earthglows's review against another edition
1.0
Alright, I read this book in one sitting. I’ve been wanting to read it for a while now and had really high hopes for it. Unfortunately, this is the most god awful book I’ve ever read. I love dystopian novels but this just doesn’t cut it… at all.
The protagonist, Mary, is a selfish, insatiable girl who puts her dream of seeing the ocean before anyone else, getting people killed along the way. People actually read this book and call her a heroine. It is just straight up disgusting anyone would think of this girl as a hero. She is stupid, selfish, and irresponsible. She is never happy with anything or anyone. People die because of her stupidity and she acts as if she doesn’t even care because all she cares about is getting to see the ocean, something she doesn’t even know if it really exists or not.
Everyone else in this book are happy just to be alive. But not Mary. She needs more. She always needs more. She has 2 men in love with her, and i don’t understand it. She isn’t happy with Harry, and finally get to be with her true love, Travis. But then she isn’t happy with him because she wants to see the ocean. It takes him dying for her to finally appreciate him. That is NOT the actions of a hero. A hero puts everyone else before their self. A hero doesn’t make stupid decisions on whim, on something they aren’t even sure exists.
I love zombie books but I actually hate this book. Everything about it is just awful. The writing is somewhat bad. There is hardly any dialog. The characters are underdeveloped. It seemed no one else, except Cass, had a mind of their own and were just another extension of Mary. The plot has holes and a lot of things are discovered but never examined properly. Overall, you just don’t get a really big feel of what living in the village was like. You get more of a description of the ocean than their village which is really sad considering we already know what the ocean looks like.
In the end, she ends up getting to live her dream and finally see’s the ocean. Go figure.
The protagonist, Mary, is a selfish, insatiable girl who puts her dream of seeing the ocean before anyone else, getting people killed along the way. People actually read this book and call her a heroine. It is just straight up disgusting anyone would think of this girl as a hero. She is stupid, selfish, and irresponsible. She is never happy with anything or anyone. People die because of her stupidity and she acts as if she doesn’t even care because all she cares about is getting to see the ocean, something she doesn’t even know if it really exists or not.
Everyone else in this book are happy just to be alive. But not Mary. She needs more. She always needs more. She has 2 men in love with her, and i don’t understand it. She isn’t happy with Harry, and finally get to be with her true love, Travis. But then she isn’t happy with him because she wants to see the ocean. It takes him dying for her to finally appreciate him. That is NOT the actions of a hero. A hero puts everyone else before their self. A hero doesn’t make stupid decisions on whim, on something they aren’t even sure exists.
I love zombie books but I actually hate this book. Everything about it is just awful. The writing is somewhat bad. There is hardly any dialog. The characters are underdeveloped. It seemed no one else, except Cass, had a mind of their own and were just another extension of Mary. The plot has holes and a lot of things are discovered but never examined properly. Overall, you just don’t get a really big feel of what living in the village was like. You get more of a description of the ocean than their village which is really sad considering we already know what the ocean looks like.
In the end, she ends up getting to live her dream and finally see’s the ocean. Go figure.
minty's review
3.0
For a book about zombies (generally slow-moving predators), this book moves at a blazing speed. Sure, there are weird gaps in zombie-logic, but who cares when they're just running to survive? A friend asked me if it would be good for beach reading and I give it a hearty YES.
inwonderland49's review
4.0
Well, I have officially read two zombie books and I am not disappointed! I wasn't sure what to expect with this book before I started but I really enjoyed Mary's story. When you start the book it jumps right into the setting and Mary talks about the fenced in village and how they have people who look out and guard to make sure the zombies can't come in. It almost reminded me a little bit of the movie The Village but executed much better than that movie.
What I liked most about this book was Mary. I loved that she wasn't perfect and she did get what she wanted, but at the same time she felt that she deserved more or better. Which is completely normal! Who doesn't think they deserve more or better!? I really loved that about her because it made me connect with her that much more!
The one thing that really irritated me was the cliffhanger ending, but since I don't have to wait for the second book to come out (since it's already out) I can't really complain because I can easily grab the second book and dive back into the world.
I thought it was clever that within the book they call the forest, "The Forest of Hands and Teeth." Instead of it being a metaphor for the zombies that live within the forest. It was very clever that the characters within the book called it that.
