The Forest of Hands and Teeth

In the dystopian novel, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, the village that Mary has lived in all her life is surrounded by a forest of fear and death, occupied by countless undead beings, who survive on the flesh of the villagers. This is the only place that Mary has ever known, full of ciaos, tragedy, and obedience, which is ruled by the Sisterhood, who control everything from marriage to death. While the villagers follow their religious leaders blindly, Mary questions the world around her, challenging the so-called truths that she was told, and begins to reveal the secrets of this paranormal society. When the fence around the village is breached and the undead conquer, will Mary find the answers she has been searching for?

I was a bit hesitant to read this book, I must admit. But after reading this review at College Candy, I decided to give Carrie Ryan's debut novel a try. I am not much of a zombie lover, but the dystopia feel of this book had me hooked. It was full of mysteries and secrets, all of which that I wanted to uncover. The depth of Mary's character was a surprise, as well as the intricate relationship between her and Travis, her friend's betrothed. By the end of this novel however, I was not content with the meager answers that Ryan provided to explain the undead's existence and the end of the modern world. So with a lack of an explanation at the end, I was overall disappointed by this book. Give it a try and let me know what you think in a comment below!