Tolog Book Review: The Host

The Host
by Stephenie Meyer
reviewed by Courtney Rasic

Stephenie Meyer’s The Host is a dramatic, love-capturing novel, which will keep you longing for more and more of the eye-opening events that are embellished through the great writing of the author. This book is exceedingly recommended in my terms of opinion, contribution to the unbelievable turn of events, the unexpected encounters, and the unruly, passionate desire for love. The intriguing storyline of this novel, will introduce you to Melanie Stryder and Wanderer who are both occupants of the same, one body, Melanie is “the host” and Wanderer the “soul”. In the story the Host, Meyer digs deep inside to expressively reveal the true inner workings, feelings, and longings of the human race. “What was it that made this human love so much more desirable to me than the love of my own kind? Was it because it was exclusive and capricious? The souls offered love and acceptance to all. Did I crave a greater challenge?...Or was it simply better somehow? Because these humans hate with so much fury, was the other end of the spectrum that they could love with more heart and zeal and fire?” 

In a world where humans are to be extinct and have been taken over by an enemy species who use the human body to store their “souls” inside the human body, “the host.” Meyer expresses the indecisiveness very passionately and extensively between the “soul”, Wanderer and the “host”, Melanie Stryder. In my own opinion, Meyer is portraying to her readers the difficulty of listening to your heart, but still using your mind, in times of life difficulties or struggles, our minds tell us differently than our hearts. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, knew about the challenges of living inside a mature human: the overwhelming emotions and too vivid memories. The struggles depicted through every thought written, and expressed on every single page gets you more intrigued into the strangeness and curiosity. 

Meyer writes in a specific way that will get you anxious for every moment to happen, yet never see coming. The author wants you to read and hear the two sides between Melanie and Wanderer from what they think, desire, and what they disagree on altogether. What I loved the most was how the plot was strange and curious, never predictable to the point that the readers will be bored by a predictable conclusion of the story, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and unaware of what I was going to read next. This fictional novel is infused with riveting romance and is overwhelmingly emotional. The intensity of every word page to page, will refuse you to put the book down because the strength of how the author expresses the narrator’s thoughts and deep feelings lead you on to desperately know what will happen on forth throughout the novel. The extremity is addicting more than ever, to the extent that you can’t get enough.