Reviews

Mini Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Title: The Dead-Tossed Waves
Author: Carrie Ryan
SeriesThe Forest of Hands and Teeth #2
Publisher: Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 404
Format/Source: Hardback/Purchased 
Age Group/Genre: Young Adult/Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Zombies

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. (Cover and synopsis from Goodreads.)

 
*Warning:  This is the second book in a series.  While I really don’t like spoilers, you might find some slight spoilers for the first book in this review.*

As with all my mini reviews, I’m just going to share some of my notes:

  • This is a companion novel, that takes place at least 30 years* after the events in The Forest of Hands and Teeth. (*according to my personal calculations and speculations)
  • The Dead-Tossed Waves has more of a modern feel to it, since it takes place in the ruins of cities that we would recognize. Even though these books take place at least a century* after a zombie apocalypse–which I believe took place around the reader’s present time–The Forest of Hands and Teeth had a more in-the-past feeling because of the more primitive ways of the village where Mary lived. But the society in Waves seems much more recognizable for the readers, I think. (*again, according to my personal calculations and speculations, although I do think in one of the books it is confirmed that the zombie apocalypse happened over a hundred years before the events of these books) 
  • Love the action right from the beginning!
  • WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT? (Nice twist)
  • The Soulers kind of remind me of Michonne from The Walking Dead.
  • Daniel seems very creepy. VEEERRRRY creepy.
  • Well that was unexpected!
  • And another twist!
  • I’m not a fan of characters denying that another character likes them when it is SO OBVIOUS they do. I get being surprised, or not knowing for sure if they are not really showing it or if they seem like they’re interested in someone else, but when it is COMPLETELY OBVIOUS it’s just really annoying.
  • Ooooooh. Twisty McTwist.
  • Personal pet peeve: I don’t like it when girls pound their fists on guys’ chests in books/movies. It’s just weird and really kind of unnecessarily violent to me. I get why they do it, but I don’t like it. And Gabry thinks about it a couple times in this book, and then does it a couple of times, too. Ugh.
  • I know a lot of readers got really annoyed with Mary in Forest, but I am much more annoyed with Gabry in this one. She drives me nuts for quite a few (spoilery) reasons.
  • Very suspenseful near the end! And I can totally see several scenes being turned into a movie, so let’s hope this one gets adapted along with Forest!


My rating for The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan:

4 stars. I didn’t love this one as much as The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and I had some issues with Gabry, but overall I really enjoyed it!

Find it:  Goodreads │ Amazon │ Penguin Random House
 
 
Disclaimer:  I purchased this book myself.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.

1 Comment

  1. Kate Midnight Book Girl

    May 28, 2016 at 12:48 pm

    I might have to try this one. I didn't love the first book, but maybe with new main characters and setting and a jump to the future… I mean, that title. It's a me kind of title, right? ;)

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