The Host

I just finished reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer and now I wonder why the hell I waited so long! This has been sitting in my TBR pile for a while. It sat there because I was stubborn and didn't want to read Stephenie Meyers because I am not at all a fan of anything Twilight.... fast forward to the end of last year when I saw the movie trailer for The Host. My interest in the book was renewed and I figured it would be a good way to kick off the Mount TBR Challenge!

For those of you who don't know about this book, here is a quick synopsis from Goodreads:

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed  Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, 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.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts 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 yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, The Host is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.

I can remember shelving this away on my TBR when it first debuted in 2008... I can honestly remember trolling through the bookstore and seeing this cover on the shelf and immediately being drawn in. This cover is mesmerizing- it reveals so little yet has a strong pull. After reading the book of course, the cover takes on an entirely new meaning. I can also honestly say that if it wasn't for the timing of the Mount TBR challenge and the movie trailer, The Host would likely have continued to collect dust and get lost in the sea of books. The best part of the movie trailer was that it took my mind completely off of Stephenie Meyer as the author of Twilight. I went into The Host without bias. I am so glad that I did. This novel was compelling. I was immediately transferred to a world inhabited by aliens with a small resistance. I didn't need to think to transform my world into that of Mel's- Meyer did that perfectly for me.

The characters were well written and deeply connected on various levels. Melanie and Wanda are one in the same, yet completely separate.  Meyer is able to pull of the duel personality (that isn't DID!) with finesse. Both characters maintain autonomy and as the story unfolds, you can quickly ascertain how each will react in a given situation.

I also loved the way she made two strikingly different worlds in one story... the world of the resistance and the world of the aliens. It is fascinating. This novel is both science fiction and utterly human at the same time. I was so engaged in this story that I found myself speed reading just to get to the next page. This book was hard to put down. This book is definitely for fans of science fiction and those looking for some intellectual food.

Meyer has suggested that this book may be part of a trilogy. I am undecided on whether or not I hope this story continues, but I do think that if she were to continue with the story that I would certainly read it.

I am so excited to see if they are able to do the novel justice in theaters, because if so- The Host is bound to be a phenomenal movie. For those of you interested, here is the official trailer.

write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow