The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Synopsis from goodreads:
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?

Trailer for book:


Review:

*Warning! Contains spoilers! Do NOT read below if you plan to read this book!*

This book started off great. Impossible to put down. Obviously, it was interesting enough to keep me reading as it took me very little time at all to polish this off. However, I do have some reservations with this book. 1. I probably shouldn't have read it right after The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. They are quite similar in some ways, and comparing them may have detracted from my overall rating of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. 2. Mary, the main character, is a bit too indecisive and selfish for me. Throughout the entire book, she does nothing but yearn for Travis, and then ends up deciding that he isn't enough until she's about to lose him for good. I think she may be the type of person who is never completely satisfied with anything. I suppose I can understand this to a point, as she has basically lost everyone close to her at one point or another. 3. Her unending love for her brother Jed. He does nothing but continuously hurt Mary over and over again, yet she is always willing to comfort him and soothe his pain. I guess it's a bit more understandable as he is literally the only family she has left, and the human population is dwindling. However, I did get irritated with it from time to time. 4. I feel as if the starts out on one end and ends up completely somewhere else. I will say, that seems to be setting in zombie-related media. As you fight for your life, one must flee their locations, their desires, their expectations, and whatnot. I guess if I look at this book as more of a journey than a roundabout story that ties it's loose ends, I find it a bit more satisfying.

*End O' Spoilers*

Ok, enough griping. Seriously, I really enjoyed this book, despite my critiques above. It was moving, fast-paced, and endearing. There is a little bit of everything in this book; religion, ethics, love, friendship, survival, betrayal...The list just goes on. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a) zombies and b) a good story that will leave you forgetting your reality, at least temporarily. ;)

Cover Art:
Honestly, at first I thought this was a book about runaway teens or anorexia based on the title and the cover. It wasn't until I read a review at Book Love Affair that I discovered that I was clearly mistaken! :P Based on what I know now, I have to say that the cover is beautiful. The solitary character outlined by the forest, covered in mist, is giving you a taste of what's to come!

Overall Rating: