Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan


This is the third book in the Forest of Hands and Teeth series by Carrie Ryan.  It should be consumed in one bite.  I have never read such a gripping, thoughtful and suspenseful third book.  Ever.  While this book is a continuation of much of what happens in the second book, The Dead-Tossed Waves, it could still be considered a stand-alone, and this is partly what makes it so good.  The intensity is at an all-time high in this book as it is told through the fierce Annah's eyes (Gabry's sister) as she makes her way alone in the Dark City.  When she is reunited with her sister, the reunion is almost bitter sweet, for several reasons.  (I won't tell you what they are though!)  As the horde of Unconsecrated rain down around her, it seems like life is choked out of the Dark City.  Annah and Gabry take one day at a time while they find themselves prisoners on an island without much hope of escaping.  This book is not to be missed!

1 comment:

  1. This book does a good job of capturing teen thinking - which is authentic, but is also SO frustrating as an adult reader! I especially wanted to just stop and do an impromptu sex-ed briefing to Catcher and Annah, to help Annah stop being so G-D dangerous by kissing on the lips when Catcher is infected with the saliva-transmitted Mudo pathogen, as some kind of "life is short, let's live fully in the now" thing. Right, because nothing says "I love you" like making him feel consumed by guilt forever for having turned you into a mindless flesheating monster. It made me especially nervous because it so closely parallels other STDs (eg HIV), and I kept imagining real teens reading this and acting like Catcher and Annah - let's just risk it because we love each other, I'm sure it'll be fine without protection or altering the sex act. It just felt really irresponsible for Carrie Ryan to go down that path. I just wanted to sit the fictional characters down and explain ways to enjoy each other without swapping fluids into mucus membranes -- kissing on the lips does not have to be the be-all and end-all of what they do! (sigh) Real live people, if you are ever in the same situation, DON'T act like Annah and Catcher!!

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