In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And 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?
The Forest Of Hands And Teeth
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Review
"Mary is a poweful, sympathetic heroine with plenty of depth and complexity, which will draw readers into her struggle for freedom." (Damian Kelleher WATERSTONES BOOKS QUARTERLY )
"The narrative sets a cheerless scene and the careful and often compassionate crafting of the horrors of the living dead add to the horror of the situation which Mary finds herself in. However, one of the great strengths of the book is its ability to make clear the resilience and determination of the human spirit, not only to survive but to search for those dreams which make existence whole. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is an assured debut." (BOOKS FOR KEEPS )
"Compelling enough to suggest that zombies may be the new vampires." (Lisa Tuttle THE TIMES )
"What makes this captivating, apart from the beauty of the prose, its wonderfully measured pace and neat plot twists, is the tension between Mary's dreams and the ever-present knowledge of the evil surrounding the village. For once, the hype surrounding a novel is not exaggerated. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is unputdownable." (Eric Brown THE GUARDIAN )
"Ryan writes with an infectious style that draws the reader in, buoying them with momentum at the right moments before delivering sequences of tense action. It's a very effective style and one that will surely resonate with fans of similar novels. A worthy and highly recommended read." (SCI-FI NOW )
"The Forest of Hands and Teeth truly is so much better than Twilight on numerous levels. Ryan has taken a familiar horror theme - the apocalyptic zombie tale - and refreshed it by setting Mary's story several generations beyond the fall of civilisation, with an intriguing and exciting plot that never quite takes the expected path. The book is well written, the language concise and easy to read. The characters are as realistically flawed as any teen you may meet, and never fall to stereotyping." (HORROSCOPE )
"Every once in a while, I come across a book that completely sucks me in from the very first page. 'The Forest of Hands and Teeth' is an astonishing debut, skillfully written by Carrie Ryan, poignantly narrated by Mary, powerfully unforgettable, and better than advertised. The Forest of Hands and Teeth' is one of the best debuts of the year." (FANTASY BOOK CRITIC )
"The Forest of Hands and Teeth is diverting, its mixing of romance and zom-conventions oddly engaging. Expect sequels." (Guy Haley DEATHRAY )
"The Forest of Hands and Teeth is original, gripping and rich in metaphor. In the cluttered zombie fiction market, it stands out like a living creature among reanimated corpses." (James Lovegrove THE FINANCIAL TIMES )
"I was terrified in parts, but I could not put it down." (TEEN TITLES Holly Kesterton, Gracemount High )
"Readers who have enjoyed the 'Twilight' series will love this novel, with its strong characterisation, intense atmosphere and supernatural motif." (Sandra Bennett THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN )
"The narrative sets a cheerless scene and the careful and often compassionate crafting of the horrors of the living dead add to the horror of the situation which Mary finds herself in. However, one of the great strengths of the book is its ability to make clear the resilience and determination of the human spirit, not only to survive but to search for those dreams which make existence whole. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is an assured debut." (BOOKS FOR KEEPS )
"Compelling enough to suggest that zombies may be the new vampires." (Lisa Tuttle THE TIMES )
"What makes this captivating, apart from the beauty of the prose, its wonderfully measured pace and neat plot twists, is the tension between Mary's dreams and the ever-present knowledge of the evil surrounding the village. For once, the hype surrounding a novel is not exaggerated. The Forest of Hands and Teeth is unputdownable." (Eric Brown THE GUARDIAN )
"Ryan writes with an infectious style that draws the reader in, buoying them with momentum at the right moments before delivering sequences of tense action. It's a very effective style and one that will surely resonate with fans of similar novels. A worthy and highly recommended read." (SCI-FI NOW )
"The Forest of Hands and Teeth truly is so much better than Twilight on numerous levels. Ryan has taken a familiar horror theme - the apocalyptic zombie tale - and refreshed it by setting Mary's story several generations beyond the fall of civilisation, with an intriguing and exciting plot that never quite takes the expected path. The book is well written, the language concise and easy to read. The characters are as realistically flawed as any teen you may meet, and never fall to stereotyping." (HORROSCOPE )
"Every once in a while, I come across a book that completely sucks me in from the very first page. 'The Forest of Hands and Teeth' is an astonishing debut, skillfully written by Carrie Ryan, poignantly narrated by Mary, powerfully unforgettable, and better than advertised. The Forest of Hands and Teeth' is one of the best debuts of the year." (FANTASY BOOK CRITIC )
"The Forest of Hands and Teeth is diverting, its mixing of romance and zom-conventions oddly engaging. Expect sequels." (Guy Haley DEATHRAY )
"The Forest of Hands and Teeth is original, gripping and rich in metaphor. In the cluttered zombie fiction market, it stands out like a living creature among reanimated corpses." (James Lovegrove THE FINANCIAL TIMES )
"I was terrified in parts, but I could not put it down." (TEEN TITLES Holly Kesterton, Gracemount High )
"Readers who have enjoyed the 'Twilight' series will love this novel, with its strong characterisation, intense atmosphere and supernatural motif." (Sandra Bennett THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN )
Book Description
Surrounded by death one girl must learn what it is to live. The debut of 2009, moving, scary, stunning, comes into paperback.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By N. J. H.
