Review: The Host (The Host #1)

Author: Stephenie Meyer


Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, YA


Pages: 619


Date of Release: May 6, 2008


Publisher: Little, Brown and Company


Rating: 10/10


Summary: Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love. -Goodreads

Review: I must be feeling generous this month, because this is the second book I gave a ten out of ten. In the beginning I wasn't so sure about it, cause I thought it would be going back between Melanie and Wanda. But boy was I wrong. Good thing, my friends bugged me to read it or might have never had.

The Host, takes place in the future. Souls, such as Wanda, take humans as hosts and live in them until they die. The humans don't remember anything. They mentally die, while the soul uses their body to live in. I thought that was cruel and sick. The souls thought "oh, the humans are fine, we just need a host to take over and live in them." What?! Don't they care about the humans? Apparently Earth was the only planet that refused to give the should their bodies. Ugh, I wonder why?

One thing I found super duper cool, is Wanda's stories. They are unbelievable! I actually enjoyed reading about Wanda telling Jamie about all the planets she lived on. Like the Bear planet with their scary claw beasts. Or the Bat planet with their delightful singing. I found weird that there could be other organisms that live really different then they do. I don't know how Stephanie Meyer came up this stuff. It was so much better than her traditional vampire love story.

As many people told me, the book doesn't get interesting until after 100 pages. I agree with them. It started of slow, then started to get interesting, then it just blew my mind. Everything came so neatly, like Melanie was still inside of Wanda and showing her bits and pieces of the life she had. I don't don't want to ruin the story for you guys, because this book is just too awesome to explain.

All of the characters were different and unique. I just wished Wanda dwelled on them a little bit more. Like when Wes died and his girlfriend was in grieving. Or when they tested out taking a soul out of a humans body. I guess Wanda didn't want to upset someone, but it's nice to know what happened to them later.

And my all most favourite part... *insert drumroll* THE END! Not of the review, but of the book. First I'm like "oh no!" Then I'm like "YES!" An awesome ending to end a awesome book. I was so scared it would be the end of the little humans rebelling, but then it turned around and became so much more great.

Just one random question floating around my head. When Wanda is switched into a different body of an 18 year old, I wonder how old Ian is? I mean the love of your life is 18 years old, physically and your how old again?


  "There was no hatred in your heart," I whispered. "That you existed is proof that we were wrong. We had no right to take your world from you, Walter. I hope your fairytales are true. I hope you find your Gladdie."

                                  - The Host, pg.354