Book review: The Host by Stepanie Meyer

[nwhiker]

Those of you who've seen my Twi-mocking can probably guess that I'm about to skewer the book, right? I'm putting it all under a cut, though, in case anyone is planning on reading it, I wouldn't want to spoil the entirely predictable ending, now would I? Of course not. You too can suffer through read hundreds of pages of breathless prose of a teen

Comments

[mariettashirk]

I read it many years ago when it came out (J loaned me the book), and I think you've convinced me that time has blurred the worst of it, and I shouldn't invest rereading time.

[nwhiker]

Don't waste your time. Get the book from the library, and skim it.

What was the bit of good you'd found?

[mariettashirk]

The idea of small blob aliens taking over a planet just by invading the dominant species bodies. And then them sort of realizing (duh) that humans were pissed at this, as they hadn't encountered that. Now take that small idea, a different author, and I think it would be AMAZING! (can you imagine Lois McMaster Bujold's take on the idea?) Everything else about the book was shitty (ie characters, plot, etc).

[nwhiker]

Actually, it's also the plot of Animorphs, pretty much, right? The Yeerk? At least according to AC and Perry....

But yeah, as a real SF novel rather than a teen romance pretending to be one, the concept would have been much more interesting.

[maiac]

I haven't tried to read it. I just assumed it would be awful, based on what I've seen of the Twilight series and Stephenie Meyer's status as a celebrity author (which would guarantee an editor wouldn't waste valuable time on the book, because it will sell anyhow).

Thanks for taking one for the team. Don't be surprised when the other members of the book club praise the book. My doctor, an otherwise intelligent and skeptical man, thinks it's terrific.

[nwhiker]

I'll have at least one ally (see comment above yours!), probably two, but I think we'll be gentle, the other members will probably all love it.

But yes, it's atrocious.