Book Review: The Host

Title: The Host
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Release Date: May 6th 2008 

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature,THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.

OKAY. One word: WOW. Just wow. Now let me tell you, this is not my first time reading this book. My first time was freshman year of high school, just a few months after The Host was released. I had just finished
reading the Twilight saga to see what all the hype was about, and a friend of mine recommended I read The Host. I remember  reading it, and just thinking to myself the whole time that this story was incredibly original. Seriously, Meyer beautifully constructed the scenario. Though it became dry at times, and sometimes utterly confusing, I kept reading. By the ending, I was left speechless. I wanted more. 

Four years later, with the knowledge that the film adaptation is rushing towards faster than ever - seriously, it comes out March 29th - I decided to read it again to freshen my mind. I honestly did not remember any details, only just the main plot. Reading it the second time was easier because I knew the story, and therefore it was not confusing. Still, it was slow at times, and it left me wanting to know more about character and subplots that Meyer failed to elaborate on. 

But the story f l e w, and the deeper I got into the book, the better it got. I finished it in 4 days, and for those of you who have seen the book, you know just how long it is. I still definitely enjoyed the book. Wanderer may have annoyed me at times, but that didn't take away from the story (I'm very hard to please when it comes to main characters that are females). The Host is romantic, thrilling, and absolutely captivating. It is not too romantic, and just nerdy enough for me. 

I would absolutely recommend this book. It appeals to the sci-fi community, the girls who like romance, and those that like adventure. I suppose it also appeals to those who like dystopia, because even though the Souls are trying to create a utopia on earth, it is a complete dystopia to the rebel humans that haven't been taken by the Souls. 

Once I reached the last 2 chapters, epilogue and bonus chapter found in the most recent edition of the book, I was a mess. As soon as I stopped crying, something happened that made me cry yet again.

I will make sure to give you my thoughts on the movie. I can already tell you that I approve of the casting!

--Mari