The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

The Dark and Hollow Places 

Carrie Ryan

384 pages

Publisher: Delacorte Books (RandomHouse)

Release Date: March 22nd, 2011

Source: ARC for review

There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

   As soon as I finished The Dead Tossed Waves, I craved for The Dark and Hollow Places. So as soon as it showed up on my doorstep, I dove right into it.

   I absolutely love Carrie Ryan's writing style. It evokes the deepest of emotions and conjures the clearest of images. There are very few books in which I can feel and see so much.

   I have to say, though Carrie Ryan's books are unbelievable in every sense, I feel like her upcoming one didn't live up to the standards of Ryan's first two books.

   So why didn't I like this book as much? The Forest of Hands and Teeth was narrated by Mary, The Dead Tossed Waves by Gabry (Mary's daughter), and The Dark and Hollow Places was narrated by Annah (Gabry's twin sister). For some reason, I just couldn't find myself connecting with Annah as much as I wanted to, and I didn't like the way she viewed her twin sister, especially because Annah's twin is the one who narrated the previous book.

   Annah pretty much hates herself. She thinks of herself as ugly and worth nothing, where as Gabry is perfect. If you've read The Dead Tossed Waves, you'll know that Gabry is far from perfect and that she's been through more than Annah can even imagine.

   So is the book worth it? Are you kidding me? This book is worth every single breath of air. You just have to pick it up. Pain, happiness, sorrow, and hardship, in a world where the human race is burning out - The Dark and Hollow Places is definitely stunning.

-Would I recommend this to anyone? Probably ages 14 and up

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