothals are not meant to be broken.

Mary vividly remembers her mother’s stories of the ocean. Could it be? Memory is a rare commodity, and no one else speaks of an ocean. Yet Mary is determined to find a way out of the village and to the ocean of her dreams. She is willing to defy all for love, knowledge, and hope in even the faintest glimmer of life beyond the forest of hands and teeth. This grim story is not for the faint of heart, and it does make you think hard about what happens when terror and a strict belief system take over a village.

Both creepy and strangely hopeful, by turns. This story begins in a village within a forest, which is surrounded by fences, due to the "unconsecrated" or zombies who wander outside the fence. We view things through the eyes of a young girl named Mary, who does not entirely accept that this village holds the only survivors of "The Return." Her struggle to find out the truth and see if there is more to life than the safety of their village takes her and those closest to her on a journey that is both terrifying and thrilling, as each character determines what is most important to them and what they will risk to achieve or, in some cases, keep what they hold dear. At the heart of this story, though, is hope in the midst of absolute chaos and desolation. ( )

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 village, and make sure the fence holds back the Unconsecrated. The fence is the only barrier between the village and the Forest.

But then, once Mary is forced into the Sisterhood, she learns things that she wishes she hadn't. There is the one section of the fence, which is forbidden; but, it leads somewhere... Mary knows it. But where does it lead?

Mary must choose between her village and what may or may not exist beyond that one gate.

I really enjoyed this book. I was hooked as soon as I started. Mary was a great character. She was strong, and always wanted more than what she had. She kind of reminded me of myself (only a little, though!).

The only thing I didn't like in the story was the ending, only because I wanted to know more! It left me hanging a little, so I don't really know what will happen to Mary.

When THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH comes out in March 2009, I recommend it to everyone. You'll enjoy it. I hope Carrie Ryan writes more books, too - her writing was amazing! ( )

Really engaging, make-your-heart-race sort of a novel. While it's categorized YA fiction, I don't think that this limits the storyline to only teens in any way. In this interesting novel, the characters live in a village that is haunted & hunted by the 'Unconsecrated' that live in the forest. Who are they? I would be giving away too much of what drives you to keep reading if I said anymore about the conflict between the village and the outside. ( )

Carrie Ryan brings us an engaging distopian story--I couldn't put this book down! Set in a far away future where Earth's inhabitants are still dealing with the ravages of an apocalytic disaster, this story is part "The Village", part romance and all zombie. Unlike most zombie stories I know, there is nothing campy about this tale. Instead, it made me think about relationships between not only romantic partners, but also friends and siblings, as well as the value of questioning the status quo in hierarchical organizations. ( )

Several generations after the world is decimated in a zombie outbreak, a little village surrounded by a strong fence continues to survive amidst what they call 'the Forest of Hands and Teeth'. The village has become radically religious and look to the mysterious Sisterhood for their survival. Between the Sisterhood and the Guardians, the village is able to pretend normalcy even while under the constant pressure of Unconsecrated (their word for 'zombie') outside. However, Mary is a dreamer and in love. Both her dreams and her love are forbidden to her--and her defiance brings her into direct conflict with the Sisterhood.

How amazing is that title? The Forest of Hands and Teeth. The minute I heard the title, I wanted the book because of the amazing imagery packed into so few words. Needless to say, as soon as I heard that the book was about zombies, the decision was made and the book was obtained. I am, after all, an admitted fanatic when it comes to zombies and/or the end of the world.

I was a little surprised to find that the great majority of the book doesn't dwell on the Unconsecrated (read: zombies), but instead focuses on the society of the little village and, in particular, the frustrated life of Mary. Although I thought that the way Ryan builds the world is pretty damn good, I was a little let down. Now, that being said, I do want to further speak about the world in detail, because it really is done in such a way as to be both interesting and layered. The village has many elements of intrigue. The religious aspect of the village is pervasive and well-thought out. The Sisterhood basically becomes a secret organization of nun-like women who hold all the power without seeming to. Also, the non-religious sections of the building have interesting nuances and histories. I particularly liked the mention of how important and expected it was to raise a family for a woman and the reiteration of the importance of 'commitment', because a barely surviving group should start reaffirming these things if they want to survive. I thought these details were well-delivered in that the information comes from many sources in the text (or even just in hints) and easily integrates the reader with Mary's knowledge.

