Search - The Host

This is an amazing book! It is so unique, told from the perspective of the alien and her experiences past and present. I was hooked from the beginning, but the more I read, the more I could not put it down. I loved the characters and I was compelled to find how all the possible scenarios were going to play out. It was intense, thought-provoking, moving, suspenseful and heart warming. It is among the best books I have ever read. Wow! A new favorite I will read again. Well done!

I thought that The Host was better than the Twilight series. I felt more attached to Melanie and Wanderer (Wanda) then I ever did to Bella and Edward.

The book follows Wanda, and Melanie, as Wanda's alien race takes over Earth to solve all of the problems that the humans created (ex. war, pollution, etc). Wanda discovers that the "host" that she occupies, Melanie, has not completely left her mind. Through out the book Wanda struggles with Melanie's rebellion in her mind to take her body back.

There is a very complicated love triangle (or square) that is involved in the story. What happens to Wanda and what happens to the remaining humans left on Earth is very moving. The reaction of them is very true to humanity. I think this book is a must read, especially if you are a Stephenie Meyer fan. I've read this book several times and I enjoy it every single time.

I talked to someone who felt like there were Mormon undertones in this book (Wanda being a "pure soul"), but the abstinence message in Twilight can be seen as a Mormon undertone as well. I didn't notice it because I was too wrapped up in the story. A great pleasure read.

I really enjoyed the book. I was very leery at first that it might be a bit too science-fictiony for my taste but it had a great storyline that made it easy to follow even if you've never read anything quite like it before. Stephanie Meyer never ceases to amaze me with her creativity.

The Host has me pulled in several directions of feeling, much like the book's main character(s).

On one hand, the idea of two beings trapped within the same body, both fighting to be their own person, fighting to be individualized and NOT simply ruled by how their body was being pulled in familiar directions was a fascinating concept. One that I was ready to see so many aspects of life and feeling played out with, and with the size of this book, I thought it would be fully fleshed out.

On the other hand, there were 150-200 pages that could easily have been simplified to about 50 pages, with the same effect. This entire section of the book dragged it out so much that it took several weeks for me to lumber through it's tediousness.

There is a point at which a reader stops forgiving amateur writing based on a good concept. And that is what Meyer is, an amateur writer. She can easily come up with a fascinating topic, thrilling trajectory, but then she falls into the trap of being a below-average writer. In another's hands, this story could have been a NOVEL, something that you cannot put down until you are fully satisfied with the range of characters and story, and which you, the reader, are never dragged down into a hole of teenage-like angst and whining. Unfortunately, Stephanie Meyer wrote this book. Luckily, the main character is appealing enough and I was drawn to finish the book to see where it would go. In the end, there are some satisfying points, and you really do end up liking many characters, however there were many aspects that were left uncharted within Wanderer/Melanie's journey which was the most disappointing part about this book.

Great potential? Yes. Great story? Yes. Great writing? Again, no. However, it will be interesting to see how the movie will turn out, now that this great storyline will be in the hands of the ever-capable Andrew Niccol.

I loved this book! It takes a little while to get into it, but it is such a great read if you hang in there!!!