The Host by Stephenie Meyer
The second story by Stephenie Meyer - The Host (in German Seelen, in French Les Âmes vagabondes). I heard it as an audio book in German. Originally published 2008. Age: 15 to death, (girls).
The earth is no longer ruled by humans but by aliens called "souls". Wanderer is such a soul. Mellanie is a rebel. When Wanderer was set into Mellanie to find out her secrets and where her friends are, Wanderer did not expect to deal with so much resistance… but Mellanie is strong, nearly more than Wanderer herself. She knows what she's supposed to do: kill Mel. Instead, she lets her mental flatmate bring her to the other rebels... Like Mel's brother and boyfriend, who don't know Mellanie's still alive. The people Wanderer has grown to love thourgh Mel's memories. While the soul's fate is decided, a Seeker starts to track her down. And Wanderer has to struggle with the new, human world, with differentiating between her feelings and Mel's… and finding out what it means to be human.
I first thought The Host would be bad, just a story for making money. But it clearly isn't. This story is unique, sometimes funny, tense and makes you think. This is more than a love story. It is about what humans are, something that Wanderer tries to understand. It's about morality, too. This makes you think about how far someone can go and how far you would go when you were in Ian's place, for example. Or, even more complicated, in Jarrod's.
The characters are absolutely fascinating, especially how Wanderer and Mellanie both look at them in a different light… and are treated differently by them.
Jamie is Mel's younger brother and an absolute darling. He loves both girls with all of his heart, which is fitting because Wanda already sees herself as his second big sister. There isn't a thing she'd not give up for him.
But Jarrod is the one who splits Mel and Wanda most. Both girls are actually in love with him, Mel more than Wanda, and the fact that Jarrod plays with them doesn't make them happy. But while Mel gets jealous and angry and wants to hit him, Wanda is… well, less reactive. She's water, Mel's fire – which leads to a few interesting situations.
I like how the main characters work together. The hate at first, than the respect and later on even the sisterly love. I adore the scene which Jamie isn't supposed to see! That's just sooo so so so great!
Another character I really like is Ian. I love how he gradually changes his mind about Wanda and how he actually begins to follow her around like a protecting dog… how he begins to love her as well. It takes much human character and compassion to change so much. And it's absolutely in character for him and convincing.
His brother's something as well. Kyle's an antagonist, till Sunny. He's fascinating and hard to love… but fascinating never the less.
Now, each character in this this book has his background and a real personality and none of them are like Jacob, Edward, Bella or someone else from Twilight.
But what I like best are the different kinds of love in this book. They are so... wonderful. It's not a sappy romance or anything like it. There are so many different loves, the one between siblings were one of them takes care of the other, the love between lovers, love that grows out of initial hate and is the born when the person look twice – and actually see the good, learn to respect and then, to love. No person is the same and no relationship is, either. An example: Nearly everyone hated Wanda. But Mel and Wanda are closer than sisters, Kyle and Wanda are almost friends and Wanda's and Ian's relationship is just so sweet… less based on strength of character but more on the compassion both of them have in their hearts. “A slow fire burning inside out” like Kiera Cass puts it in The Elite, while Jarod and Mel are all fire and passion. And everyone wants to protect Jamie.
This book, like I said, is gorgeously done, every part of it. The ending is interesting as well. There is no “and now they live happily ever after”. It's far more realistic and far better than that.
In brief:
I really like this book and give it a star for style, for characters, for the ideas, the content, the emotions and relationships and because it makes you think and manages to be funny.