In Mary's world, truths are simple. The Brotherhood always knows what is right. The Protectors protect and serve. The Unholy will never back down. And you must always tend to the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary's truths begin to crumble. She learns things she never wanted to know about the Brotherhood and its secrets, and the Protectors and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is plunged into chaos, she realizes the reality of how ruthless the Unholy are.

Now she must choose between the village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Is it possible for life to exist outside a world surrounded by so much death?

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]