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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I really, honestly did want to like this book. As someone who's a huge fan of science fiction I thought this book held so much potential. The idea of aliens that control the bodies of humans while the humans are still aware of what's happening is so fascinating to me. Seriously, there are so many moral discussions that this premise begs. Is it justifiable if the aliens improve human health and lifestyle? Is it justifiable if eliminating human free will would save every other creature on earth from our destructive behaviors? If not being parasitic would kill the aliens is it really right to ask them to commit self genocide for humanity? What if the aliens and humans could both live in the same body and share control through cooperation? Is that acceptable? Would we even be able to cooperate properly? There are so many things that could be discussed here depending on how any author directed the story that my head just swims with excited possibilites.
Enter Stephenie Meyer. I don't know what it is about this author, but everything she touches turns into the most ridiculous, gag-inducing "love" story imaginable. Seriously, look at Twilight: A series about a war between vampires and werewolves. Just hearing that makes the story sound utterly bad-ass. Underworld demonstrates that pretty well. But instead we got a mushy gushy story about some bratty girl's infatuation with boys. The same thing happened with The Host. A book about aliens controlling humans and humans resisting both externally and internally sounds awesome - like a more sophisticated version of the Flood in the Halo franchise. Seems hard to mess that up. But in comes the author, Stephenie Meyer-ing all over the place and wasting the perfectly good foundation. The book was great for the first 100 pages or so and then the angst took over and it was all down hill from there. Occasionally there would be a period where things would be good again because the love interest(s) would be out of the picture for some reason. But as soon as the book started to touch on a tough issue (for example: would it be right to kill the alien to save the human? After all, they are both sentient beings who depend on the body to survive.) the love interest(s) would return and we would be back into the melodrama.
Honestly, if Meyer would just stop writing everything into love stories that make no sense she might actually be able to writes some substantially interesting novels. Like I said that story had great potential. Human resistance in an alien society almost always goes over well with audiences. But saying that that's what The Host was about would be naive. Maybe that plot is there on a superficial level, but in reality the book was simply about the love trials and tribulations of a couple of girls.
The one bit of benefit of the doubt I'll give this book is that I'm absolutely the wrong audience for it. This book is for young, teenage girls. They will relate to it (as unfortunate as that is since the female protagonists can hardly be called strong female characters) much more than me. So maybe take my review with a grain of salt if YA melodrama is your thing.
Enter Stephenie Meyer. I don't know what it is about this author, but everything she touches turns into the most ridiculous, gag-inducing "love" story imaginable. Seriously, look at Twilight: A series about a war between vampires and werewolves. Just hearing that makes the story sound utterly bad-ass. Underworld demonstrates that pretty well. But instead we got a mushy gushy story about some bratty girl's infatuation with boys. The same thing happened with The Host. A book about aliens controlling humans and humans resisting both externally and internally sounds awesome - like a more sophisticated version of the Flood in the Halo franchise. Seems hard to mess that up. But in comes the author, Stephenie Meyer-ing all over the place and wasting the perfectly good foundation. The book was great for the first 100 pages or so and then the angst took over and it was all down hill from there. Occasionally there would be a period where things would be good again because the love interest(s) would be out of the picture for some reason. But as soon as the book started to touch on a tough issue (for example: would it be right to kill the alien to save the human? After all, they are both sentient beings who depend on the body to survive.) the love interest(s) would return and we would be back into the melodrama.
Honestly, if Meyer would just stop writing everything into love stories that make no sense she might actually be able to writes some substantially interesting novels. Like I said that story had great potential. Human resistance in an alien society almost always goes over well with audiences. But saying that that's what The Host was about would be naive. Maybe that plot is there on a superficial level, but in reality the book was simply about the love trials and tribulations of a couple of girls.
The one bit of benefit of the doubt I'll give this book is that I'm absolutely the wrong audience for it. This book is for young, teenage girls. They will relate to it (as unfortunate as that is since the female protagonists can hardly be called strong female characters) much more than me. So maybe take my review with a grain of salt if YA melodrama is your thing.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Twilight author's venture into sci-fi
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Sorry, teenage girls, I could not stand it. So boring. So full of holes. It sucked. I'm sure it's possible for someone to write sci-fi romance, but I don't believe this author is the person to do it.
If a person hasn't read any sci-fi and only reads romance, maybe this will work.
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Sorry, teenage girls, I could not stand it. So boring. So full of holes. It sucked. I'm sure it's possible for someone to write sci-fi romance, but I don't believe this author is the person to do it.
If a person hasn't read any sci-fi and only reads romance, maybe this will work.
