The Host

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, 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.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts 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 yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.


DRAMATIS PERSONAE


Sara Roemer as Melanie Stryder/Wanderer- Melanie is a 20-year-old human who managed to escape capture by the invading souls for years, living on the run. Eventually she is captured, and a soul known as Wanderer is implanted in Mel's body. Mel continues to fight after Wanderer is implanted in her body, speaking to Wanderer and feeding her memories of the people she loves in hopes that Wanderer will one day lead her back to them.

Wanderer is the invading soul that inhabits Melanie Stryder's body. She received her name due to the number of planets she has lived in, having never settled on one she truly liked. She is later nicknamed "Wanda" by Mel's eccentric Uncle Jeb. Like all souls, she is naturally inclined to do good and is disgusted by violence. She feels incredibly guilty about the unrest her presence causes amongst Melanie's loved ones, and throughout the book she puts others before herself.


Jared Padalecki as Jared Howe- Jared is Melanie Stryder's lover. Circumstances always improve for the rebel humans he runs into, due to his great skill. He is seen as loving and somewhat excitable in Melanie's memories, though the loss of her renders him very bitter. He bears a grudge against Wanda and is unable to empathize with her.



Logan Lerman as Jamie Stryder- Jamie is Melanie's younger brother and is 14 years old when he first meets Wanda. He develops a relationship with Wanda due to her closeness to his sister; eventually, he develops a strong brotherly bond with Wanda himself. He considers Wanda "angelic" and enjoys her stories about other planets. He is very close to Jared, though their relationship becomes tense due to Jared's shabby treatment of Wanda. Jamie is described as having shaggy black curls and chocolate brown eyes.


Gene Hackman as Uncle Jeb - Jeb is Melanie's eccentric uncle. He was one of the first humans to suspect an alien invasion, and thus constructed an elaborate hide-out in caves beneath the Arizona desert. He believes that Wanda can fit in with the humans, and therefore puts both her and the others in very uncomfortable social situations. However, he remains convinced that no one will hurt Wanda due to his habit of strolling around with a gun and warning others that they are in "his house, his rules". Despite his flighty demeanor, he seems to have a handle on everything in the caves and tends to give very good advice. He is described as having a wild beard.


David Paetkau as Ian O'Shea- One of the rebel humans, Ian O'Shea is one of the first of the humans to treat Wanda with anything but hostility. He believes that she is an innocent girl who does not deserve to be punished because she inhabits Melanie's body. Ian does not get along well with Jared , due partially to Wanda's affection for him and partially because of Jared's willingness to harm Wanda for his own personal gain. Ian is described as being "kind enough to be a soul but strong as only a human could be", beautiful, having pale skin, dark hair, and striking blue eyes.


Eric Christian Olsen as Kyle O'Shea- Kyle is Ian's brother. He is a violent and angry man who would like nothing better than to kill Wanderer and rid the world of one less Soul. He is stubborn and quick to react to any situation without thinking. His anger stems from the loss of his wife to a Soul during the early days of invasion. A rift occurs between he and Ian as Ian befriends Wanderer.



Mark Harmon as Doc - A tall, slim human rebel that has medical training and serves as the rebels' doctor. He is shown to be compassionate and emotional, though he initially makes Wanda uncomfortable as he seems to view her as more of a science experiment than a person. He has alcohol problems and often gets drunk to drown his sorrow when he fails at a medical task.



Christina Ricci as The Seeker- One of the invading souls. Melanie and Wanda's relationship is initially based on their hate for the Seeker, who is described as being irritable for the usually gentle souls. She mocks Wanda for not being able to completely drive out Melanie's spirit. She hunts for Wanderer with a ferver and determination that is not normal for a Soul. ß