Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves

by Carrie Ryan publisher: Delacorte BFYR date of publication: March 9, 2010 format: hardcover pages: 407 source: purchased Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
From Goodreads:

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

What I Thought
The Dead-Tossed Waved is the second book in Carrie Ryan's Forest of Hands and Teeth series. The story picks up several years after the events of The Forest of Hands and Teeth and, as such, includes a slightly different atmosphere. Mary, who is now grown and living by the shore where she earns a living by maintaining the lighthouse and decapitating any undead that wash ashore, now has a daughter, Gabry. Gabry is to be our heroine throughout this book and, as you will find out, she is a different girl than her mother was. This along with the change in scenery and a few added elements make for a good continuation of the story at hand.

Gabry is, as previously mentioned, a much different girl than her mother, Mary, was. She is shy, fearful, and wary of change. She has no desire to leave her village, nor does she wonder what else is out there in her dangerous world. She simply wants to fall in love and live her life in the village. However, events transpire that will make Gabry re-think all of her reservations and lead her to discover some rather surprising things about herself. This made her a phenomenally growth-filled character. Watching her transition throughout the book was one of its most enjoyable aspects. I found myself becoming more and more drawn into her development as a character, as well as the journeys she became involved in.

The setting is just as vivid as that of FOHAT, though it starts out with slightly less melancholy and just the right amount of menace. As things progress, the level of fear increases at just the right pace so that the feeling doesn't fizzle out too soon. Each setting Gabry finds herself in has its own particular characteristic that makes it so very intriguing to read about. Carrie Ryan definitely has a way with settings, which leads to a very engrossing reading experience.

The pacing of the plot is where I struggled with The Dead-Tossed Waves. It was a little too meandering for my taste. While there wasn't a sensation of rushing to cram in as much action as possible, it also wasn't quite quick enough. I felt a bit mired down as I read my way through the many vocalizations of Gabry's fears and reservations. Even when action did begin to happen, I found it difficult to become fully sucked into the story. I just couldn't feel the right level of suspense, panic, and worry for the characters. I really wanted to get sucked into this story, but it just never really happened, which is unfortunate since I preferred Gabry over Mary so much more.

Overall, The Dead-Tossed Waves is an intriguing idea set against an excellent backdrop. The concept is spectacular and the characterization kept me very pleased. Had it not been for the pacing, I would have absolutely loved this book. As such, I did enjoy it and can definitely see myself continuing with the series.

Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

by Carrie Ryan
publisher: Delacorte Press
date published: February 9, 2010 (first published March 10, 2009)
format: paperback
pages: 310
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
challenges: Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge; 2011 YA Reading Challenge

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?

What I Thought

I was pretty psyched going into this book. It had been quite a while since I had read a book that contained zombies as part of the plot (we won't count P&P&Z), so I was overdue for one. Right from the starting line Ms. Ryan did a great job of setting the scene. The village Mary lives in is a quiet one from the first glance. However, it soon becomes apparent that something is amiss. As we learn more and more about the Unconsecrated, the full extent of the problems the village faces is revealed. This is a world in which practicality and preparedness are musts. There is little room for anything outside of that. Unfortunately for Mary, she craves more. Like the Unconsecrated that press against the village fences, Mary hungers for something she can't reach. In her case, that something is freedom.

I simply loved the feel of the world that was created within the pages of this book. It was riveting, thrilling, heart-breakingly poignant, and full of foreboding. This isn't the happily ever after type of book, but that just makes it all the more intriguing. However, I have a few bones to pick about Mary. I found myself struggling to get a feel for her. She comes across very well personality-wise. It was certain characteristics of hers that caused my problems in connecting with her. She tends to get tunnel vision when it comes to certain things, which makes her often incapable of seeing what's in front of her face the entire time. She spends most of the book longing for what she can't have, sometimes even when she could have had it had she just looked sooner. Granted, this idiosyncrasy of hers influences a lot of the storyline, but it made it very difficult to become completely attached to her. It wasn't until the very end that I finally connected with her as a character and became fully immersed in the story. Unfortunately, by that time there was only 5 chapters or so left. At least I have the second book waiting for me on my shelf.

I usually don't think too long or too hard about the love triangles in books such as this, but I liked the approach Ms. Ryan took with this one. Rather than facing the decision of picking from two guys that she likes almost equally, Mary is faced with a different choice: duty or love. In the world she lives in, duty goes a long way. However, given Mary's somewhat rebellious spirit, she desperately wants to be able to choose love, instead. The dilemma leaves Mary with a myriad of feelings; desperation, anger, guilt, longing, frustration, and much more. What is right? That is the million dollar question in this book, and it was interesting watching her make her decision.

I really liked the book toward the end. If not for my somewhat detached feeling during the first part I would have been over the moon about it. However, I think I saw a spark of something different in Mary during the last chapter, so I can't wait to get started on The Dead-Tossed Waves. Because of the above-mentioned issues, I give The Forest of Hands and Teeth 3 hoots. I liked it and think there is a lot to look forward to from the next two books in the series.