AUTHOR: Carrie Ryan
PAGES: 308
WEBSITE: http://www.carrieryan.com/
TWITTER: @carrieryan
ACQUIRED: Library
SUMMARY: Mary lives in a small village, where Sisterhood make the rules and the Guardians serve and protect, enclosed by a large fence. The purpose of the fence is to keep the villagers safe and keep out the Unconsecrated who come up from the Forest of Hands and Teeth and relentlessly pound on the fence. This is how it is, and this is how it has always been. Life is within these fences and nothing is left on the outside. There are various theories why this village exists. Some claim they are the chosen people and their ancestors were the best of their time and were sent to the village to survive. But Mary hopes for more, always wanted more, knew there was more to life than staying behind the fence. Out there, past the Forest of Hands and Teeth is the ocean. Her mother had always told her stories about the ocean, fairy tales others would say.
Mary learns a few secrets of the Sisterhood while staying in the Cathedral. And she begins to question the Sisterhood, her belief in God and whether there are others out beyond the fences.
Mary begins to realize that her dreams will never come true, she will never see the ocean, she will never be able to marry the man she loves. Her life is about duty and what is best for the village.
When the fences are breached and the Unconsecrated come pouring in Mary must choose between the one she is Bound to and the one she loves, between her village or chasing her dream.
SUMMARY: When I first started reading this book I thought it was going in the same direction as M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village." After reading a few chapters I realized it was nothing like that movie. I totally got sucked into Mary's world. I could hear the Unconsecrated, a.k.a zombies, constant moans. I wondered, with Mary, is the ocean real in her world, would she ever taste the salty water.
Mary struggling to come to terms with the fact that life inside the village was not about love but about duty was heartbreaking. She was Bound to a man that loved her, while she longed for the love of his brother, who was promised to her best friend.
Mary loses so much I couldn't see how she kept going. Her world is turned upside down but she holds on to her dream. In the end is it worth it? What kind of world is she really living in?
It was a great read. I really loved it. I wanted to laugh, cry and scream "RUN MARY RUN!!!" in some parts.
Sounds really interesting - I'm not sure by i think this one is in my tbr list. Oh and your description also reminds me of "Stardust."
ReplyDeleteThat sounds interesting. I always wondered what this book was about, I think I was expecting something like a teen horror story, but your summary has intrigued me.
ReplyDeleteHi Gricel. It is a YA book and it does have some element of horror. But I wouldn't classify it as a horror book. There really is more to it than just the whole zombie element. It was really good and you really get to understand Mary and care for her. I was going to put up the book trailer, but I thought it didn't do the book justice. It was a good trailer but it emphasizes on the horror aspect. And I found the book had so much more to offer than just the horror side of it.
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