The Host

* Bibliographic information
Meyer, S. The Host. Little, Brown and Company, 2008. ISBN: 9780316068048 (Adult-Teen Crossover Book)

- Booklist Editors' Choice - Adult Fiction for Young Adults: 2008
- YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2009


* Plot Summary
Earth has been taken over by small parasite type aliens called Souls. They are put into human bodies, or host bodies in order to stay alive. They are peaceful beings who think they are helping us because they saw humans killing and victimizing each other. There are those humans like Melanie Stryder who still live on the outskirts of civilization hiding from the Souls. When she is captured and a Soul called Wanderer is placed inside they are both confused to find Melanie still there. There are those like Melanie who fight back and will not be erased to matter how hard to Soul tries, but they are rare and never talked about among the aliens. Through Melanie’s memories of her brother and her lover, Jared, Wanderer starts to feel for them as Melanie does and wants to find them and be with them. Wanderer and Melanie set out to find them. They find them with a group of other “wild” humans and get mixed reactions when Melanie’s Uncle
Jeb allows them to enter the sanctuary for humans. Melanie and Wanderer are both in love with Jared but all he sees when he looks at them is an alien who has killed the woman he loves and is living in her body. Melanie wants to tell people she is there, but Wanderer fears they will not believe her and will kill her for lying and trying to trick them. The two also worry that the Seeker who is trying to find them will succeed and capture everyone they now love.


* Critical Evaluation
The love triangle, or square in this case, storyline is similar to the Twilight saga and fans, both adults and teens will love this one as well. Meyer always creates an intensity with her characters that holds a reader’s attention and refuses to let them go. Although the book is released as an adult novel is can easily be read by teens; it makes a great crossover book. The science fiction aspect of the book is fascinating and makes the story special. The interactions between Wanderer and Melanie are great; the reader gets to see a growing relationship between two beings occupying the same space that are also in love with the same man. This is a new take on the familiar story of a love triangle; having two people inside of one.


* Reader’s Annotation
What do you do when your planet has been taken over by alien beings and one has just been put into your body so it can be used as a host body? If you are Melanie Stryder, you fight back.


* Information about the author
Meyer lives in Arizona with her husband and three sons. She has a degree in English literature from Brigham Young University. She was a stay at home mother until she had a dream about the character of Edward and wrote her first novel, Twilight in 2005. To find out more about Stephenie Meyer, check out her website, http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/index.html.


* Genre
Adult Fiction; Science Fiction


* Curriculum Ties, if any
N/A


* Booktalking Ideas
1) Discuss the way Uncle Jeb treats Wanderer from the beginning. Why do you think he is so quick to trust her and befriend her unlike everyone else?
2) Talk about the Seeker who seems to be obsessed with finding Wanderer and why she cannot give up her search.
3) Before Wanderer comes, the ‘wild” humans experiment on Souls and host bodies they find, trying to remove the Soul and save the host. What are your feelings on this?


* Reading Level/Interest Age
Grade 11 and Up / 17 and Up


* Challenge Issues and Defense
N/A


* Why did you include this book in your titles you selected?
I selected this book because I do think it is important to include adult-teen crossover books because many teens do enjoy books written for adults. This book was part of the YALSA Best Books for Young Adults: 2009 and School Library Journal reviewed this book as an Adult/ High School level book, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0316068047/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books. I would have considered this a crossover book on my own but it is good to know the professionals back up my opinion. I got hooked on this book as I did with the books in the Twilight Saga and read it in one day. I really enjoy the writing of Stephenie Meyer because I feel books should make you want ot keep reading and hers do that with a force I have never experienced with other books. I think teens will enjoy this book and older teens will have no trouble following along; I think it belongs in this collection.