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| The Host: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Category: Book
List Price: $25.99
Buy New: $12.89
You Save: $13.10 (50%)
New (68) Used (29) Collectible (7) from $12.44
Avg. Customer Rating:  619 reviews
Sales Rank: 73
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 624
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 5.6 x 2.1
ISBN: 0316068047
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780316068048
ASIN: 0316068047
Publication Date: May 6, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW, SOFT COVER COPY, NO UGLY REMAINDER MARKS.
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| Customer Reviews:
 an alien gone native May 11, 2008
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
Stephenie Meyer has described herself as being "anti-human" in response to critics accusing her Twilight stories of being anti-feminist, just short of misogynistic, behind a glittery group of vampires that seems to take up everyone's attention. After writing The Host, Meyer might want to change her tune.
The main premise is this: earth has been invaded, its human occupants no more than host bodies for tiny aliens. Melanie Stryder is one such human, forced into cohabitation with an alien called Wanderer. Only, that's not how it's supposed to go. Melanie was supposed to disappear, and Wanderer, struck by memories of Melanie's past and a seemingly impossible future with Melanie still inside her head, begins to change. She flees her alien society, striking out for the Arizona deserts on the memory that Melanie's humans -- in particular, a brother and a lover -- are there. She is blindly chased by one of a feared group of Seekers, the aliens' version of law enforcement, a woman with secrets and an agenda of her own.
To get the critique out of the way first, I will say that this book is overly long and quite slow. It meanders through the first three hundred pages as surely as the main character does, getting lost in several places along the way. The plot has been done before: Body Snatchers and Animorphs come to mind. There's nothing new about alien invasions, and when Meyer tries to explain the history of the "feathery ribbons" that took over the world with smiles on their hosts' faces it seems hokey and overdone, almost a waste of time. I couldn't find myself caring about their previous host worlds, and in fact Meyer makes such worlds seem like Disney World rides rather than functioning systems there for the taking.
But that's the first three hundred pages. It's a marathon of a slow start, but the story builds to a satisfactory climax. What Wanderer finds in the desert challenge her notions of what it means to be human, what it feels like to fall into love, into friendship and family. That is the strength of the story, above the science fiction and the two men she must negotiate between -- one in love with Melanie, the other with Wanderer (four people, three bodies, a problem if ever there was one) -- pushing Wanderer to finally make a choice as to her place and meaning in this world.
 Tepid and a bit disappointing May 13, 2008
9 out of 24 found this review helpful
I think that Stephanie Meyer started with a wonderful concept. I was prepared to like this book as much as the Twilight series, if not more, because I am an avowed science fiction fan and I think Ms. Meyer's writing in the Twilight series was captivating. In The Host, I did like the way the author tried to write the characters, especially the character of Melanie, from a filtered perspective. It is intiguing to think about another sentient species socialized with different objectives and moral codes. However, my biggest disappointment was that the end result did not provoke any intense feelings at all. I like to become involved in a story and vest myself in the characters and their loves, losses and challenges. Unfortunately this particular literary aspect, which is a must in great fiction for me, was absent in this novel. Well written and thoughtful subject matter but definately not worth buying the hardcover version.
 IF YOU HATED TWILIGHT READ THIS May 10, 2008
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
Let me start off by saying that I'm not one of those pathetic, zombie-like Twilight fans. I'm perfectly aware that based on the Twilight series, Stephenie Meyer is HARDLY the next J.K. Rowling. Bella was whiny and uninteresting, Edward was nothing but a pretty face, the plot was nonexistant, and vampires don't glitter. Saying that, that's why you should believe me when I say the The Host was fantastic.
I purchased The Host out of pure curiosity. The story seemed different, and everyone seemed to praise that the writing quality was far better than Twilight. Once I began reading it, I didn't put it down. I could tell by page 15 that Stephenie Meyer has grown immeasurably as a writer. It's almost hard to tell that it's by the author that created Edward Cullen. The descriptions are vivid and beautiful in this story, both the physical ones and emotional ones. These are especially poignant. Let me explain...
When I first heard the plotline of this story, I burst out laughing shamelessly. However, once again, bear with me because the book is worth it. Basically, at some point in the future, body-snatching aliens (known as "Souls") overtook earth. Through surgery, they inhabit human's bodies, killing only their spirit...basically, all of the humans are dead, but the aliens have kept their bodies intact and now inhabit them. Wanderer, a soul that's earned her name from the great number of bodies she's lived in, has been warned that life as a human is difficult. Not only are their senses vivid, but the emotional range of being a human is even more painful. The situation isn't helped by the fact that the former tennant of Wanderer's human body, Melanie Stryder, is somehow holding on. She refuses to fade away, filling Wanderers head with visions of the people she loves, who are still in hiding. Soon Wanderer is torn between her allegiance to the Souls and the love she feels for the humans.
Basically, it sounds out there, but is fantastic. Though the beginning is very slow, I urge you to continue. Stephenie Meyer paints a fantastic image of the setting -- the scorching desert -- and makes use of Wanderer's unfamiliarity with human reactions to explore her relationships beautifully. This is without a doubt what makes this books special -- at its core, it is a book about love. All kinds of love, not just the superficial fairytale romance explored in Twilight. It describes the maternal love Wanderer feels for Melanie's younger brother, the appreciation for her eccentric Uncle Jeb, the friendship she developes for Mel's former comrades, and the romantic interest she soon developes for Melanie's former boyfriend, Jared. What really puts the icing on the cake is that Stephenie illustrates how love is really a double-edged sword. Not only does she go into the depths of how wonderful having the love of so many people feels, but she describes the pain Wanderer feels when she contemplates their love for Melanie versus her herself.
The emotional aspect of this novel is beautiful and I guarentee you won't regret picking it up. In the end, Stephenie poses the timeless question: To be or not to be? For, as she illustrates, light cannot exist without shadow, relaxation without exhaustion and love without loss. As the particularly lovable character of Wanderer finds out, it seems like a tough question, but the answer is more obvious than it appears.
 Do NOT compare to Twilight! May 20, 2008
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
First of all, you can not start reading this book thinking it is Twilight. I've read the reviews and most (if not all) of the 1 and 2 star reviews are comparing this to Twilight!
Stephenie creates a fantastic world that is very believable. I read the book through in one day because I just COULD NOT put it down! The characters are very complex, but I had no trouble understanding them. In fact, I felt like I knew exactly how they felt. Jared and Melanie became one of my favorite couples - they are up there with Romeo and Juliet, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth, and, yes, Edward and Bella.
Not very many authors can break away from the "voice" they have found, especially with such a successful series as Twilight is. I was very pleasantly surprised to discover Stephanie Meyer created a completely different voice - different feel, different characters - and still managed to write a TERRIFIC novel!
I really enjoyed this book May 27, 2008
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
Here's why.
The characters were good first of all, well drawn out, each with their own voice.
The souls didnt come off as bad guys, just creatures who want to experience the univerese and yet... well, you'll have to read it to find out more. I found this book to be throughly entertaining.
Stephanie Meyers is good at not only getting a person absorbed into the world she has created, but she's good at throwing in just enough humor to have you cracking up inappropiately at work and on subway trains. Then, she will drown you in drama and strong emotion, all the while making you thirst for more, making you look forward to turning that next page.
This is the sort of book that will have you tripping on curbs and bumping into walls because you just won't want to put it down for a second wanting to know what happened to your favourite characters.
Which is the mark of a very good book and very skilled writing.
Plus, you've got to admire her imagination in coming up with such interesting aliens.
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