Reading: The Host

The Host by Stephenie Meyer is another re-read for me. I've been on a winter-long "I don't wanna really read anything" lull, and this seemed like a good book to jump into to get the literacy ball rolling. And I was right. Even the second time around I really enjoyed this book. Say what you will about Meyer, but she knows how to write a page turner.

This is by the same author of Twilight fame, but if you aren't a twihard (I'm not - see my reviews of the books here, here, here, and here) you still might fall for this book.  I think The Host is far and away a better book than any of the Twilight novels. The Host is a quasi-sci-fi novel that brings back visions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. (I say "quasi" because I don't think you have be a real fan of sci-fi to enjoy this novel since the sci-fi element is pretty light.) "Souls," as the aliens are called, come from another planet and take over Earth by taking over the minds and bodies of humans one at a time. At first no one notices, but soon enough their takeover can't be denied as only a few rebel humans remain in hiding from the invaders. The Host is the story of one such alien invader who can't shake off the consciousness of her human host.

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. -- Goodreads.com

For all that I enjoyed it though, that's not to say I thought it was perfect. I have a couple gripes with this book:

-- The (too)young women with the (significantly)older guys. And these guys like to haul said women around whenever they can. There is just a tad too much hyperbole and stereotyping going on there. I don't find mere wisps of girls with overly large and powerful men more entertaining than regular sized and appropriately aged girls with men who are of average strength.*

-- Over the top effusive sappiness. I read romance novels all the time (I just don't post about them), but some of the "omg I love you SOOO much" stuff was still too much at times. I get it, you're in love. Point Taken. Move on.

Despite those things, I overwhelming enjoyed reading this book. The plot is fresh and thought-provoking. Sure, Invasion of the Body Snatchers has been done before, but this is a new perspective and a new take on an alien invasion story. Meyer keeps the story moving along, and her descriptions are, uh, very descriptive? (sorry, I'm not a "real" writer here, sometimes the right words escape me).  Things I really liked about this book:

--The evolving relationship between Wanderer and Melanie. Meyer does a fantastic job showing how their interactions changed over time. They were both complex characters and their personalities shined through even though they inhabited the same body.

-- The love stories. I love love. Despite Meyer's tendency to be overly-saccharine at times, I still loved the love triangle (square? rhombus?) in the book. I also really appreciated how she differentiated between different types of love. Good stuff.

-- The underlying "big picture" themes. What does it mean to be human? To belong? How do you define love? Does it lie in the body? The mind? There are right to life issues, questions of loyalty and betrayal, violence vs. pacifism, self-sacrifice vs. self-preservation... the list really goes on and on. The Host doesn't run short on underlying themes that make you think about issues that aren't quite black and white.

One of the reviews I read said that Meyer isn't a great writer but she's still a great storyteller, and I think that I hold that same opinion. Were there parts that I thought were overly cheese-tastic and melodramatic purely for melodrama's sake? Sure. But they're small in comparison to the intriguing storyline and themes of The Host - and for crying out loud, it's a book! It wouldn't be so entertaining without a little melodrama. And the characters, while sometimes stereotypically portrayed, they do change and evolve as the plot moves forward. Not every book can portray the evolving thought processes of its characters the way The Host does. Each person within the novel has their own unique reactions and foibles, and I appreciate the thought that's involved in creating a rebel "society" of complex, unique characters, even though they all face the exact same environment and circumstances.

Since Meyer is reportedly planning sequels to The Host, I have to wonder how she will continue the story. I thought the ending to The Host was perfect the way it was. The sequel isn't due out until 2012, so it looks like I'll have to wait awhile to find out how Meyer continues the story forward, but I have no doubt I'll be picking up the sequel when the time comes.

*I easily overcome this though by pretending that the characters are different ages.

 Want to see what I'm reading next? Well, in this case it's Sense and Sensibility for the BBC (you can still join us!), but usually it's a mystery! WoooooOOoo! Take the mystery away by friending me on Goodreads.com.