Firstly, I would like to say that this is still a YA book no matter how she tries to flip it and say its adult sci fi. It is for the same readers as Twilight. But on the lighter side of things...This book was definitely enjoyable. I found that at times it was hard to put down and not necessarily always because it was that good but because I often found that I was waiting for something to happen. There's a lot of build up with slow climactic points and I find myself hating the internal struggle between the two main characters who happen to be one in the same. Stephenie Meyer definitely upped her writing skills a bit though there was done dialogue that went to show that this was still ultimately written by the same author of the poorly written yet enjoyable love story named twilight. The final result was something left open if and when she chooses to write the next chapter of this interesting story. A great concept which now, having finished the book I was captivated from start to finish which is a Stephenie Meyer specialty even when the writing is never something to brag about. I loved it and this was my second attempt to read it. Im glad I challenged myself. It was a bit unexpected for me to actually enjoy this story. Am I going to run and tell everyone to read it? Probably not but now I look forward to the movie adaptation which Ill most likely suggest everyone go see instead, ha. Also, Stephenie Meyer, please eliminate the word chagrin from your vocabulary. I have never hated the words dazzle and chagrin as much as I have after reading your novels, thanks.
Wow. Ok Where to start.
I saw the movie. I wasnt prepared to like it. I hate twilight and thought it wasnt well written. So i figured background noise for the movie kind of thing.
Then i started to pay attention and i was... surprised. For a pretty unique concept ( how many alien invasions are peaceful?) So knowing books are always better then movies i got it right after the movie.
I read some reviews. Lots of 5 stars, and a few 1 stars. So i was conflited. But i figured i want to get more of the story. In a way only the book can.
Again i was really surprised. I didnt much like Melanie but thats ok. Wanderer was so much more of an interesting Char. People say it was too long, I was sad it was over so soon. And it took me 2 days to read. An unheard LONG time for me to read it. I think i was soaking up details. I loved the bits of back story on the other planets.
I just really enjoyed it I saw she is going to write two more. Happy about that! I look forward to picking them up.
Oh and the goodbye scenes. Bawling. My fav kind of book is one that touches me to cry :D and it dosent happen often lol.
I saw the movie. I wasnt prepared to like it. I hate twilight and thought it wasnt well written. So i figured background noise for the movie kind of thing.
Then i started to pay attention and i was... surprised. For a pretty unique concept ( how many alien invasions are peaceful?) So knowing books are always better then movies i got it right after the movie.
I read some reviews. Lots of 5 stars, and a few 1 stars. So i was conflited. But i figured i want to get more of the story. In a way only the book can.
Again i was really surprised. I didnt much like Melanie but thats ok. Wanderer was so much more of an interesting Char. People say it was too long, I was sad it was over so soon. And it took me 2 days to read. An unheard LONG time for me to read it. I think i was soaking up details. I loved the bits of back story on the other planets.
I just really enjoyed it I saw she is going to write two more. Happy about that! I look forward to picking them up.
Oh and the goodbye scenes. Bawling. My fav kind of book is one that touches me to cry :D and it dosent happen often lol.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not bad for Meyer's first stab at an adult novel. I actually liked it more than her YA series.
I was really excited to read this book, seeing as I have read the entire Twilight series and think Stephenie Meyer is actually a pretty good writer, in terms of storytelling. But also I was even more excited seeing as I love science fiction and I had heard really good comments on this book from one of my co-workers.
Well, I was a bit dissapointed. Actually maybe a lot. I didn't really get the whole world that Stephenie Meyer created, or better yet I should say world(s), or the creatures and exactly how everything had a purpose. I took my time with this book, not because I wanted to, but because I couldn't find myself totally getting immersed into it during various parts- the vast majority being where she explained the different worlds and how people on Earth functioned, what the Wanderer observed around her, etc. I just got lost in the details of it all. I know sometimes we all crave more details from a novel, but for this book it was just too much and boring really.
There were a couple other things I didn't really enjoy or like, some of it being with the unusual love story. Not sure if I was expecting too much out of this book or also because I saw the movie before reading it, but I just didn't see the big hype. Maybe if I re-read it I will change my mind a bit, either way I feel like it's one of those books you either like or don't.
Well, I was a bit dissapointed. Actually maybe a lot. I didn't really get the whole world that Stephenie Meyer created, or better yet I should say world(s), or the creatures and exactly how everything had a purpose. I took my time with this book, not because I wanted to, but because I couldn't find myself totally getting immersed into it during various parts- the vast majority being where she explained the different worlds and how people on Earth functioned, what the Wanderer observed around her, etc. I just got lost in the details of it all. I know sometimes we all crave more details from a novel, but for this book it was just too much and boring really.
There were a couple other things I didn't really enjoy or like, some of it being with the unusual love story. Not sure if I was expecting too much out of this book or also because I saw the movie before reading it, but I just didn't see the big hype. Maybe if I re-read it I will change my mind a bit, either way I feel like it's one of those books you either like or don't.