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I wasn't expecting too much from "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" after reading a few reviews from disappointed readers and after reading 50 or so pages I was beginning to think I should have listened to them and avoided this one. BUT THEN, it suddenly improved and I couldn't put it down! So with that said, it's fair to say that this book is a bit a chewy to begin with, but persevere because it's so worth it, and here's why:
The world of "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" is unlike our own. Surrounded by fences like caged animals the villagers of Mary's, our main protagonist, town are trapped. Or are they? The Sisterhood holds many secrets except one - if that fence is breached there will death. Because outside of the fence lies the forest, and inside the forest are the Unconsecrated. The unconsecrated are infected humans; zombies desperate to infect the living. The Sisterhood, those controlling the villagers, promise that the village is safe. The fences are patrolled by the guardians. They cannot get in. That is, until the fence is breached, the alarms bare and Mary must make a decision. Fight or run.
I liked Mary. Sometimes. I liked her because she had ideas, she believed that there was more than just her village left - they couldn't possibly be the only living people left to preserve humanity. She's extremely inquisitive, which is great because we readers want to find out as much as we can about the secrets the Sisterhood are keeping. But sometimes I really wanted her to shut up. She's a very restless character, never content with things even when they're working out for her, and this can be frustrating because the story sort of flat-lines whilst she rants on about the ocean (Growing up Mary's mother told her stories of the ocean and Mary wants to believe that the ocean is real and it does exist).
Carrie Ryan's done a great job in my opinion of creating a believable zombie apocalypse. BUT, I wish she'd have explained how the infection was started, why one of the zombies is much faster than the others and how the village was initially formed but I suppose these things may be better explained in the following books. It was great to have a quick extract from the next of her books in the series "The Dead-Tossed Waves" and by the looks of things it's set quite a while after Mary's story - this is such a good idea! It's not often that series are set much later in the characters' futures; most of the time they pick up almost straight after where the last one finished so I think the series has promise.
Overall, a good read if a little chewy to begin with. I recommend this, I'd even read it again! Hope this helps.
The world of "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" is unlike our own. Surrounded by fences like caged animals the villagers of Mary's, our main protagonist, town are trapped. Or are they? The Sisterhood holds many secrets except one - if that fence is breached there will death. Because outside of the fence lies the forest, and inside the forest are the Unconsecrated. The unconsecrated are infected humans; zombies desperate to infect the living. The Sisterhood, those controlling the villagers, promise that the village is safe. The fences are patrolled by the guardians. They cannot get in. That is, until the fence is breached, the alarms bare and Mary must make a decision. Fight or run.
I liked Mary. Sometimes. I liked her because she had ideas, she believed that there was more than just her village left - they couldn't possibly be the only living people left to preserve humanity. She's extremely inquisitive, which is great because we readers want to find out as much as we can about the secrets the Sisterhood are keeping. But sometimes I really wanted her to shut up. She's a very restless character, never content with things even when they're working out for her, and this can be frustrating because the story sort of flat-lines whilst she rants on about the ocean (Growing up Mary's mother told her stories of the ocean and Mary wants to believe that the ocean is real and it does exist).