This will definitely not be my last Carrie Ryan book! I can't wait to dive back into the world she created and it was perfect for this time of the year. Because it is so well executed to to make you sit on the edge of your seat and you crave more and more with each page you flip!
What I liked most about this book was Mary. I loved that she wasn't perfect and she did get what she wanted, but at the same time she felt that she deserved more or better. Which is completely normal! Who doesn't think they deserve more or better!? I really loved that about her because it made me connect with her that much more!
The one thing that really irritated me was the cliffhanger ending, but since I don't have to wait for the second book to come out (since it's already out) I can't really complain because I can easily grab the second book and dive back into the world.
I thought it was clever that within the book they call the forest, "The Forest of Hands and Teeth." Instead of it being a metaphor for the zombies that live within the forest. It was very clever that the characters within the book called it that.
This will definitely not be my last Carrie Ryan book! I can't wait to dive back into the world she created and it was perfect for this time of the year. Because it is so well executed to to make you sit on the edge of your seat and you crave more and more with each page you flip!
bluealliecat's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was very interesting and at times it kept me on the edge of my seat. I admire Mary's persistance and how she doesn't give up hope. Can't wait to read the sequel.
glitterbomb47's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Well written and very interesting, but a bit too bleak for me.
misspearch's review against another edition
2.0
I started this book and was hooked right away. It moved at such a quick pace and really had me interested in unraveling some of the questions. But somewhere around the halfway mark i not only become bored, but also disinterested in the main character. I actual began to HATE her. She was constantly wanting something, getting it then complaining that she now wanted something else. It was like babysitting a toddler. I finished the book only to wrap up some of those questions I had been so intrigued by in the beginning, only to not have them answered. I have not read a book that began with SO much promise, only to waste it on a stupid love triangle and ridiculous plot devices.
nglofile's review against another edition
2.0
Much stronger in its beginning than in its development and conclusion. I usually respond well to first-person narration, but this protagonist was wearying in the way she would tread and re-tread the same thoughts, not to mention her utter self-absorption. Disappointing in the lack of realizing its own potential, and landing in the "just ok" camp.
tine1789's review against another edition
5.0
Ja, lieve mensen, ik heb zonet mijn eerste zombieboek uitgelezen! Dit boek kwam ik zo'n 3 jaar geleden voor het eerst tegen en het leek me toen al interessant, maar om één of andere reden heb ik het nu pas gelezen en, amai, wat ben ik blij dat ik dat gedaan heb!
My mother used to tell me aubout the ocean.
Ik was hooked vanaf de eerste zin. The Forest of Hands and Teeth pakte me en liet me niet meer gaan. De kleine gemeenschap waarin Mary leeft, een nederzetting die door hekken van the Forest wordt afgeschermd, werd heel goed beschreven en alle personages vond ik heel realistisch. Ook de impact van alle gebeurtenissen op de personages was heel duidelijk aanwezig en goed gedaan. Ik voelde mee met Mary als de zaken er niet goed uitzagen en wilde bij een bepaalde scène naast haar komen staan om samen alle gevoelens er schreeuwend en krijsend uit te laten.
Heel het boek heeft een donkere sfeer, wat natuurlijk niet verbazend is als je in achting neemt dat de personages constant omringd zijn door grommende, kreunende ondoden die hen aan stukken zouden scheuren zodra ze de kans kregen. Soms werden situaties zo donker, zo uitzichtloos en hopeloos dat ik me afvroeg hoe Mary & co het er in vredesnaam levend vanaf zouden brengen.
Verder heb ik nog wat vragen die onbeantwoord zijn gebleven, o.a. over Gabrielle en the Sisterhood, wat ik jammer vind, maar tegelijk zou het te 'gemaakt' zijn als alle vragen perfect beantwoord zouden zijn. Gelukkig is dit het eerste deel van een serie en zal het tweede deel misschien een paar van deze vragen beantwoorden.
My mother used to tell me aubout the ocean.
