The Host

A Novel

By: Stephenie Meyer

Narrated by: Kate Reading

Length: 23 hrs

Publisher's summary

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.

©2008 Stephenie Meyer (P)2008 Hachette Audio

A Lesson In Humanity

Through the reflective eyes of a plausible parasite one sees our species at its best and at its predictable, justifiable worst. The realistic portrayal of "ordinary" men and women in extremis imbues the incredible circumstance of their seemingly hopeless situations with credible resolutions. One is convinced that the existential "final solution" is the most humane and inevitable, but still longs for it to be otherwise. Meyer reminds us that the good may in fact be the enemy of the best.

Gripping

Rarely do novels enable the reader to get inside characters' heads to the degree that Meyer lets you inside the soul's.

I thought the beginning was slow and almost regretted the download, but once the story settled into the relationship between the soul and the host, it became really interesting. The moral dilemmas faced by the hosts, humans and souls in this tale were tricky.

I would agree that the "happy ending" was not what I had expected. I thought I figured out what the author was going to do, but she took the safe route IMO. Maybe she has a lot of female fans who would want the fairytale ending. I would have preferred something a little bit more edgey requiring the characters to have to sacrifice more for their convictions.

Nevertheless, I found the story gripping and not overacted as one earlier reviewer claimed. I've listened to dozens of books and the reader did a great job of voicing male and female characters and also of capturing their emotions. (I shed actual tears at one point.) I am not one to read chick lit, so I hope that I am not coming across as too big of a whimp, but it was a nice surprise to be moved by the story.

Since it is told from a female point of view, I am not sure that male readers will find it as heart-wrenching, but there's plenty of violence to spice things up.

Good Book

I really liked this book. It was very well written and had an interesting story. I had a hard time putting it down. I also thought the narrator did a great job reading it.

shocked........

I honestly couldn't believe how much i enjoyed this book. The charachters were amazing!! It took a couple of chapters before I could understand what was happening. After that I was hooked!

Awesome!

I really enjoyed this book. It was refreshing. Our world is so full of violence. We need a wake-up call - this book does that.

Fantastic!

What made the experience of listening to The Host the most enjoyable?

The narration was perfect, the story was engrossing, thoughtful, touching, funny.. extremely well written.. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was a little hesitant, due to the poor reviews over the writing of the vampire books, but this was exceptional.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I truely enjoyed the Uncle, and his gruf character. I felt compassion for Doc, who was obviously troubled by some of the things he had to do.

Which scene was your favorite?

no one favorite. I did, however, think the ending was specacular. When you're way into a good book like this, you think.. how on earth are they going to end this properly... I get nervous and sometimes don't want to finish for fear of disappointment. I was not disappointed!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Jody was unable to be revived and the soul was put back into her.. it was such a minor part of the book, but so sweet.

Any additional comments?

After reading the book, I will avoid the movie like a plague. There is no way it can enhance anything.

Kept thinking about it long after I was done

I gave this book 3 stars at first, then changed to 4 stars as I could not get it out of my head. At first, the voices of Mel and Wanderer were hard to tell apart, but then it became easier once you got to know their personalities. There were a lot of emotions packed into this book. Read it!

Great Book!!

Stephanie Meyer is a genious author! It was a little hard to follow in the beginning but once you get started you won't want to stop until the end.

Third listen--still can't put it down!!

I don't usually like sci-fi bu I abosulute LOVE this book. Contrary to what some have said, the main characters in particular, Mel and Wanda, are incredibly well-developed in my opinion. As readers, we know exactly where they have come from, why they feel as they do, and why they struggle with what they struggle with. Wanda, although not human, is the essence of "humanity" and forever changes the way her humans view the status quo. Tho Wanda has viewed the humans as barbaric, has to admit she has never felt the intensity of emotions she has felt on this planet earth. And she kind of likes it and doesn't want to leave earth. Predictable? Yeah, probably. But very well done, nonetheless.

a very good read

excellent narrator. I would choose her to read almost any novel. I loved the book.