The Dead-Tossed Waves (Forest of Hands and Teeth) [Hardcover]

I actually read this months ago and just haven't got around to writing the review *am dreadful*. I managed to pick up a copy shortly after finishing The Forest of Hands and Teeth in the library. I walked in for a browse, was just about to leave with nothing when I turned to find the book staring at me from a display stand. How excited was I. I never expected the library to have it the week it was published, you can imagine my excitement and seeing the library stamp go on that shiny new page *bliss*.

This time the book is written from the perspective of Gabry. Gabry is roughly the same age as Mary was in TFHT but a completely different personality altogether. She doesn't crave freedom from the barriers that surround the village in order to keep the 'mudo' out. Comparatively, she views them as a symbol of security, something which she embraces fully. All she wants from life is to feel safe. As the book progressed we discover the relationship between Gabry and Mary; I found myself comparing them finding they both had very selfish/self-centred traits, not thinking how their actions would affect others. I tried to put myself in their position to imagine how I would act, I wasn't successful.

She regards the other teenagers in her village with incredulity, finding their need to put themselves in danger in order to have fun as idiotic. She feels that they take their safety for granted. Of course, she is proved right.

Images of the movie I Am Legend kept running through my head with the comparison in the plot.

The storyline is dramatic, even shocking in parts; tying together the first book with the sequel seamlessly. There is no getting away from the fact that you have to read this series in order or you wont understand the intricacies of the plot. The descriptions are dynamic and sensory; I had the feeling I could feel/smell/touch/taste/hear all of the action (not necessarily a good thing when talking about zombies, lol). I was totally immersed in the narrative. At times my body would go rigid with the tension emanating from the pages. The tension was palpable making my heart race, I even held my breath in parts. My stomach literally flipped at the 'soulers' ceremony.

There are ingenious parallels within the narrative. The idea that nowhere is safe and maybe they should return to the forest (its the ocean every-time for me). Also the parallel imagery conjured by the description of Mary and Gabry in the waves compared to the photograph of Mary's Grandmother and Mother was inspired.

I particularly liked the philosophical debate between Elias and Gabry with regard to the soul and life after death. Including the retention of our memories and feelings. What happens to our memories when we die? \Do we carry them with us onto another life/ Do they no longer exist/ Or do they live on through others? The interpretation we can gain from this debate in relation to the 'mudo' is that the body is a vessel, upon death the soul leaves the body. the soul being the essence of who we are. Therefore, the 'mudo' are just empty (very scary, flesh eating) vessels that once contained a soul.

The inclusion of Shakespeare sonnets was brilliant, the death imagery was open to interpretation depending on the situation. Genius.

Overall a fantastic adrenaline filled book. I have to admit that at the time of reading this it had not been announced that there was to be a third book. Immediately upon finishing the book, I emailed Carrie Ryan asking if there was to be a third book. It was a compulsive need to have resolution of all aspects of the plot. I will be honest and I am a big fan of happy ending. Is there a chance that we could get a happy ending in a zombie apocalypse???

Gabry has lived with her mother in the lighthouse for years. She is content with her friends, her quiet world, and dreaming of life in the Dark City where people enjoy more comforts than she is used to.

Gabry's friends are more adventurous than she is. They like to sneak out of town and explore the unsafe areas where Mudo roam. They particular enjoy going to the abandoned and dangerous amusement park on the other side of the fence. Gabry doesn't want to go where the Mudo wander - she wants to stay safe, but Catcher is going and she wants to be with him. The thought of spending time with Catcher alone and in the dark overpowers her thoughts of safety.

Gabry's trip to the amusement part quickly turns into a disaster. She is forced to grow up fast with very little information. The little she learns from her mother sends her on the biggest adventure of her life. One she never even considered a possibility. The only thing that keeps her going is the desire to learn the truth about her family and save the people she loves.

My first reaction when I started reading THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES was disappointment. I wanted more about Mary. Also, there were several times when Gabry got on my nerves.

But, after thinking about the book for a while, I have come to the conclusion that continuing the story of the people surviving life among the Unconsecrated/Mudo several years after THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH was okay. How much more could we have seen Mary do? She'd already survived the trip through the forest and found the ocean. What could she do that was more exciting than that? Plus, Gabry provides a whole new perspective on life after the Return.

I now can't wait to read the third novel in this wonderful series. Keep up the good work, Ms. Ryan.

Reviewed by: Karin Librarian

The sequel to the fantastic "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" had a lot to live up to in my opinion. Mary's story in the first novel was so beautifully told in my opinion that the moment I finished I went straight out to buy this one with high hopes that it would be just as good. Surprisingly though this time around it isn't really about Mary anymore; she features but she's much older. Infact this time the story is told from "Gabry's" perspective - Mary's daughter.

You might think then that this is just going to be Mary and Gabry living their lives in the village she stumbled across at the end of the last book but within the first two chapters the action kicks in and we're sent back into the hungry world of the forest of hands and teeth. At first I was a little disappointed, I thought that all the secrets and questions I had about Mary, Harry, Cass and Jacob would be forgotten because Gabry was the protagonist but in actuality Gabry is forced to uncover a lot of secrets about Mary, her mothers friends and herself.

There's just as much tension and action this time around and Gabry is a really likeable character - something that was an improvement for me because I felt Mary was a bit restless in the previous book and found her a bit frustrating at times (I liked her a lot more in this one). I particularly liked that Mary had instilled quite a bit of fear into Gabry, perhaps accidentally, and this made Gabry interesting. She isn't the typical drippy girl but she does get frightened quite a bit (understandable given her predicament in the book). The new characters we're introduced to, and the new love triangle no less, are great - they're all likeable and memorable which I find rare in new characters; sometimes their names all roll into one if the development is poor.

Did I like it as much as its companion? No, I probably didn't. The reason for this is that towards the end I felt it lost its way a little. The beginning was exciting, tense and a few questions were answered and drip fed to us but towards the end it felt like a bit of repeat of the previous novel and I found myself a little bored. Despite this though I did eventually get back into the swing of it, I just felt it lost a bit of the excitement and anticipation that it started off with. Additionally, I'm really excited to see what will happen next. I wouldn't say its much of a cliffhanger but I'm interested to see where it will go from here - I'm just not rushing out to buy the next one as quickly as I did for this one.

Overall, I still thought it was great and Carrie Ryan has created a world I really love to read about - I just hope it stays good in the final installment. Hope this helps.