'The Forest of Hands and Teeth' is far more complex than its blurb insinuates. It successfully creates a love story in one of the most unlikely situations you could - initially - think of: a zombie apocalypse. With its unique take on the zombie tale, 'The Forest of Hands and Teeth', with its narcotic, addictive prose is a breath of fresh air in a genre that has become littered with (pardon the pun) deadwood tales. Ryan accomplishes what few authors have done before her - making every chapter end on a cliffhanger which is in no way contrived.
The zombies (or Unconsecrated) themselves are a background 'character', though their threat is ever-present and their sudden, frenzied attacks are ferocious. The real shining star of the story is Mary, a teenage girl who is unable to decide what and who she wants in life. A stark reminder that even in the darkest of times, surrounded by death and the threat of infection, life finds a way to shine a light. Though several of the novel's characters seem to serve only as an instrument through which to uncover Mary's deeper hopes, dream and confusion, the novel itself is fantastically driven.
Ryan has created a dark, haunting world which demonstrates humanity's unending, incessant desire and will to survive against the odds. Both moving and terrifying, 'The Forest of Hands and Teeth' shines like a torch through the haze of similar though inferior post-apocalyptic zombie tales. The novel leaves the reader thirty for more, to uncover the secrets that have been so tantalisingly close throughout. However, this is simply another superb narrative technique by Ryan. Read the sequels 'The Dead-Tossed Waves' and 'The Dark and Hollow Places' and all will fall into place, giving you that "a-ha!" moment that makes all the best series worth reading!
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About the author
Life after the zombie apocalypse
Mary has been brought up in a world of simple truths - the sisterhood always knows best, the guardians protect and serve and the unconsecrated will never relent. But Mary's mother told her stories of a world beyond the Forest of Hands and Teeth, of the ocean and of the time before the Return. When Mary's mother becomes infected by an unconsecrated, she chooses to become one of them and so she is sent into the forest. This triggers a chain of events that completely changes Mary's world, making her realise that the simple truths she was brought up with are not quite as simple or as truthful as she once thought. This was one of those books that I kept putting off reading because I'm not a massive fan of zombies and the blurb reminded me of the movie The Village, but where I was left disappointed after that I thoroughly enjoyed TFOHAT. It was the dystopian post-apocalyptic nature of the book that got me to finally grab it from my stack of unread books. The world is well developed, and the author doesn't fall into the common first book trap of info-dumping on the reader. I wasn't expecting much of the book, but the author creates a high-level of tension that she gradually builds and keeps up throughout the duration of the story. I was also surprised by the realism that the author introduced, especially as this is aimed at young adults, although this meant that the book (in my opinion) is definitely readable for adults unlike many YA books. I liked the characters - the book focuses on Mary as the lead with her friend Cass, romantic interests (and brothers) Harry and Travis, Mary's brother Jed and his wife Beth (sister of Harry and Travis) with Argos the dog and a young boy Jacob joining the cast about halfway through. I agree with other reviewers that Mary got a little annoying at times, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book. There are questions left unanswered at the end of the book, but not enough to leave the reader feeling unsatisfied. My copy has a sneak peek at the next book The Dead-Tossed Waves at the end, and it's clear that the sequel will be opening the world up a little more and answering some of those questions. All in all this was a surprisingly tension-filled read that kept me glued to the page until the very end. I'll definitely be picking up copies of The Dead-Tossed Waves and The Dark and Hollow Places to see where the story goes next. Plot: 10/10 Characters: 9/10 Ending: 10/10 Enjoyment: 10/10 Cover: 9/10 Overall: 48/50
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 May 2012
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 October 2010
Top reviews from other countries
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- Jess WilliamsReviewed in Australia on 27 October 2015
Teeny bopper romance
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