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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
How to describe this book, whelp.
I first read The Host as a teen and enjoyed it then--I'll be honest, I still enjoyed it on the reread. That being said, wow has my perspective on this book shifted. I don't think I can fairly rate this book as good or bad because certain themes (or, underlying ideologies?) really need to be discussed. Overall, I think its got more promising and compelling elements than bad, but unfortunately the willful ignorance that came with not thinking things through really tarnishes things.
Firstly, the positive:
* There are a lot of concepts to like here. Invasion of The Body Snatchers meets apocalypse romance meets a lot of other creative concepts that gets you invested
* A chilling look at an invasion story from the POV of the invader
* Compelling drama. Hot damn when the survivors refer to Wanderer as a parasite and just want to kill her the entire time-- I felt that
* The sci-fi elements were super interesting imo
* The cave system was a super interesting setting? Loved that and the systems the humans have to survive there.
* Loved the stakes of her nearly getting murdered, brutally, a bunch of times
The bad:
* My hottest take on this book is that Wanderer is still a villain and remains a horrible 'person' throughout this entire book. The lack of empathy towards humans who were effectively slaughtered by her "kind" species is telling. Frankly, I find the way that Wanda is framed as "the nicest person you'll ever meet" to also be truly insidious because it reads equivocally with imperialist narratives of how "technically colonization was wrong, but the colonizers' intentions weren't bad! They were doing their best to help make this better :) so now we need to get over it and move on :)", which has always and will always been a crock of horse shit. The idea of a soul regretting being an invader and helping humans is a compelling idea, but nowhere in the book does Wanda go "My people and I have committed a genocide, this is horrible, oh God, oh God, I need to help these people, I'm so sorry." Nope. Wanda has a change of heart on helping to remove souls only because she wants to save another soul's life [screams]. It's deeply problematic and I wish an editor had picked up on this beforehand because it absolutely demolishes enjoyment of this story for me. If there's ever a mini series adaptation, that element should definitely be addressed. Where I currently stand? Every human who had a "change of heart" towards Wanda was fuckign weak, because she may not have been trying to out them to the seekers, but she was 100% complicit with their genocide and the genocides of other planets and species. Furthermore! The decision to just send souls off world to still commit genocides on other planets?? The hell. Send them back to their own planet and let them sort out their own shit there.
* Unfortunately Wanda is still a vehicle for Meyer's own mormon "selflessness" which just translates to misogynistic ideals of womanhood. Wanda is also flat out one of the least interesting characters ever. She was ALMOST a super cool badass (the Bear story was messed up but at least it was interesting?), but unfortunately she's reduced to a super defenseless, prone-to-tears, selfless female character, a la Bella. That being said, her obliviousness to all the ways she is truly awful is actually also super interesting and makes the story compelling in a completely different light. Steph Meyer didn't intend for Wanda to be an anti-hero but she accidentally made a complex, problematic character.
* Consent issues?? That's Melanie's body, anyone else kissing her when she doesn't wish to partake is sexual assault, jesus christ.
* There's a point around the 50% mark where things get stagnant and the bad drama sets in. Again, could have been edited down or at least done more subtly.
I first read The Host as a teen and enjoyed it then--I'll be honest, I still enjoyed it on the reread. That being said, wow has my perspective on this book shifted. I don't think I can fairly rate this book as good or bad because certain themes (or, underlying ideologies?) really need to be discussed. Overall, I think its got more promising and compelling elements than bad, but unfortunately the willful ignorance that came with not thinking things through really tarnishes things.
Firstly, the positive:
* There are a lot of concepts to like here. Invasion of The Body Snatchers meets apocalypse romance meets a lot of other creative concepts that gets you invested
* A chilling look at an invasion story from the POV of the invader
* Compelling drama. Hot damn when the survivors refer to Wanderer as a parasite and just want to kill her the entire time-- I felt that
* The sci-fi elements were super interesting imo
* The cave system was a super interesting setting? Loved that and the systems the humans have to survive there.
* Loved the stakes of her nearly getting murdered, brutally, a bunch of times
The bad:
* My hottest take on this book is that Wanderer is still a villain and remains a horrible 'person' throughout this entire book. The lack of empathy towards humans who were effectively slaughtered by her "kind" species is telling. Frankly, I find the way that Wanda is framed as "the nicest person you'll ever meet" to also be truly insidious because it reads equivocally with imperialist narratives of how "technically colonization was wrong, but the colonizers' intentions weren't bad! They were doing their best to help make this better :) so now we need to get over it and move on :)", which has always and will always been a crock of horse shit. The idea of a soul regretting being an invader and helping humans is a compelling idea, but nowhere in the book does Wanda go "My people and I have committed a genocide, this is horrible, oh God, oh God, I need to help these people, I'm so sorry." Nope. Wanda has a change of heart on helping to remove souls only because she wants to save another soul's life [screams]. It's deeply problematic and I wish an editor had picked up on this beforehand because it absolutely demolishes enjoyment of this story for me. If there's ever a mini series adaptation, that element should definitely be addressed. Where I currently stand? Every human who had a "change of heart" towards Wanda was fuckign weak, because she may not have been trying to out them to the seekers, but she was 100% complicit with their genocide and the genocides of other planets and species. Furthermore! The decision to just send souls off world to still commit genocides on other planets?? The hell. Send them back to their own planet and let them sort out their own shit there.
