The host, chapter 6 (part 2)

[shaolina]

In which the Seeker and Wanderer have a nice chat. 

 

 

Last time we left Wanderer, she was running in the most angst way possible. Harm to one’s true love can cause that. She was even about to blow chunks, but holds it in like a real lady when the Seeker shows up. Does that really work?

The Seeker offers to get her Healer and Wanderer quickly says that she’s ok and there’s no need. (Yes, please, keep Ford away from me!) She then pukes all over the floor (Can’t blame her. The idea of Ford even causes me nausea.) Then she vomits all over the Seeker. .. .. .. Okay, I’m beginning to like this book a tiny bit.

The Seeker gets upset at her and Wanderer apologizes for turning her outfit a very lovely shade of green. What follows is the Seeker saying over and over again “Go to the hospital” and Wanderer will be darned if she goes there. She even calls it an emotional imbalance, anything to not see a healer.

The conversation turns to what Wanderer had reported about her dreams. Evil bloodthirsty Seeker wants to know the directions to the location of the humans NOW. But Melanie and Wanderer united by righteous hate of this despicable human. Because, you know, the Seeker suck even for a soul. Not that Wanderer really hates her, that’s forbidden for a soul. Subtlety

They both proceed to mock the Seeker as the Seeker keeps demanding to know the directions. Honestly, why doesn’t she just cruxio them-- oh wait, this isn’t Jane. Not-Jane asks her if she can’t tell because she hasn’t subdued the soul yet and laughs wickedly. (I think Meyer is trying to tell me she’s evil)

Wanderer zones her out and has the epiphany that the directions lead to Jared and Jamie and that’s why Melanie’s been protecting it. (Wait, you figured that out NOW?) Not-Jane proceeds to mock her again for her lack of results and Wanderer goes into “As if you could better “ mode.

Then we get some info on the previous planet. Apparently the souls tried to conquer the terrible planet of See Weeds. O-kay, how do the souls justify that one? It was a forest of weeds! There’s no pacifying going on. I can’t imagine the See Weeds waging war against the Hear Grass.

Anyway, turns out they decided on mass suicide before being taken over. O-kay, that’s kind of cool of them. No, I don’t go around justifying suicide in my spare time, but as Melanie said:


 

Good for them,

 

It was such a waste.I let the agony of the knowledge, the feel of the dying thoughts that had racked us with our sister forest’s pain, wash through my head. Melanie whispered. There was no venom attached to the thought, only approval as she saluted the tragedy in my memory
 

 

It was death either way.
 

Goddammit, stop making sense Melanie. We both know your character is getting shot once Jared’s in the picture again. This just hurts both of us more.

Wanderer then gives Not-Jane a tip about being careful with power and tries kicking her out of her-- their home, as Melanie corrected her to annoy her. The Seeker agrees to go, but not before stating that she’s stalking her. Huh, since stalking = love, does that mean I’m getting some lesyay from now on?

　

(Chapter 7)

Comments

[zelda-queen.livejournal.com]

"Goddammit, stop making sense Melanie. We both know your character is getting shot once Jared’s in the picture again. This just hurts both of us more."

Eh, I'm just enjoying the fact that Meyer managed to write a female character who's sensible and halfway tough at all.

[shaolina.livejournal.com]

I know. It's insane. If I didn't have the romance scene on my head I would so high five this girl every chapter and give brownie points to Meyer. Melanie just makes so much sense and throws my thoughts at Wanderer's face.

Honestly, what peace could the kingdom of See Weed need? How can she justify them taking over them like that? They are as selfish as they call humans, just more snotty.

[zelda-queen.livejournal.com]

"Honestly, what peace could the kingdom of See Weed need?"

Now, I know that Meyer probably isn't clever enough to do this, but I could almost see a better author writing how the different species on different plants all are foreign with different morals and viewpoints. Maybe the Souls are so alien that they somehow perceive anyone the slightest bit different from them as being "not peaceful".

But yeah, a better author could do it. Pretty sure she isn't.

[shaolina.livejournal.com]

Not to sound like a bitch, but I could easilly turn this into a tale about colonialism and how it works from the perspective of the higher ups. Similar to the spaniards invading my country and taking over the tainos, England with Asia and some of Africa and so on. Heck, turn this about USA/Puerto Rico.

Just like slavery, colonialism still exists and could still be a problem in the future (and sci-fi to me is how humanity deals with the ever changing future). The humans being taken over would let us identify with the minority who's voice is sometimes too small to be heard. It would make us realize that any country could be next.

The aliens being the host would let us see the usual arguments in favor of colonialism without putting a country's name to it. Or how about "ending conflicts and taking over for their own good?" Geez, how many times have we hear that in history? (And no, that is not a USA-only thing. I'm speaking in general.)

But Meyer doesn't think that way, I'm sure of it. For her this is just a romance with some aliens. "Sci-fi for those who doesn't like sci-fi". Which is wrong since sci-fi for those who doesn't like sci-fi is called "The hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy," thank you very much.

[zelda-queen.livejournal.com]

That's a good one as well! (My theory wasn't defending the aliens, incidentally ^^; I just found myself thinking of "Solaris")