Review: The Host, 4 cups of tea!

Review: The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

Summary by Goodreads.com
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.


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The big question is, what did I think of it?
To be honest, this book has been on my shelf since it was published in 2009. Somehow I never felt the urge to pick it up and start reading.
Now, with the movie hitting the theaters next year, I felt that urge, plus I had a friend who was almost forcing me to read it. ^^
And I simply love her for forcing me into it, I owe her brownies and a cup of tea I guess. :)
When I started reading at first, I was completely confused. I didn't get the story and I really had to be sucked into it. But then the story started going and it was as if I couldn't stop any more, as if someone had cut the breaks. I have been speechless for a whole day after I'd finished it. My first thoughts, after 5 minutes of being completely numb, were: "chocolate, I need chocolate".

Firstly, I must point out how well written all the characters are, everyone has his story and his own character.
All the characters were so well expressed and I felt like I too got to know them. Of course the setting is hard for them but it shows that together, and with a dose of craziness, you'll stand strong.
The writing and the story are very clever, with both Melanie and Wanderer being the leading ladies and you can relate to both of them. Of course, Wanderer isn't human but her thoughts are pure, being a soul and all. And it is very interesting to read their conversations and discover that those girls really don't look alike but then in the end have one thing in common. Their relationship is an adventure alone in the book.
Secondly, though the whole setting might be a little unbelievable, you can do nothing but believe it while you are reading. It is so well described (though I only began to understand everything after the first part of the book) with a dosis of humor and sensation.
I also must add that I cried my eyes out in chapters 57 and 58. I just couldn't believe it but when those chapters ended it was like; "yeah it's supposed to go this way". So I must say I was absolutely shocked with the events after those chapters.
Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced because I love Stephenie Meyer's books and I am really sad that some people can't seem to do the same, tastes differ, I know. But in my opinion, books must always entertain, is a book entertaining, than it has succeeded in its duty. And 'The Host' definitely is entertaining. I have been stuck in this book with my nose for 6 days at every free possible moment.

I rate 'The Host' 4 cups of tea. I really liked it a lot and the book has ended on my favorites list and The Host will definitely be read many, many times. The one thing I thought that wasn't so good about the Host, was the trouble I had in being sucked into it. It has some starting issues, but like oldtimers, when it finally runs, it runs good :)

So if you haven't read it yet, please do, give it a shot -yes all those pages-, it's worth it.

My rating system:
I use cups of tea (I told you I was obsessed ^^)
1 cup of tea: not my cup of tea, I didn't like it.
2 cups of tea: it was okay
3 cups of tea: that's more like it, I like it!
4 cups of tea: I really liked it
5 cups of tea: That's for sure my cup of tea, I loved it.