The Host Characters: Full List & Analysis

Who drives the story

Main characters

Wanderer / Wanda

A Soul who has lived on many planets and never found a host she loved—until Melanie's emotions make her human in all but species. She betrays her kind to protect Jamie and Jared, and finally tries to die so Melanie can live again.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Voice That Wouldn't Die; Part 2: Earning the Cave; Part 3: The Raid and the Sacrifice; Part 4: Two Bodies, Four Hearts
Themes:: Who owns a body?; Love as invasion; Tolerance and coexistence; Self-sacrifice versus self-worth; Identity: person or parasite?

Melanie Stryder

The human rebel whose consciousness survives implantation, fighting Wanderer for her own body with temper and threats. Her love for Jared and Jamie turns her captor into an ally—and she ends up begging Wanda not to sacrifice herself.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Voice That Wouldn't Die; Part 2: Earning the Cave; Part 3: The Raid and the Sacrifice; Part 4: Two Bodies, Four Hearts
Themes:: Who owns a body?; Love as invasion; Self-sacrifice versus self-worth; Identity: person or parasite?

Ian O'Shea

A human who falls in love with the alien inside the enemy's body, insisting he loves her personality, not Melanie's face. He fights a tribunal to stop her self-sacrifice and wins her in the end.

Appears in:: Part 2: Earning the Cave; Part 3: The Raid and the Sacrifice; Part 4: Two Bodies, Four Hearts
Themes:: Who owns a body?; Love as invasion; Self-sacrifice versus self-worth; Identity: person or parasite?

Jared Howe

Melanie's lover, hardened from loving a woman wearing the enemy's face. He attacks Wanda on sight, then softens watching her comfort the dying—and threatens Doc with a hunting knife to save her life.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Voice That Wouldn't Die; Part 2: Earning the Cave; Part 3: The Raid and the Sacrifice; Part 4: Two Bodies, Four Hearts
Themes:: Love as invasion; Tolerance and coexistence; Identity: person or parasite?

Jamie Stryder

Melanie's fourteen-year-old brother, the first to accept Wanda, hungry for stories of other planets. His infected leg forces the raid that proves Wanda's loyalty.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Voice That Wouldn't Die; Part 2: Earning the Cave; Part 3: The Raid and the Sacrifice; Part 4: Two Bodies, Four Hearts
Themes:: Love as invasion; Tolerance and coexistence; Identity: person or parasite?

Uncle Jeb

Melanie's paranoid survivalist uncle, who built the cave hideout before the invasion and owns its only gun. He bets the community's safety on Wanda belonging—and wins.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Voice That Wouldn't Die; Part 2: Earning the Cave
Themes:: Tolerance and coexistence

The Seeker

The Soul who hunted Melanie, unusually cruel because her own host, Lacey, fights her the way Melanie fights Wanda. Removed alive and sent into space once Wanda reveals the safe surgery.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Voice That Wouldn't Die; Part 3: The Raid and the Sacrifice
Themes:: Identity: person or parasite?

Doc

The colony's surgeon, haunted by the bodies his failed Soul-removals leave behind. Wanda's technique saves his conscience; his real name, Eustace, is his gift to her.

Appears in:: Part 2: Earning the Cave; Part 3: The Raid and the Sacrifice; Part 4: Two Bodies, Four Hearts

Also in the story

Supporting characters

Kyle O'Shea

Ian's brother, whose hatred of Souls runs to murder. He tries to drown Wanda, is saved by her, and later keeps Sunny—the Soul in Jodi's body—when Jodi doesn't wake.

Appears in:: Part 2: Earning the Cave
Themes:: Tolerance and coexistence

How they are connected

Key relationships

Wanderer / Wanda Melanie Stryder
A Soul who has lived on many planets and never found a host she loved—until Melanie's emotions make her human in all but species.
Wanderer / Wanda Jared Howe
She betrays her kind to protect Jamie and Jared, and finally tries to die so Melanie can live again.
Wanderer / Wanda Jamie Stryder
She betrays her kind to protect Jamie and Jared, and finally tries to die so Melanie can live again.
Melanie Stryder Jared Howe
Her love for Jared and Jamie turns her captor into an ally—and she ends up begging Wanda not to sacrifice herself.
Melanie Stryder Jamie Stryder
Her love for Jared and Jamie turns her captor into an ally—and she ends up begging Wanda not to sacrifice herself.
Ian O'Shea Melanie Stryder
A human who falls in love with the alien inside the enemy's body, insisting he loves her personality, not Melanie's face.
Jared Howe Doc
He attacks Wanda on sight, then softens watching her comfort the dying—and threatens Doc with a hunting knife to save her life.
Uncle Jeb Melanie Stryder
Melanie's paranoid survivalist uncle, who built the cave hideout before the invasion and owns its only gun.
Uncle Jeb Wanderer / Wanda
He bets the community's safety on Wanda belonging—and wins.
The Seeker Wanderer / Wanda
The Soul who hunted Melanie, unusually cruel because her own host, Lacey, fights her the way Melanie fights Wanda.
The Seeker Melanie Stryder
The Soul who hunted Melanie, unusually cruel because her own host, Lacey, fights her the way Melanie fights Wanda.
Doc Wanderer / Wanda
Wanda's technique saves his conscience; his real name, Eustace, is his gift to her.

Go deeper

The Host themes & symbols

Who owns a body? · Love as invasion · Tolerance and coexistence · Self-sacrifice versus self-worth

Themes explained

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The full story act by act, the ending explained and a quick quiz.

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