Book Review: The Host

Tonight I am going to book club to discuss Stephenie Meyer's book The Host. Great selection for October/Halloween, right? I thought so--but I was not the one who chose it, so I will not take too much credit.

So what did I think? I really liked it! I was worried I would not like it because I first started reading it ages ago. My sister-in-law, who knows Meyers, had a copy of the book before it was even released. So one day when at her house I read the prologue and the first chapter. I stopped there because it seemed SO WIERD!!! And at the time I recall thinking, "I think I will pass on this book."

But then it was chosen for book club and I decided to try again. This time I skipped the prologue and was able to get into much more quickly. The basic concept that I had found so strange was that there are two spirits/beings who are living inside a single person's body. One of them is a normal human spirit while the other is the spirit of an alien life form. The alien life form has control over the movements/voice/personality, but can still "hear" the thoughts of the human spirit and can access the memories of the human brain.

If you compare this odd arrangement to the more familiar concept of being possessed, then it is easier to see it is not such a far-fetched idea. So once you get the whole two-spirits-in-one-body concept, the book is very exciting and a real page turner. It also turns into a romance, which I liked a lot. A double romance even.

I do not want to give away too much of the plot, but I have to say I thought the ending was good. It may be viewed by some as predictable, but I personally like happy endings and thought Meyer's was able to tie things up in a satisfactory manner. I would rank this work right up there with Twilight. Meyer's definitely proves she is not a one-series wonder.

Scripture of the Day: John 4:35