To Recommend or Not to Recommend… May 3, 2008
I’ve been wondering about Stephenie Meyer’s The Host. An eighth grade fan of the Twilight series asked me about this book. I’ve been apprehensive about recommending it to teens since it is deemed an adult title.
Has anyone read it yet? What do you think? Definitely an adult title or does it have Young Adult crossover potential?
I skipped some middle parts so I can’t give an accurate account but the parts that I read do have implied sex. I did read though that she wasn’t thinking it would be an adult title when she wrote it so I’m guessing that it’s okay for most teens.
I have read it, and I am in 9th grade. There isn’t anything more than really kissing although other things are implied, there is nothing inappropriately done or said-in my opinion anyway. Also, there are many teen or YA books that have much more inappropriate content than this book. By the way all of you that blog here are so great. It helps me keep up with what book are coming out and if I should read them. Thanks!
I counted at least 5 or 6 sex implications (and they were like…MINIMAL) but that’s as far as it goes. Nothing graphic, other than the kissing, and definitely a suitable read for 16+.
I would say The Host would be fine to recommend to older teen Twilight readers. The level of sexual content as previously mentioned is minimal and I think comparable to the content in the Twilight series, especially the latest release Eclipse.
I think the tone of the book is bit more serious than the YA series. The book is not totally focused on the romance/love aspect of the story, instead Meyer spends a lot of time examining of humanity and human nature. The book is ultimately hopeful and I think mature teens could definitely appreciate the story.
Thanks for the feedback folks! I just got my copy today and will shortly weigh in on whether or not it’s age appropriate for teens.