Carrie Ryan's done a great job in my opinion of creating a believable zombie apocalypse. BUT, I wish she'd have explained how the infection was started, why one of the zombies is much faster than the others and how the village was initially formed but I suppose these things may be better explained in the following books. It was great to have a quick extract from the next of her books in the series "The Dead-Tossed Waves" and by the looks of things it's set quite a while after Mary's story - this is such a good idea! It's not often that series are set much later in the characters' futures; most of the time they pick up almost straight after where the last one finished so I think the series has promise.
Overall, a good read if a little chewy to begin with. I recommend this, I'd even read it again! Hope this helps.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Mary lives in a village surrounded by the Unconsecrated (essentially zombies) who claw at the fence keeping them out. Her options are stark - she can wait for a boy to claim her for his bride or she can join the Sisterhood (a quasi-religious organisation who give the village its morals and control its history). Mary hopes that Travis will claim her but is instead claimed by his brother, Henry. When her mother is involved in a tragic accident, Mary is taken in by the Sisterhood, where she becomes embroiled within their secrets, including the discovery of a mysterious girl called Gabrielle, who Mary is sure is from outside the village. As Mary tries to discover the truth about the world outside, the Unconsecrated break through the village's defences and Mary is sent on a terrifying quest for survival.
There is much to admire in this debut novel. Ryan's village is a complex and highly structured world and there's a strong mystery surrounding the Sisterhood, personified through Sister Tabitha a zealot who will do anything and sacrifice anyone to keep the village safe. The constant moans of the Unconsecrated is a chilling reminder of the dangers surrounding Mary and her friends.
The set piece scenes are excellent - notably a heartbreaking moment involving Mary and her mother and a key scene where Mary and her friends are trapped on a platform being consumed by fire while the Unconsecrated wait below. Mary's an interesting character, driven by an irresistible curiosity to see the ocean that her mother has told about and troubled by her religious doubts. It's refreshing to read a YA novel with a love triangle where the female's wants are put above those of the male characters.
Although Mary's narrative voice is strong, Travis, Henry, Cass and Jed are painted with broader brushstrokes and Mary tells us of her relationship with them rather than showing it. Also frustrating is the fact that the Sisterhood's secrets are never fully uncovered with the book becoming a bleak struggle for survival as Mary and her friends search for the world she believes is outside while being harried by the Unconsecrated.
Ryan's unsentimental about her characters and many do not survive to the final page. This may put some readers off, but the story ends on a note of hope and I eagerly await the sequel to see what will happen to Mary next.
There is much to admire in this debut novel. Ryan's village is a complex and highly structured world and there's a strong mystery surrounding the Sisterhood, personified through Sister Tabitha a zealot who will do anything and sacrifice anyone to keep the village safe. The constant moans of the Unconsecrated is a chilling reminder of the dangers surrounding Mary and her friends.
The set piece scenes are excellent - notably a heartbreaking moment involving Mary and her mother and a key scene where Mary and her friends are trapped on a platform being consumed by fire while the Unconsecrated wait below. Mary's an interesting character, driven by an irresistible curiosity to see the ocean that her mother has told about and troubled by her religious doubts. It's refreshing to read a YA novel with a love triangle where the female's wants are put above those of the male characters.
Although Mary's narrative voice is strong, Travis, Henry, Cass and Jed are painted with broader brushstrokes and Mary tells us of her relationship with them rather than showing it. Also frustrating is the fact that the Sisterhood's secrets are never fully uncovered with the book becoming a bleak struggle for survival as Mary and her friends search for the world she believes is outside while being harried by the Unconsecrated.