Ik was hooked vanaf de eerste zin. The Forest of Hands and Teeth pakte me en liet me niet meer gaan. De kleine gemeenschap waarin Mary leeft, een nederzetting die door hekken van the Forest wordt afgeschermd, werd heel goed beschreven en alle personages vond ik heel realistisch. Ook de impact van alle gebeurtenissen op de personages was heel duidelijk aanwezig en goed gedaan. Ik voelde mee met Mary als de zaken er niet goed uitzagen en wilde bij een bepaalde scène naast haar komen staan om samen alle gevoelens er schreeuwend en krijsend uit te laten.
Heel het boek heeft een donkere sfeer, wat natuurlijk niet verbazend is als je in achting neemt dat de personages constant omringd zijn door grommende, kreunende ondoden die hen aan stukken zouden scheuren zodra ze de kans kregen. Soms werden situaties zo donker, zo uitzichtloos en hopeloos dat ik me afvroeg hoe Mary & co het er in vredesnaam levend vanaf zouden brengen.
Verder heb ik nog wat vragen die onbeantwoord zijn gebleven, o.a. over Gabrielle en the Sisterhood, wat ik jammer vind, maar tegelijk zou het te 'gemaakt' zijn als alle vragen perfect beantwoord zouden zijn. Gelukkig is dit het eerste deel van een serie en zal het tweede deel misschien een paar van deze vragen beantwoorden.
lunabob's review
4.0
I must admit that this book did not live up to my expectations. I was hoping for more but it wasn't a total drag.
It took me some time to get through it because Mary quite honestly annoyed me. She displayed feelings for various people but you could never tell who she really cared for. I was getting mixed signals for both men. Was she interested? Or did she just like the way their skin felt when they were touching? Was she angry with her friend or? I felt like Mary was quite flat.
However, in a world full of zombies while excluding the obnoxious love triangle she seemed so desperate for, her feelings about the world around her was quite understandable. I for one, am terrified of zombies. I become scared at the idea of such a world and so I would feel a constant impending doom that I felt from Mary's breakdowns.
I also wanted to strangle ever last Sister that was within this book. I am not a very religious person, I have not quite found my place among our diverse religions and it irritates me to no end when someone thinks that they have any right to control the life of another being. Excuse me Sister, but my mind may wonder however it pleases and I may lust for whatever man I like.
Aside from my undying hate for Sister Tabitha and Mary's insanely detestable love triangle the book was grand and I would love to give the second book a chance at redeeming The Forest of Hands and Teeth.
It took me some time to get through it because Mary quite honestly annoyed me. She displayed feelings for various people but you could never tell who she really cared for. I was getting mixed signals for both men. Was she interested? Or did she just like the way their skin felt when they were touching? Was she angry with her friend or? I felt like Mary was quite flat.
However, in a world full of zombies while excluding the obnoxious love triangle she seemed so desperate for, her feelings about the world around her was quite understandable. I for one, am terrified of zombies. I become scared at the idea of such a world and so I would feel a constant impending doom that I felt from Mary's breakdowns.
I also wanted to strangle ever last Sister that was within this book. I am not a very religious person, I have not quite found my place among our diverse religions and it irritates me to no end when someone thinks that they have any right to control the life of another being. Excuse me Sister, but my mind may wonder however it pleases and I may lust for whatever man I like.
Aside from my undying hate for Sister Tabitha and Mary's insanely detestable love triangle the book was grand and I would love to give the second book a chance at redeeming The Forest of Hands and Teeth.
taylorreadsbooks's review against another edition
1.0
Oh this book could have been so much better. I love zombies and the initial idea of this new world was very interesting, but I quickly became bored. I felt like the storyline dragged soo much, I hated the Sisterhood and everything about it and I found myself wishing for the demise of the all main characters because they all annoyed the crap out of me.
To summarize this story in once sentence: Its a post apocalyptic zombie story of a girl who only wants to see the ocean.
Seriously.
Sadly I am a reader who can't not finish a book and its really hard for me to abandon a series so I'm sure I will find myself suffering through the next in this series. *fingers crossed that its better*
To summarize this story in once sentence: Its a post apocalyptic zombie story of a girl who only wants to see the ocean.
Seriously.
Sadly I am a reader who can't not finish a book and its really hard for me to abandon a series so I'm sure I will find myself suffering through the next in this series. *fingers crossed that its better*