* Unfortunately Wanda is still a vehicle for Meyer's own mormon "selflessness" which just translates to misogynistic ideals of womanhood. Wanda is also flat out one of the least interesting characters ever. She was ALMOST a super cool badass (the Bear story was messed up but at least it was interesting?), but unfortunately she's reduced to a super defenseless, prone-to-tears, selfless female character, a la Bella. That being said, her obliviousness to all the ways she is truly awful is actually also super interesting and makes the story compelling in a completely different light. Steph Meyer didn't intend for Wanda to be an anti-hero but she accidentally made a complex, problematic character.
* Consent issues?? That's Melanie's body, anyone else kissing her when she doesn't wish to partake is sexual assault, jesus christ.
* There's a point around the 50% mark where things get stagnant and the bad drama sets in. Again, could have been edited down or at least done more subtly.
It took me almost 2 weeks to read the first 300 pgs. I felt the first half of the book was really slow, and hard to get into. But I really enjoyed the last 300 pages, and finally could sit down and finish it in a couple days.
Way too slow and moody for me. I was already getting occasional awkward teenage cheesiness, but when the book took a turn into tortured longing and awkward romantical conversations, and they start talking about birth control, I gave up. She's 17 and he's 26.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Genocide, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Colonisation
Minor: Body horror, Gore, Vomit, Suicide attempt, War
This book certainly wasn't perfect, but it was several steps up from Stephanie Meyer's debut novel "Twilight".
I really liked it. I know a lot of people thought it was sappy but I liked it. I thought looking at humanity through an aliens eyes was amazing and thought-provoking. The book makes you think about what really makes you human. Is it just the species or how you feel and treat others?
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I haven’t read this book since I was a teenager and I was intrigued to see how it would hold up. And the answer is that it held up extremely well. There are a couple of bits that made me eye roll because they’re very 2008, but generally speaking this remains one of the best sci fi romance books I’ve ever read. Even now, Stephenie Meyer still has the ability to make me cry buckets which to me, is the sign of a great book.
I remain devastated that she never continued this series tbh.
I remain devastated that she never continued this series tbh.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
I think the concept is really interesting, and it could have been worse
The Host by Stephenie Meyer is a futuristic book about aliens taking over the bodies of humans. It took me awhile to start to get into the book but after I did, I read it more. In some parts it's hard to understand but if you picture it in your head and pay attention, it makes sense. I would recommend this book for teens 13 and up because it has some complicated sections in it. I really liked this book and hope you like it as well.
I will inform you that I hated the movie Twilight, I didn't even need to read the books to know they suck. (pun intended) But I saw the movie to The Host before I read the book. I enjoyed it, so I thought "Hey, I think I'll check out the book series!" I was still a little doubtful about it because of Meyer's previous series but I got it anyway... & well... I loved it! It's a very long book but I finished it in two sittings. ^-^
I usually don't like stories about alien invasions but this one had me completely enthralled from the beginning! Wanda is absolutely awesome! She did a lot of growing in this book, she learned to love a family that didn't want her at first & to love a man who originally tried to kill her. Which, I'll be honest, I though was a little psycho at first but c'mon, you just can't help loving Ian! Ian... *sigh* SO amazing! I immediately liked him when he said he felt guilty for his actions. His loyalty to Wanda was just sexy! I gotta say, I did not like Jared or Melanie. Dunno why but they didn't strike me as very likable characters... But overall, I would recommend this book to anyone. <3 Can't wait for the next one!
I usually don't like stories about alien invasions but this one had me completely enthralled from the beginning! Wanda is absolutely awesome! She did a lot of growing in this book, she learned to love a family that didn't want her at first & to love a man who originally tried to kill her. Which, I'll be honest, I though was a little psycho at first but c'mon, you just can't help loving Ian! Ian... *sigh* SO amazing! I immediately liked him when he said he felt guilty for his actions. His loyalty to Wanda was just sexy! I gotta say, I did not like Jared or Melanie. Dunno why but they didn't strike me as very likable characters... But overall, I would recommend this book to anyone. <3 Can't wait for the next one!