the host By Stephenie Meyer

What would you do if your body was invaded by a parasitic soul and you are expected to just give up your body and mind to this soul? Would you put up a fight? Would you willingly give up control of your body, your mind, your actions, and your emotions simply because a glowing worm said so?

This is the situation Melanie Stryder, one of the few remaining humans, is put in. In a failed attempt at finding a family member, she tries to kill herself so that she can not be taken by the Souls, the aliens that have invaded Earth. The reader is introduced to Wanderer, the soul implanted in Melanie’s body, and the reader starts to see that Melanie is not going to go away quietly. Wanderer and Melanie begin to work together, forming a bond that shouldn’t exist, as they search out Melanie’s brother and her boyfriend, who they hope are still human. In a world where humans are feared by the Souls and the Souls are feared by humans, is it possible for a human and soul to work together?

Stephenie Meyer takes a break from writing about vampires and werewolves to write her first “adult” novel in the science fiction genre. the host can be easily read by high school students, though I am sure anyone who is a fan of Stephenie Meyers will be more than wanting to read it. Strangely, it starts off slow and is slightly difficult to get in to, but it does pick up and readers will be hard pressed to put it down. Meyers claims that she did not intentionally write an “adult” novel, so it is no surprise that I am willing to recommend it for young adults as well.

This book could be taught in the classroom, but most likely in a science fiction geared class because of its subject matter. The novel has many themes (i.e. loneliness, love, struggle for survival) that could easily be tied into more classical work being read in the classroom…it would all be up to the teacher to figure out how it could be done!