Which brings me to Mary. She's our protagonist for The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Mary is a girl who is a little selfish, perhaps, in the persistence of her dreams and beliefs. Because her mother told her of the ocean (which no one really believes in other than Mary), Mary resolves to go to the ocean. This is very similar to how Mary decides she's in love with Travis and spurns his otherwise perfectly acceptable brother. These are really the motivations that drive her--and keep driving her as she begins to get heaped with more and more trouble. Maybe it is selfish that she doesn't let Travis or the ocean go, but I love her for her stubbornness. And her brokenness. More than anything, I love that Mary's major question for herself is, "Will I ever be happy and what will it take?" This question causes her guilt, self-doubt, despair, but really lends itself to the journey she and her friends find themselves taking.

Even with the lack of focus for the Unconsecrated, I think Ryan has a fairly good grasp of suspense. I managed to devour (har, yes a pun) this book in a day, despite classes. Plus, I'm already speculating how the second book in the series will go and can't wait to see for myself.

I do have yet one more complaint to add on to the lack of presence of the Unconsecrated (especially in the early part of the novel). Even though I felt that Mary's character was very well developed, I didn't get the same feeling from the other major characters: Jed (though I think he redeemed his early lack of characterization later), Travis, Cass, and Harry. With these characters it almost feels as if Ryan tells the reader their value and what's to be expected of them rather than showing. But, that's not quite right either. Regardless, these characters feel a bit hollow, especially in comparison to Mary. The hollowness of the characters, particularly Harry and Travis, end up harming the very integral romance.

There's something that stays with you after reading this novel. For any flaws it has--and, hey, every debut has flaws--this eerie story will stick with you. Again, this is recommended to horror fans or those looking for a more somber read. I bought it in hardcover and don't regret a penny. ( )

This was a disappointing YA novel. The premise is intriguing: a post-apocalyptic, dystopian society hiding from zombies. OMG, though, the book is just incredibly boring. It was a struggle to finish... How can the author make zombies this boring? I guess that's an accomplishment, but not necessarily something to be proud of. Kind of reminded me of the movie The Village. I would recommend avoiding this one unless you're SUPER into zombies or post-apoc. Two stars. ( )

Full review at http://yannabe.com/2009/09/22/review-...

Summary: Mary lives in the last known human village in a world overrun by the undead. A system of fences separates the humans from the Unconsecrated who crave their flesh. When the fences aren’t enough to protect her family and then the man she loves asks another to marry him, Mary is forced to join the Sisterhood.

Review: Man oh man, I loves me a good dystopia. I devoured this zombilicious story in less than a day. I was a little skeptical about that tricky little thing called suspension of disbelief because, c’mon. Zombies. But aspects of this world were eerily plausible.

From a writer’s perspective, this book is an excellent example of how to not go easy on your characters. As a reader, I ate up every juicy bit of it. Mostly. In a few spots when hope was as scarce as a tan in a throng of zombies, I wanted a silver lining. Even a speck of metallic dust would have been nice.

Still loved it, though. And oh dear, the Mary and Travis scenes. Mmm. Imagine me using my best zombie voice when I say “MORE!”

A little taste for you:

It is a complicated process, giving a living human over to the Forest of Hands and Teeth. The Guardians found out years ago that the transfer cannot be done too early because a live human cast into the Forest is nothing but food for the Unconsecrated who will tear at their flesh and eat until there is nothing left. ( )

Opening Sentence: '…My mother used to tell me about the ocean.…’

Wow - what a good book, sucked me in on the first page and didn't let me go until the end. The book begins over 100 years after the 'Return', a virus that causes people to turn into zombies.

There was no cure, and the virus spread rapidly - when the undead bite you you beome one of them. Mary lives in an isolated village in the middle of a forest - the forest of hands and teeth. The settlement is surrounded by a heavily guarded chain-link fence. On the other side of the fence lives the zombies, or Unconcentrated, eternally ravenous undead. No villager ever goes outside this fence, unless they want to die.

