Wanderer's new body - thoughts?

So, my sister and I were talking about The Host tonight, I finally read it last week and we were both a little put off by how Wanderer turned out.

I think Pet's body is all wrong for Wanderer. For one, she's too young, especially to be with Ian. Secondly, Wanderer is supposed to be a very strong, experienced being. She's well-known throughout her species as being an adventurer, and one of the most well-adaptable souls, which is why they chose her for Mel's body. So it didn't sit well with me that she ended up in a body that looks so young, weak and innocent. Yes, she's a very kind, caring and sweet being, but I think her strength and everything she's made it through should have been better represented in the body she ended up in. I pictured someone older, with a more athletic build to show her strength. A kind face is fine, but a child-like face and a voice that's high-pitched and giggly isn't right for me.

It seems like Stephenie has made the much younger female/much older male pairing a reoccurring theme in her books, and this time I don't think it works. I just can't picture a strong, well built man with someone who's only 16 and looks innocent enough to be 7. I feel like Ian's character ended up getting a raw deal, despite the fact that he said he doesn't care about what she looks like.

Thoughts?

Tags: Wanderer, ian, pairing, pet

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by ModeratorGenn on August 5, 2010 at 1:33pm

I can't say I agree with the idea that Wanderer is fragile. Kind, sweet, caring, and compassionate doesn't automatically mean weak or fragile, so I still think Pet's body is wrong.
I know she's not a fighter, but that's not what I was saying. I don't think she should have a physically athletic body to be a fighter, I'm saying she should have a body that reflects who she is inside. She's not a weak, fragile being. She's very strong, wise and she was written as being a force - people who had been fighting for their lives against her kind were drawn to her because of who she was. So I still stand by my original opinion, Pet's body just didn't work for me. ;]

Permalink Reply by Dodo A on August 6, 2010 at 12:40am

I know, i understand that, but unfortunately i just don't agree with you, for me Pet does reflect Wanderer,
because i see wnaderer as this reflexive innocent creature that is the symbol of all good, she wanted an innocent body. Jamie found that Pet was the most adequate

Permalink Reply by ModeratorGenn on August 6, 2010 at 1:26pm

Fair enough. ;]

Permalink Reply by Dodo A on August 9, 2010 at 4:35am

yeah... to each her own opinion

Permalink Reply by StarSarah on November 29, 2010 at 10:25am

I am in two minds about Wanda's new body. I one way it is fitting as she is a beautiful delicate creature that would never hurt anyone.

But in contrast, she has lived many years, has slayed massive animals on other planets, have saved her friends. So why would she want to live out the rest of her days in a body so slight and timid. Surely there should have been a happy medium.

If i had to chose one, i would say that her new body is not right.

Permalink Reply by Lucia on November 30, 2010 at 9:49am

it is true that they should have given her a stronger body, a body in which she could help out more in the caves, without having other people to do the work for her.

"I guess I never pictured Wanderer as a giggly, adorable blonde with freckles. When I picture a strong, wise and experienced person, the last thing I associate that with is cuteness, so her personality didn't really seem to fit Pet's body for me."

but you should never be fooled or judge anybody by their cover. mostly people don't look like the way they are on the inside. a very beautiful girl or boy can have a really ugly personality, and somebody may look weak and fragile, either on the inside or on the outside, and they can be an extremely strong person. body and personality aren't the same thing, so what i mean is that just because somebody looks weak it never means they are. and we can't change our body to fit our personality. well in this case, yes, but in our world, no.

Permalink Reply by InNoCeNt (group) on December 22, 2010 at 9:14pm

I don´t like it at all, it doesn´t suits her in anything. she is supposed to be very tough and Pet is sooooo little, weak and young. I don´t like that she is 17 and Ian is like 25, I mean they could have chosen an older body that was strong. I think that maybe they chose pet because since she´s young she´ll have more time with them before the final death.

Permalink Reply by sarah cullen on May 19, 2011 at 6:11pm

i liked her new body..it suits her character..

Permalink Reply by Ciarra Cullen on June 18, 2011 at 11:19pm

I don't really like Wanda's new body. I didn't like the fact that she was so small. I mean Ian is so much larger than her! In the book it says that his hand covers from her hairline to her jaw. Also I think everybody in this discussion made good points. I think that Wanda is an experienced soul and she is very strong. She is also pure and innocent, but she is brave and fierce when it comes to protecting the ones she love. She can't raise a hand to protect herself, but I'm also sure that she could fight if it came to her family of humans being threatened or in trouble (especially Jamie). So she is innocent, but also tremendously strong. She is fragile, but also unbreakable. She should have a body that really reflects who she is and all of the traits we have come to associate with Wanderer the soul.

Permalink Reply by Raychel♡ on August 16, 2011 at 10:27pm

ok, I had a long list of pro's and cons on here.......then it got deleted so I'm going to list my most powerful ones.

Pro: She want's to spend every second she can with Ian, and I understand that. It's not word for word in the book but between the lines.

Con: Wanda's new hand fits perfectly into Freedom's hand and if I remember correctly he's only 2 or 3 years old. And Wanda's bodies almost 18. That can be sad in thee terms. (Not meaning to hurt the shorter population of the world)

I am sitting on a very painful fence with my desision but after reading this discussen I have chosen a side to stay on.

In conclusion, I love the body Steph' chose....Buuut, I think that Steph' could've given it to someone else. This body doesn't suit Wanda very much at all.

Love the body.

Wrong person to match it with.

Permalink Reply by TeamIanO'Shea- on November 27, 2011 at 7:34am

That's what I thought, I never imagined Wanda being in a young, fragile, small body. I think she should have been at least over 20 because, in my opinion, she's to young. And plus didn't the book say Ian's hand went from her hairline to her jaw, and that she was smaller than Jamie? It just doesn't sound like the right person for Wanda, and yeah some people are saying personality and the body are different, but at the minute I'd say they should be pretty much the same - if that makes sense? :)