Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth #1) by Carrie Ryan 
 

Published July 1st 2009 by Gollancz (first published March 10th 2009)
Hardcover, 320 pages
Source: From the Library

"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?"

- From Goodreads

 

6/10

I have wanted to read this novel for quite a while, and I am glad that I finally did! I enjoy most zombie novels, and this was no exception.

The village Mary lives in is so intriguing and full of mysteries that you can't help being dragged into the story. What I liked most were the nuns that "run" the village. It draws an interesting line between religion and blind faith and I think this and remaining mystery about how the rest of the world looks after the zombie "disease" is what will make me read the second one.

The characters were a bit bland, but the story was interesting enough. There was also a lot left unanswered and I hope we get to find out the answers!

So if you like YA novels with some zombies thrown in, then this is your book!

For those who have read it (SPOILERS):

I can't believe what happened to Travis and Jed!!! What now?

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“Suddenly, all I can think about are all the things I don't know about him. All the things I never had time to learn. I don't know if his feet are ticklish or how long his toes are. I don't know what nightmares he had as a child. I don't know which stars are his favorites, what shapes he sees in the clouds. I don't know what he is truly afraid of or what memories he holds closest.
And I don't have enough time now, never enough time. I want to be in the moment with him, feel his body against mine and think of nothing else, but my mind explodes with grief for all that I am missing. All that I will miss. All that I have wasted.”

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan  
 

 

Review: Deadlands

Deadlands by Lily Herne

Published February 2011 by Penguin 
Paperback, 293 pages
Source: Won in a Penguin SA competition

"Ten years after Cape Town was destroyed in the War with the living dead, zombies ramble free in Cape Town's suburbs (known as the Deadlands), and the remaining living are either in fenced in on farms or in urban shantytowns.

The living are watched over by the mysteriously robed Guardians, a race of humanoid figures who appeared at the end of the War and who keep the living dead at bay, albeit for a steep price. Every year the Guardians stage a human Lottery and select five aspiring teenagers to be whisked out of the enclave for a secret purpose. To be one of the chosen five is a highly sought after and prestigious accolade.

No one (yet) knows why it is that the Guardians prize teenage bodies so highly, how they control the zombies or what they look like under the robes that cover their bodies..."

- From Goodreads

 

7/10

At first I thought that I might not like this book as zombies does sound like a terrifying subject, but the author made it work! With just the right amount of horror, mystery and post-apocalyptic feel, you get drawn straight into the story and you will be delighted at the twists and turns.

You can easily visualize everything in this book and I think that it would make a terrific movie or TV series. I must say I liked all the references to movies, books etc. in this novel (the main character even donning a Team Jacob t-shirt at one stage). It made the world seem more real and some of the characters sound like someone you would know.

The ending leaves some unanswered questions and I really hope there won't be a love-triangle in the future! I think any South African would appreciate its grittiness as well as the South African slang and references.

The novel is exciting, fast paced and it make you think. What would you do in such a situation? The only complaint I have is that I felt like I have heard aspects of the story before.

Mild spoiler:

For all the Twilight haters out there, there is even a scene where a stack of Twilight novels get used as weapons and thus gets chucked at the zombies!

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"Everything's better with zombies - NOT"

Not sure