The Host- Book Review

I was going through the files on my computer today and I found this book review that I'd meant to post months ago. 

                                                                       

 

When I started reading The Host I was very reserved about it.  I’m not a Twilight fan and I was “certain” it would be sappy and stupid and not well written.  Those were the negative things I’d heard about the Twilight saga.  But, for several reasons, I gave it a try anyway and I am very glad I did.

I think the story of The Host is really interesting.  It's about a species of aliens that take over the earth by taking up 'host' in humans.  Kind of like extraterrestrial parasites.  Most humans cease to exist once an alien takes them, but when the narrating character, Wanderer, takes up host in Melanie Stryder, she finds her human host is still very present.  The rest of the book is about the interaction and conflict between Wanderer and a group of humans she finds after agreeing to look for Melanie's brother and boyfriend, while they all try to survive in hiding.  

I didn’t find it to be sappy or stupid, like I expected.  For the most part the writing was well done, I only found a few places where the transitions could have been improved, but other than that I didn't notice any problems.  I like the voice given to Wanda’s narration; it’s interesting and works really well with her character and with the story.  

 I was really surprised by how much I liked this book.  For a while I wasn’t even willing to admit how much I really was enjoying the story, but I actually had trouble putting it down.  The characters are well developed and I really enjoy “watching” them interact.  I think Meyer did a good job of having the people behave realistically; how are different personalities going to behave when an alien controlled body- the enemy they all hate and fear- walks into their lives?  This was a question that was fun to explore throughout the book.

I really like the character of Wanda; I think she is one of my favorite fictional females.  There are plenty of in your face, tough as nails women in fiction today.  Wanda is very gentle and non-confrontational, yet has a definite strength in her gentleness and I like that.  It’s a combination we don’t see much of, and I think it makes her character very appealing.

Another criticism I’d heard of Twilight was that neither of the men in Bella’s life were very worthy of attention.  (I haven’t read them, so I can’t really comment on that, but it was one of the negative things I had in my mind going into The Host.)  I was surprised that eventually, I found both Ian and Jared to be men worth having.   Notice I said eventually.  I didn’t really like either one of them at the start, particularly Ian.   MINOR SPOILER I didn’t trust him at the first and even as it continued, it took me a while to accept that he really was sorry for what he’d done to Wanda and that he now wanted to help her.  But in the end, he did become my favorite of the two men.   END SPOILER  I was pleasantly surprised that, as the story continued, both Ian and Jared, while they have their faults, were both good men and I like both of them.           
I can’t believe I almost missed this story because of the Twilight (and resulting Meyer) stigma.  I am so glad I tried it- it's become one of my favorite stories- and I'll definitely be reading it again. 


As to the movie, I also really enjoyed that.   For the most part, the condensation of 600 pages into a two hour film was well handled, though they left out some of the best lines.  The acting is excellent all around, particularly Jake Able and Saoirse Ronan's.  They were perfect.  The Host movie was one of the few book adaptation that I have been, for the most part, happy with and I also recommend you watch it.  After reading the book of course.  :)

I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes, which comes from The Host:  

It's not the face but the expression on it.  It's not the voice, but what you say.  It's not how you look in that body, but what you do with it.  You are beautiful.-  Ian O'Shea

Ships I Refuse to Sail

First off, I apologize for the time gaps between my posts.  I told myself at the beginning of the year that I would post once a week, but I'm so busy with my college work that I now know that is not going to happen.  I will do my best to post every other week if I can, rotating Artemis's story and Once in Oz.  Hopefully later this week I'll post a short story fanfiction from my newest fandom.

But, here's just a fun post for today.  :) 

So, here is a list of fandom ships that I refuse to get on board with.  Several of these will have be running out my cannons every time. 

Luke Castellan and Thalia Grace--  This is my top 'anit-pairing'.  I will blow holes in this ship as long as I have ammo to load into my guns.  Yes, I think that Thalia had a crush on Luke when they were younger, but I think he saw her the same way he saw Annabeth.  They were his sisters.  I have not really seen any evidence of anything more between them.  (Honestly, I always thought it was amusing that Luke had quite a few girls interested in him, but he didn't seem to notice or care.)

 Dramione-- Sorry, I just don't see this one working out.  I know Draco got better by the end of the books, and I have come to love him in some way, but I don't think they would fit well together.  They're both too proud, and headstrong to be a couple; they'd never be able to live together.  Hermione needed an easygoing man, and Draco is not that.
I don't care what the graspers of straws say, there really isn't much indication that that was going on anyway, they hated each other for most of it.  (Cannon says no in the epilogue anyway.) Plus I love Hermione and Ron together very much, so I'm not willing to picture her with any one else. (As a side note, I'm also opposed to Rose and Scorpius just because I feel like it's soul purpose I'd to force all the characters into one family. I do love the idea of Albus and Scorpius being buddies though.)

Cato and Clove- This is last of my big three.  If there was really something between them, Suzanne Collins would have told us in the book.  Which she didn't.  There's not any evidence of a love interest relationship between them.
And I don't know what was going on with Glimmer in the movie either, so before you Clato-ers get worried, I'm just as against that.  (Let's face it, no one was trying to ship Cato with anyone until Cato looked like Alexander Ludwig. I think that has a lot to do with it.)

The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler-- I'll give it to you for the Tenth Doctor and Rose, but I don't think Nine loved Rose the way Ten did.  I think she was more of a companion, a friend, and that they had more of a paternal relationship than Ten and Rose did.  So yes, I think Nine did love Rose, but not in that way.

(I know people try to cite the Bad Wolf kiss as evidence, but that was to save her life, so I don't think that counts.)

Destiel-- I do not know where people get this one.  I wonder sometimes if these people actually watch the show, because Dean could not be any straighter.  He even said in "Live Free or Twihard" when that male vamp called him pretty that "I'm not on your team". And Castiel is an angel who doesn't look at any humans that way.   

Sterek--Sorry folks. I know that this is a popular one among the Teen Wolf fandom, but I really don't know why.  It has been made quite obvious on multiple occasions that they both like women.  I do love both of them, and the dynamic they have with their antagonistic friendship, but I see no actual basis in the show for anything else.

Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoke--  I just don't see this one panning out, and I don't really want it to.  Yes, I do think she is coming to love him and I think he cares about her, but I want her to find someone else.  Oliver ends up making out with every woman he crosses paths with.  I want Felicity to find someone that will be good to her and faithful. (Just FYI, I ship Baricity like FedEx.  But I don't think that's going to work out either.)

Sherlock Holmes with anybody-- Let's face it, as brilliant as Sherlock is, and as much as you can admire him for his mental abilities, he is not the type of person that can be easily loved.  He's selfish, arrogant, and conceited, and he has little or no consideration for the feelings of others.   Plus, he doesn't really like people, so I doubt he's very interested in romance, despite his fling with Irene Adler.   

Those are all I can think of right now.  I apologize if my list includes ships you would go down with.  These are my personal opinions and if you think differently, you are allowed to do so.  We shall just have to agree to disagree.  :)