Dead-Tossed Waves

Title: Dead-Tossed Waves
Author: Carrie Ryan
Pub Date: 2010
Pages: 416
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Series
Challenges: Young Adult

The Dead-Tossed Waves is considered a "companion" to The Forest of Hands and Teeth which I would agree whole-heartedly. You could have finished FoHaT and been done with it. DTW is not like that, though. It ends on such a cliffhanger that I wish I had held off on reading the book because I must know the end of the story N.O.W. (!) (!) (!) (!)

But, alas, I must wait like all of you who either ran to the closest bookstore or beg your library (like I did) for a copy.

DTW is the story of Gabry (who I like ohso much better than the leading lady, Mary, in FoHaT). Gabry lives in a small little town peninsula-ed by the vast ocean. Mudo (the sluggish oafish zombies) sometimes come in with the tide and Mary (Gabry's momma)'s job is to give them a great big whack on the head. Like an "Off with your head" moment that takes care of the zombies and prevents them from popping up alive again. Gabry has been taught to stay within the boundaries but one night, like many other teenagers, she gets coerced by her friends to sneak out.

This is where Gabry's life changes for-evhar! Whilst her, cute boy, and friends are playing in the abandoned theme park a Breaker (a very quick-like zombie, totally opposite of the Mudos) comes along and reeks havoc. In the pursuit of making things right, Gabry begins to learn more about life on the peninsula, her mother's past, The Forest, and the unconsecrated.

DTW will not let you down. I was mildly on the fence with FoHaF. I mean I really wanted to like it and thought it was enjoyable, just not the yippee this is fantabulously awesome that most did. And quite honestly, Mary really did get on my nerves. I rolled my eyes so many times though out the book and just wanted to make slap her sometimes, ya know? But Gabry is completely different. I dug her. I got her. She made sense to me. Ultimately, I was rooting for her in a way that I never did with Mary. (I think I would have been okay if Mary gotten gobbled up by the zombies!)