The Host (The Host, #1)

by Stephenie Meyer

[nitzan_schwarz]

Mach 2017 Re-Read:
You might be thinking to yourself; "Again, Nitzan? You read this book again". YES I READ THIS BOOK AGAIN. And you know what? Not only am I not sorry, not only did I cry all over again, not only was I anxious when the scene called for it even though I read it like a thousand times before... not only that, but I am struggling against reading it a second time right now. Just because I don't want to say goodbye to this characters and relationships just yet. How crazy is that, huh?

December 2015 Re-Read:
Re-read number I-have-no-idea and I'm still smitten with this book.


YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG

The Host is by far my most favorite of Meyer's novels, and one of my favorite books in general. Every time I re-read it, which I do about once a year, I am filled with the same emotions I did the very first time I looked between those pages.*

The premise of this book is like nothing I've read before. Aliens have been used and used again, but how many times do the authors make the aliens better than the humans? Make them a race that has barely any violent tendencies, that treats everyone as equals. A race that has no such concepts as thievery or crime in it.

You must be wondering what kind of conflict could exist in such a perfect world. Well, mix in some human rebels, an alien who sympathizes with them and two people living in one body and things get a lot more interesting.

Now, before starting the real review I would like to address the first 100 pages of the book, because some will find it very hard to get past them. Like my mother. Well, get past them. They are absolutely necessary to the plot, and from the second reading on I understood the real beauty and perfection of them, but they are admittedly slow. Don't give up. Read on. You won't regret it!

Now that we've got that out of the way, my absolute favorite character in this novel is Wanda, the alien main character. Wanda is a pacifist who protects who she loves fiercely and always puts them first. Even if it might have disastrous ramifications to herself. I don't always love self-sacrifice, but here it was done perfect.

The dynamics between her and Melanie were very interesting, especially because through Melanie's memories Wanda learns to love those Mel does. So while Melanie is the complete opposite of Wanda in many ways, they can both agree that their family and loved ones come first, which makes them fit like a glove despite their differences and work together.

Now, it wouldn't be a Stephenie Meyer novel without some romance in it, right? Well, there is that in this book. And I loved how it played out. At first I was very scared I will hate it because it presents itself as a very complicated love triangle at first glance, but it's not. It never was, as you come to understand at the end of this perfect novel.

Jared, Melanie's boyfriend, is one of those love interests. To summarize him - he's a jerk. Maybe not to everyone, but certainly to Wanda. Does he have an acceptable good reason? sure. but Wanda has been nothing but a doll the entire time so I really couldn't learn to like him. Especially when the only times he was nice to Wanda, it was for Melanie and no one else.

There there is Ian.

He reigns at the top of my Book Boyfriend List. As the story goes on, this character develops into one of the most wonderful, loving and kind guys I've ever read of. The guy's freaking awesome! Honestly, he is the first of the rebels to open himself to the possibility Wanda isn't bad and from then on I was in love.

Two other noteworthy characters are Jamie, Melanie's adorable brother and Jeb, the Dumbledore of this book. Wise, mysterious and eccentric, he gives Wanda the change to earn her place among the rebels and has earned my eternal love for it.

And the ending...

Everything about that ending was beautiful. From what Wanda chose to do to the proof of how much the rebels became her family - and she theirs. It was heartbreaking and courageous and stunning and sad and I can't even with this ending.

*Re-visiting this review made me unable not to re-read the book again. So... I did.



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Old Version
(show spoiler)[To read the organized version of this review and more go to my blog; Drugs Called Books!

This is one of my favorite books, and I actually like it better than Twilight. I'm not sure what I feel about the possibility of a second and third book to make this a series, because I fear it'll get ruined. I didn't feel like it needed more. Then again, I do want to read more about Wanda and everything - maybe even have a look at other rebel camps around the world like the one they meet? Possible.

So, anyway, I decided to give this a review. Keep in mind that the last time I've read this (number 5, I think) was a few months ago, so we wont get into too many specific. The next time I give this a re-read I'll update.

So, let's start -
The first time I read the book, I had a hard time with the beginning. It was like Harry Potter's few first chapter; a bit long and not very full of action. And with a book the size of The Host, it takes 100 pages to get out of it. BUT, the second time I read the book - I didn't know why I had any problem with it; the beginning suddenly became very interesting and meaningful and I read it enthusiastically - goes to show the magic of second reading.
Now, the moment Wanda is found - that's when things get interesting. I loved how this book played out; loved Wanda's personality; so might not have been violent, but she protected those she loved fiercely, on her own expense, because she cared about them so much. I don't always love self-sacrifice, but here it just fit in so nicely.
The combination between Wanda and Melanie's minds was very interesting, as the idea behind the entire book - an alien invasion were the aliens, in a way, are better than the humans; no wars, no money, no violence. Not a very interesting life, I suppose, but one could argue better.
Then there was the love in this book. Wanda fell in love with the people Melanie loved through her memories. She felt Melanie's love to them, and in turn loved them too. There was Jamie, Melanie's little brother, who she loved as her own, and then there is Jared - Melanie's boyfriend.
Wanda finds the rebel's hideout and through out the book slowly gains their trust and love - which she returns.
I loved how the romance played out (Ian for the world!)
I also liked that there was no love triangles, per se; you see, it's true we have somewhat two love interest; but it didn't feel like a love triangle. Not like Twilight, and all those. Jared was always Melanie's, and I always felt like Wanda's feeling came from Mel's. She felt everything she did - it stands to reason her feelings for Jared came from the same place. Whereas Ian... Ian slowly opened up for her, slowly fell for her and was her 100% counterpart. He fit her, and loved her - Wanda, not the Melanie still living inside her. He was always the one for her. It played out perfectly, not overdone.
I didn't like Jared as much - he was cruel to Wanda most of the time, only softening when he realized Mel was alive. All the gentle gestured were for Melanie, none for Wanda, even though Wanda is such a good and tender person.
And the conclusion, what Wanda decided to do once she realized Earth was her planet and how much everyone became family to her... it was heart breaking and beautiful and courageous and sad. And how, in the end, all those "alien haters" people came through for her...
Beautiful.
This book, for me, is beautiful.


One of my favorite scenes, by the way, is the fight with Kyle in the baths and the aftermath of it :)

I can't wait for the movie! I don't like movie renditions, most of the time, but I also can't help watching them to say "maybe, just maybe" this will be one of those I like. I do want to see who'll be Jared, Melanie/Wanda and Ian.

To read this review and more go to my blog; Drugs Called Books!

Ian!!! 3333] (hide spoiler)