Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

5 reviews

jessthanthree's review against another edition

adventurous emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Cancer, Suicide attempt, Kidnapping, Suicide, Child death, Medical content, War, Violence, Blood, Terminal illness, Gore, Xenophobia, and Confinement

Minor: Alcohol, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Colonisation

agatha_hopkins's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content and Confinement

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Xenophobia, Genocide, Emotional abuse, and Death

Wanderer/Melanie almost die of dehydration in the middle of nowhere.

crykea's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Confinement, Colonisation, Blood, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Violence

reclusivebookslug's review against another edition

emotional slow-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? It's complicated

4.5

I know this book and its author have some deep-seated issues, which are worth discussion, but in spite of everything I love this book. Part of it is nostalgia; my parents are both Stephenie Meyer fans and took me and my cousins to see the movie in theaters when I was 11-or-so and it's become a fond memory. I've read this multiple times in the last several years and I cry every time. I think the premise is so unique and interesting (although to be fair, I don't read much sci-fi), the character relationships are so engaging, and the ending is so fulfilling. I'm a sucker for "what does it mean to be human?" themes in novels. Maybe it's not the deepest or most intellectually stimulating read, but not everything has to be, and this is just a for-fun kind of book.

Concerning elements to keep in mind:

• the author is part of the LDS (Mormon) church
• problematic age gaps featuring teenagers (minors) with 20-somethings
• hetero- and cis-normative
• subtle ableism with how souls determine which humans are fit to be host bodies (the others are "discarded")
• the author is perhaps a little too forgiving of both sides: the souls are essentially the worst possible kind of colonizers but they are almost universally benevolent which seems contradictory, and even the most violent of the humans is forgiven by the soul he tried to kill

Maybe it's illogical for me to still rate this book so highly considering this list, but I rate books on enjoyability and I had a great time rereading this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Xenophobia, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Violence, and Genocide

eamily's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, Violence, Medical content, Blood, Confinement, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Self harm, Cancer, Dysphoria, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Genocide

Moderate: Medical content, Murder, Torture, Death, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Vomit, War, and Drug use

Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Adult/minor relationship, and Blood