Staff Reviews & Reader’s Guides
Recent Reviews:
Message form an Unknown Chinese Mother
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The Book of Lies: A Novel (P.S.) by Mary Horlock
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The Magician's Elephant
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The Tiger's Wife
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Enduring Love
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The Forest of Hands and Teeth
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A zombie love story?
The Forest of Hands and Teeth is the debut novel from Carrie Ryan. How to describe it? Well, think part post-apocalyptic zombie novel, part coming-of-age love story, with a little dash of moral parable thrown in for good measure. The story focuses on Mary, whom we assume is in her late teens. Mary lives as part of an enclave of survivors (of what we don’t really know) surrounded on all sides by the dense and foreboding Forest of Hands and Teeth. The village is overseen by a group of mysterious nun-like women called The Sisterhood who hold the secrets of the past, and possibly answers for the future. Mary’s village is also roped in by high metal fences on all sides. These fences keep out the “Unconsecrated”. Who are the Unconsecrated you may ask? Why, zombies of course! Mary deals with her impending adulthood and the choices that come with it. Will she marry her childhood friend, whom she doesn’t love? Will she buck tradition and woo another man, who just happens to be her friend’s brother? Will she join the Sisterhood and seek spiritual enlightenment? All of these struggles play out against the background of a post-apocalyptic world where danger lurks just beyond the fence. This book is classified as Young Adult and at times the teen audience might be the only ones impressed—for instance the love story plays out much like the one in Twilight, a lot of sighing and longing, but not a lot of action. Ryan does veer close to melodrama at times. But, overall the book is well written and features some well choreographed escape scenes. Recommended for teens and adults who like a quick, fun read, especially those who enjoy some zombie carnage!