Ryan's unsentimental about her characters and many do not survive to the final page. This may put some readers off, but the story ends on a note of hope and I eagerly await the sequel to see what will happen to Mary next.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Emma
Format:Paperback
I loved that this was a story about zombies where the focus was on the living. Mary lives in a simple time where the focus is on surviving. The Unconsecrated (zombies) are not a recent development but something everyone has lived with all of their lives. Living in a village surrounded by fences Mary's daily life is simple and full of chores, but if the warning bell rings there has been a breach and everyone must get to elevated platforms built into trees to stay away from the dead. To ensure survival the sisterhood demand that everyone marries as soon as they are ready. Mary has the weary task of marrying someone who loves her even if she loves someone else. Soon Mary starts asking questions such as who gave the Sisterhood their power, what are they hiding and what are behind the gates in the village?
From very early on in this novel I felt there were similar tones to the M. Night Shyamalan film "The Village". You have that feeling of being isolated and only knowing the village but suspecting that there must be something else outside through the Forest of Hands and Feet. The writing in this book made me fell that I was full immersed in the life (even if I was lying on a sun lounger beside a pool!!) and was feeling all of the doubts along with Mary.
I loved the characters in this book, well I didn't LOVE them all, I thought there were some nasty characters, but I thought they were all well written. The story does not rush along either. I read this book in a day, but I felt like I had been reading it much longer as the story took it's time to unfold and develop. There were certain parts to the story, where she would find something which we would be familiar with but was completely foreign to Mary, which made me want to shout at the book. I thought it was a really interesting concept that whatever education they had was focused on the present and how to survive, and never looking at the past.
I can't wait to pick up the sequels to this book and see what is to become of the world we live in.
From very early on in this novel I felt there were similar tones to the M. Night Shyamalan film "The Village". You have that feeling of being isolated and only knowing the village but suspecting that there must be something else outside through the Forest of Hands and Feet. The writing in this book made me fell that I was full immersed in the life (even if I was lying on a sun lounger beside a pool!!) and was feeling all of the doubts along with Mary.
I loved the characters in this book, well I didn't LOVE them all, I thought there were some nasty characters, but I thought they were all well written. The story does not rush along either. I read this book in a day, but I felt like I had been reading it much longer as the story took it's time to unfold and develop. There were certain parts to the story, where she would find something which we would be familiar with but was completely foreign to Mary, which made me want to shout at the book. I thought it was a really interesting concept that whatever education they had was focused on the present and how to survive, and never looking at the past.
I can't wait to pick up the sequels to this book and see what is to become of the world we live in.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Carrie Ryan is one of those brilliant authors that can make you completely believe something, in this case The Forest Of Hands And Teeth. Read more
Published 3 days ago by Ms
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great world, interesting end
A good zombie-esque story, being my first zombie-related book i enjoyed that it was not all blood and gore, there was real world-building and a quality book underneath. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Kitty
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Great read, plenty of action to keep the pages turning! Looking forward to reading the next one in the series
Published 1 month ago by steph micklethwaite
3.0 out of 5 stars
Needed Something More
The Forest of Hands & Teeth was an interesting read for me. I don't read that many zombie books nor do I really read that many dystopia type books, so I was curious to what Ryan... Read more
Published 1 month ago by NerdyReviewer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Better than I was expecting
Nice take on the zombie theme. The usual chases / dramas and conspiracies but also the domestic / everyday side of living alongside the undead. Read more
Published 1 month ago by K. J. Noyes
5.0 out of 5 stars
So good
I have read these books and was not disappointed in any way, the were great I could not put them down, and this is not like me as I do not read Zombie books, but these books are so... Read more
Published 2 months ago by dreamer
2.0 out of 5 stars
Meh
Good premise but gets bogged down in Twilight style romance then ends too soon. Sample works better as a short story
Published 3 months ago by Hayley
5.0 out of 5 stars
thrilling!
I've read this book twice now, and both times I haven't been able to put it down! Highly recommend it!
Published 3 months ago by kira matthews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not sure
This was a strange book for me, one minute I love it as it had a really original flavour in being a zombie/distopian story mixed together, the next I was irritated by Mary's... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Manda Moo
5.0 out of 5 stars
A zombie-filled dystopian that's well worth a read
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Books4reviews.)
Mary lives in a small village surrounded by a fence. Read more
Mary lives in a small village surrounded by a fence. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Sarah
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