Mary lives in a world where their village is surrounded by a fence keeping the zombies from them. Protected by the sisterhood and the guardians, they fear for the day they break through. When the day finally comes, Mary and a few others escape and try to survive, all the while she dreams of finding the ocean - a place described to her by her mother from the old legends. 
 I really enjoyed this story. Mary was a strong and interesting character. Conflicted by many warring emotions.