The Dead-Tossed Waves

AUTHOR: Carrie Ryan

PAGES: 407

WEBSITE: http://www.carrieryan.com/

TWITTER: @carrieryan

GENRE: YA

SUMMARY:

The sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Gabry is a girl living in the world surrounded by barriers, and for Gabry, she couldn't ask for anything more. While her friends dream of going to the Dark City, Gabry is content right where she is. Safe. Gabry is always safe.

She has heard the stories her mother has told her of the Forest. She knows beyond the barriers and into the forest there is Mudo wanting nothing more than to spread the infection. She has heard their moans, has watched from the lighthouse as her mother nightly patrols the beach decapitating the ones washed ashore. This is what must be done to keep safe. This is the way of life in Vista and so many villages.

When her best friend, Cira, brother and a group of his friends decide to cross the barrier to the ruins of the amusement park, Gabry is not tempted in the least, but Cira begs until Gabry agrees. Even when she is on the wooden barrier she still has doubts and wants to go back to the safety of the lighthouse, until Catcher slips his hand into hers and she feels his warmth and feels their relationship shift. She jumps down to the other side. She takes a chance.

With that one choice, Gabry has completely changed the course of her life. She'll learn how strong she really can be, who she really is, and just how hard it can be to just live.

"Just when I thought I was putting all the pieces back together they've cracked and fallen into different patterns, this time with sharper edges. I don't know how to make it work, how to make it right."

OPINION:

At first I was so disappointed the story wasn't being told from Mary's pov. I wanted to know what happened to her. She had so much more to tell.

Gabry seemed so weak I couldn't tell if I was going to like this book as well as The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but I did end up loving Gabry just as much as Mary. She becomes stronger and you can see Mary in her. Even though Gabry feels she is nothing like her mother, her strength comes through.

"What's she like?" I ask him. His face twists just a little but he never stops looking at me. "She's strong," he says. "Beautiful and sweet." I see the memories swimming behind his eyes. It feels as though I'm intruding too far in his life and I've already turned away when he says, so softly, "She's a lot like you."

You feel the torment Gabry goes through as she loses everything she has ever known. And you feel her incredible power as she fights for the one she loves.

Can a zombie book be beautiful? YES.

"-But rather than the feel of his lips I remember him telling me that sometimes you can think you know someone and then they say something or do something and suddenly everything changes."

The author is so good at description you feel as if you're right there beside Gabry. Gabry's adventure is definitely worth reading and , if you loved Mary as much as I did, you'll get all the answers to your questions The Forest of Hands and Teeth left you with.

The ending, OMG, all I got to say is there better be a book 3 in this series.