The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Regular readers will know that I enjoyed the Twilight series and the story, but did not especially care for the writing. I wasn’t sure Meyer was bringing anything new to the table, and I found the dialogue hard to read.  But I loved the story so much that I kept reading. Fast.  You know that’s saying a lot for the Mom of a 2 year old.  I wasn’t that excited about reading The Host since I have a lot on my TBR plate right now, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The Host is well written and engaging. The characters are likeable and the symbolism in the book is geared for commentary on the times.  We chose this as a book club read, but were surprised to see that there were no discussion questions, and we couldn’t easily find a reading group guide for it online.  That’s when I got the idea to start a monthly discussion thread (click here to read more about that).  So, instead of a traditional review, keep reading to find out my thoughts on The Host a la Coffee and a Book Discussion Carnival.

Also, check out Amazon’s video of Stephenie Meyer talking about The Host (just click here).  She says herself that this is a sci-fi novel for people who don’t like sci-fi. I heartily agree. You should pick this up if you do like a thoughtful read with commentary on the nature of humanity.

Would you classify The Host as a dystopian read?  Why or why not? If so, how would you compare it to other dystopian novels?

The Host is a classic dystopian read for our time.  The Earth was invaded by alien parasites that took over most of the human population by through their parasitic nature, gaining control of their minds and bodies.  Humans were oppressed by this relationship, and some decided to flee and go into hiding.  The biggest difference that I notice to other dystopian reads is that the time period is in the present day. Meyer doesn’t seem to be ruminating on what might happen if humans don’t shape up, she’s giving us a warning that humans are in bad shape NOW!

What do you think Meyer is trying to say about Christianity and religion? What do you think she is trying to say about our society in general?

Meyer has a lot to say about society- she isn’t preachy, but she does make her values known.  In her writing, there is always the issue of sex before marriage as well as gender roles.  Of course, the theme of “what is a human” is central to this book, as it is to much sci-fi fiction.  Her illustration of the contrast between the peace-loving “souls” and the ever-emotional humans is engaging and thought provoking. We become attached the main characters on both sides and can relaly begin to see the dilemmas that our human nature can create.

A lot of people have speculated that those who liked the Twilight series might not like The Host. Why do you think this is?

There are huge differences in the writing style and the topics between the Twilight series and Meyer’s new novel.  The Host is definitely her best writing to date, and as an adult reader, it’s hard to miss the symbolism she presents. This is a book to be digested and discussed.  It’s not merely the story that engages the reader, it’s the commentary too. 

Was the ending satisfying for you? Why or why not?

I am well known for liking a tidy ending. However, in this case, I was happy with it.  Meyer didn’t wrap up the major issue, and for me that was a good thing. This is a book about humanity and she stayed true to her purpose by wrapping up the relationships of the book, and the main dilemmas of those relationships, but she did not have Wanderer or Melanie “save the day” in the larger sense. I respected that.

Which characters did you find likeable/unlikeable and why?

This is a tough question for me (and I’m the one who asked it!).  I didn’t find all of the characters likeable- but in the end I came to understand them. For me, that made them redeemable.

What overall theme in the book did you relate to most and why?

In grad school, I took classes on philosophy and science fiction. I still come back to what I learned in them. We spent a lot of class time discussing the theme of “what is a human”, and I see this in my reading all the time.  Meyer also focuses a lot on this issue, and it’s one of the reasons I like the book.  Focusing on our human nature and what makes us good (and in some cases bad) is important to understanding life. It’s also central to understanding how we treat others.

Overall a great read. Won’t you join me in the Coffee and a Book Discussion Carnival?