The Forest of The Forest of Hands and TeethHands and Teeth

By: Carrie RyanBy: Carrie Ryan320 pages - 320 pages -

Delacorte BooksDelacorte BooksJanet KermaerJanet Kermaer

Period 1 – English Period 1 – English 1212

January 4, 2013January 4, 2013

Today, you will be learning Today, you will be learning about…about…

• The Forest of Hands The Forest of Hands and Teethand Teeth

320 pages320 pages Delacorte Books Delacorte Books

for Young Readersfor Young Readers

• The authorThe author Carrie RyanCarrie Ryan

• Chose the novel Chose the novel because…because…

Creepy name and Creepy name and covercover

• Recommend it?Recommend it? Yes and NoYes and No

Plot SummaryPlot Summary• Post-apocalyptic Post-apocalyptic

dystopiadystopia Undead plagueUndead plague

• Been seven Been seven generations since the generations since the ReturnReturn

• Sisterhood and Sisterhood and GuardiansGuardians Protect and serveProtect and serve Control villageControl village

• UnconsecratedUnconsecrated ZombiesZombies Always around fenceAlways around fence

• Surrounds villageSurrounds village• Protects from the Forest Protects from the Forest

of Hands and Teeth of Hands and Teeth

Plot Summary Plot Summary (continued)(continued)

• MaryMary Main character / Main character /

protagonistprotagonist Father gone & mother Father gone & mother

““madmad”” Required to marry or Required to marry or

become a Sisterbecome a Sister• Wants to find true loveWants to find true love

• Life is controlled to Life is controlled to sustain existencesustain existence Begin to forget the Begin to forget the

horrors of horrors of ““realreal”” life life• The The ““oceanocean””

Huge and unbounded Huge and unbounded space beyond the reach space beyond the reach of the undeadof the undead

Main goal in MaryMain goal in Mary’’s lifes life

Author BiographyAuthor Biography• Carrie RyanCarrie Ryan

Born & raised in Born & raised in Greenville, South Greenville, South CarolinaCarolina

Graduate of Williams Graduate of Williams College and Duke College and Duke University School of University School of LawLaw

Former litigator Former litigator (lawyer)(lawyer)• Now writes full-timeNow writes full-time

Lives in Charlotte, Lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, withNorth Carolina, with Writer/lawyer fiancéWriter/lawyer fiancé Two fat catsTwo fat cats One large puppyOne large puppy

Where does she get her Where does she get her inspiration?inspiration?

““Anything and everything. The first line of Anything and everything. The first line of The Forest of Hands and TeethThe Forest of Hands and Teeth came to came to

me after I read an article about the me after I read an article about the possibility of overfishing tuna. The issue possibility of overfishing tuna. The issue of collective memory came to me when I of collective memory came to me when I

realized how my memories of my realized how my memories of my grandmother have been slipping away grandmother have been slipping away

and how I can't remember the details of and how I can't remember the details of the stories she used to tell over and over the stories she used to tell over and over

again.again.””~ Carrie Ryan ~~ Carrie Ryan ~

Opinion/Opinion/RecommendationRecommendation

• Plot Plot underdevelopedunderdeveloped– Is at first realisticIs at first realistic

• Story of a plagued Story of a plagued world world – Which can happenWhich can happen

• BUTBUT, flawed, flawed– Townspeople Townspeople

forget past and forget past and think theythink they’’re the re the only humans in the only humans in the worldworld

– Eventually, feels Eventually, feels manipulated/forcedmanipulated/forced• Events donEvents don’’t unfold t unfold

naturallynaturally

• Characters not-Characters not-believablebelievable– In the beginning…In the beginning…

• Mary seemed realMary seemed real• Only wantedOnly wanted

– True loveTrue love– Real, authentic lifeReal, authentic life– Answers from Answers from

SisterhoodSisterhood

– Halfway through the Halfway through the novel…novel…• Mary sometimes Mary sometimes

loses touch with loses touch with realityreality

• Choosing “ocean” Choosing “ocean” over “life”over “life”

Opinion/Opinion/RecommendationRecommendation

• Novel…Novel…– Confusing & Confusing &

irritatingirritating• Author made poor Author made poor

plot choices at the plot choices at the endend

• If I could be a If I could be a character…character…– I would be a zombieI would be a zombie

• Only people to have Only people to have a purpose (sadly)a purpose (sadly)

• Other characters Other characters never lived up to never lived up to their potentialtheir potential

• Recommend?Recommend?– YesYes

• Interesting idea/storyInteresting idea/story• Super potential for a Super potential for a

good bookgood book• Despite flaws, still Despite flaws, still

interesting to readinteresting to read

– ANDAND No No• So annoying at pointsSo annoying at points

– Want to shake Mary Want to shake Mary and say “Wake up!” and say “Wake up!” and “Do and “Do something!”something!”

• Too predictable in Too predictable in end half of novelend half of novel

In Conclusion…In Conclusion…• The Forest of The Forest of

Hands and TeethHands and Teeth 320 pages320 pages

• The authorThe author Carrie RyanCarrie Ryan

• Recommend it?Recommend it? Yes and NoYes and No

• Thank you! Thank you!

• Questions?Questions?

Works ReferencedWorks Referenced• http://www.readingteen.net/2012/01/http://www.readingteen.net/2012/01/

audiobook-review-forest-of-hands-audiobook-review-forest-of-hands-and.htmland.html

• http://www.carrieryan.com/index.phphttp://www.carrieryan.com/index.php• http://zombieradio.org/http://zombieradio.org/