My one complaint with this book is that Mary is so real, so believably conflicted and wonderful, that the other characters were eclipsed and felt largely like paper dolls characterized only by their interactions with Mary however, this is an acceptable consequence of the consuming first-person narration.
From page one, I was simultaneously marveling at the gorgeous, eloquent words, wanting to slow down and savor them, and holding my breath, racing to find out what would happen, in the end, to Mary, the strong, determined heroine.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth is a beautifully written book. She dreams of the wider world, and of love, which comes second to duty and commitment in the village (if it is to be considered at all). She dreams of seeing the ocean, just like the picture her mother used to show her, a place without the Unconsecrated that reaches as far as the eye can see. Their society is about order and commitment and rules, but Mary dreams of more. The rules of their tiny society are strict, and above all, they are ruled by the Sisters, a religious order that controls every aspect of life, and hides what could be vital knowledge from the people. As far as the villagers know, they are the last living people in the world. Anyone they bite becomes one of them, and fear of the Unconsecrated has ruled the world since the Return. Outside the fences is the Forest of Hands and Teeth, filled with the Unconsecrated. Mary’s entire world is a tiny village surrounded by tall fences.
0 kommentar(er)
