The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Book Summary: 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?
Links: Goodreads
Book Review
Sorry I’ve been gone for a long time. I decided to focus on school and then had a shocking family illness. But I’m back!!! And I have all new books to review. You are not even ready. 🙂
In public or under the covers?
Nothing besides kissing, but try telling the main character that. Every touch, every feeling is magnified.
What mood?
It goes back and forth between being sad and hopeful. The ending is optimistic though so that was nice.
Main Character- nay or yay?
Mary is ehh. I don’t hate her but there are definitely things she does that upset me. She is the type of person who seems to never be satisfied with what she has, always searching for more. But this might just be me being picky. That is, after all, kind of the whole point behind the story.
Getting Over Harry and Travis:
These two brothers both have feelings for Mary and it gets complicated. Harry has always been her friend and she has always admired Travis from afar. Gonna be honest though, she does not really care about sparing Harry’s feelings.
Character Fever:
Gabrielle: I can’t reveal much about her but I like the plot twist she brings and the new ideas she makes Mary think about.
Crust factor:
Everyone is a little crusty in this book. Mary’s brother refuses to let her live with him. Mary’s best friend kind of spirals down throughout the book into a kind of unlikable character. Mary herself I’ve already talked about.
The crustiest characters of all are the Sisters. They hide things from the villagers and don’t let them make decisions for themselves. Let freedom ring you old biddies. Let freedom ring.
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover:
The cover is very simple and the girl’s eyes are very pretty, I’ll give it that. But this cover tells me nothing about the book. I wish you could see some of the fence in the background with the Unconsecrated trying to get through. That would have been a more enticing cover imo.
Song this reminds me of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liragO0Yg94
“Are you satisfied with an average life” Mary sure isn’t (also I’ve become a big Marina & The Diamonds fan lately. Check her stuff out!).
Future Companion Novels:
This book is the first part of a trilogy with other side books added in. The second book is called The Dead-Tossed Waves and the third book is called The Dark and Hollow Places.
Overall Rating:
This book gets 2 stars from me. I liked the dystopian part of it (you know I love dystopia) but I just didn’t empathise or sympathize with the characters, especially with the main character. It might just be me and others could enjoy Mary as a character. I just felt like I was dry swallowing a big pill reading this book and going through Mary’s many emotional mood swings.