However, the fence is not the only boundary in Mary's life. There are also the strict traditions of her people, which are enforced by a religious order called the Sisterhood. Every stage of the villager's lives are controlled to sustain their precarious existence - betrothal, marriage, childbirth even death. The villagers believe that without strict adherence to the rules, their tiny society will come to an end.

But now the village is beginning to forget their history. Some doubt that there really was a time before the Return, with giant cities and wondrous technologies. Others believe that nothing at all exists beyond the forest of hands and teeth. Only Mary, and her slightly mad mother, believes in something called "the ocean," a huge and unbounded space beyond the reach of the undead. After her mother turns into a zombie after getting too close to the fence, Mary obsesses over the idea that there may be a real ocean - and other humans. When the unthinkable happens, and the zombies break the fence down, Mary has to go out into the forest with a few other survivors. She decides to follow a path a see what happens - with the hungry hoard of Unconcentrated shuffling along after them.

This is not a happy book - there are many, many deaths. But the gruesome bits are very manageable - a person goes down and the reader is told that they are screaming - but the author refrains from detailed descriptions (thank goodness). The society comes over very realistically as a rigid, unfair society with no time for an independent thinker. Mary is incredibly selfish over her obsession, despite all opposition she is still able to cling to hope. That hope is what motivates her throughout her journey, hope that there is a better life out there somewhere amidst all the chaos and misery. ( )

Originally, I gave this book an 8; but as I continued to read many other books this summer, I realized that this one was one of the best I had read. The survival aspect was riveting and the zombie part was unusual enough to be interesting. Fantasy just isn't my thing, but this was a good one that I stayed up late to read. ( )

I absolutely loved this story. These are my favorite kind- where authors create alternate worlds, where anything could happen. It opens so many doors, and this is exactly what The Forest Of Hands and Teeth did.

It’s a zombie story, which is sort of comical because not once is the word zombie actually used. Instead, they’re called the “Unconsecrated”, who were born during the “Return”. Just that little trait alone boosted the story so much higher, because it fit so naturally- like a part of their everyday lives, which it was.

I think every character had a different mission when their town was breached. Mainly, Mary’s focus was the one at bay, which was to find the Ocean that her mother always spoke about. At times, I was slightly annoyed with this. Even Mary’s character knew that she was probably being selfish and putting everyone in danger, but she kept going. And then there were times when Mary’s focus needed to be severely prioritized, in my opinion. Instead of fearing for her life, she lusted after Travis, the boy she loves. In the midst of a zombie attack, I would‘ve been a little more centered on keeping myself alive, rather than wanting to kiss somebody. I think that’s possibly the one and only thing I disliked about the book.

I usually get really angry at books that ended the way that did, but it sort of worked. There are so many questions left unanswered. Where did Jed go? What happens to Harry, Jacob, Cass & Argos? Does Mary stay and live in the newfound town? I know that a sequel/companion to this, titled The Dead-Tossed Waves is coming out soon, so I’m hoping these questions will be answered then.

Overall, I really loved it. Though I had to put it at down several times, for my tears blurred my eyesight and made it impossible for me to read, I really enjoyed it. As rough (rough meaning a lot of sadness/heartbreak!) as it may be to read, I definitely recommend it. Just don’t forget to have a box of tissues within arms reach when you get near the end! ( )

Set in the distant future, this is a pretty standard steam punk fantasy of a world where isolated pockets of humanity are besieged, eking out a primitive existence, until catastrophe strikes.

A zombie plague destroyed the world but Mary and her community live in a fortified enclave in the middle of an ‘endless’ forest surrounded by the hungry, hostile, ravaging ‘Unconsecrated’. Then the fences are breeched...

With a small group of companions Mary escapes through the forest, convinced she’ll find another community of uninfected humans and hoping to see the sea… Nicely written – certain to have wide appeal – this is the first of the books dealing with The Unconsecrated. ( )

It felt like this book was trying too hard to both be a good zombie book and have meaningful character development as well as deep symbolism. Often it just feels forced and one or more of the aspects disappear into the background to suddenly re-appear pages later. The inconsistency annoyed me, and I am not sure if I will make the effort to find the sequel when it comes out. ( )