Book Review: The Dead-Tossed Waves

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

Released: March 9, 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Pages: 407
Series: The Forest of Hands and Teeth #2
Rating: 5 stars

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

The Dead-Tossed Waves is a companion novel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Its set in the same world only a few years later and is narrated by Gabry, which is the daughter of Mary (the main character from The Forest of Hands and Teeth). Many questions I had from Ryan’s first novel were answered in The Dead-Tossed Waves, which I was ever so happy about.

Ryan doesn’t disappoint and has definitely outdone herself with this novel. It was suspenseful and utterly breathtaking…literally. I love how Ryan combined the two novels, how all the characters where somehow connected. I didn’t see that coming. The writing was phenomenal. Her ability to take one’s emotions on a roller coaster with just a simple sentence completely amazes me.

Everything about this novel, from the plot to the characters, was exciting from start to finish and even afterwards. Plain and simple, this was a spectacular novel. I can’t wait to see where Ryan will take us next. I can’t recommend this series enough!!