Book Review: "The Host"

This month's book club selection was Stephenie Meyer's "The Host." She also wrote the "Twilight" saga, so let's just get that out there and out of the way right off the bat... because this book is nothing like that series.

Well, except for some things.

But first, the things that are different. This book is about a post-apocalyptic Earth where human bodies have been taken over by alien "souls." They've invaded the planet because when they first came to check it out, they saw that we'd made a real mess of things. So now, all these human hosts get to live in an idyllic society where everything is free, there is no crime and nobody stirs the pot. The trade? The humans themselves don't get to appreciate this new world because their minds are taken over by the souls. At least, that's what's supposed to happen.

This story is told from a soul's point of view. Wanderer is placed inside Melanie's body. The problem? Melanie didn't actually go away like she should have. She's still in her own head, there with Wanderer (who they annoyingly call Wanda for short).

Over some time, Wanda absorbs Melanie's memories and feelings and sets out to find the secret hideout of unpossessed humans where Melanie's boyfriend and little brother are supposed to be. She finds them. They see that she's got Melanie's body, but she's clearly a soul. (Their eyes are reflective, that's how you can tell.) So they hate her. And keep her prisoner. And beat the crap out of her on multiple occasions.

Then, finally, they begin to trust her. And then they believe her when she says Melanie is still in there. And after like 300 more pages of this, Wanda decides Melanie deserves to have her life and body and boyfriend and brother back, so she gives away the aliens' most guarded secret -- the way to detach themselves from their host without killing either being.

Of course Jared, Mel's boyfriend, is all for this plan. Ian, however, has fallen in love with Wanda. That gets sticky, but they resolve it by removing Wanda from Mel's body and putting her in someone else's. And they all lived happily ever after. (No. They did not. Stephenie Meyer left it open for a sequel by having the humans come across another group of free humans, who tell them they know of even more free humans! Will they rise up and take their planet back?? If the author gets to writing, they just might).

I liked this book. It's better than "Twilight" in that it touches on actual social issues rather than just ridiculous teenage supernatural love. And while it bored me after a while, I can appreciate Stephenie's creativity in inventing the alien culture and history for this book. It's obvious that much more thought went into it than into the vampire culture she invented for "Twilight."

I did not like this book for the same reasons I do not like "Twilight." The heroine (I mean Wanda, not Melanie) is pathetic. Stephenie Meyer's anti-feminist bullshit really pisses me off. Yeah, I know, she's a Mormon. But guess what? If it was the end of the world, and you and your boyfriend thought you were the only two humans left on the planet (which they did at the time of this point I'm about to make) you would not stop yourselves from having sex because you had not yet turned 18. Are you joking? And speaking of no sex, I'm really pissed that Stephenie didn't give us even a smidge of some good stuff after Melanie was herself again. Because the first thing you'd do is say hello to everyone, give your family a hug and kiss and then lock yourself in your room with your boyfriend for, like, days. COME ON! I'm not saying I needed graphic details, but having one little sentence merely alluding to Melanie and Jared's reunion was just a damn tease.

If Stephenie does write more in this series, I hope she gives us the story from both Wanda's and Melanie's points of view. We saw this world through the both of them for a very long time. I would feel cheated if I didn't get to continue that.

And hey, how about a little sex, too? I mean... aren't Mormons the ones who have 13 million kids each? Come on, Steph. I know you've got it in you. (Um... no pun intended.) ;)