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dameverte's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
georgiarae_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
abbywebb's review against another edition
4.0
A great book to curl up with on an unconventionally cold Labour Day weekend. Just don't go expecting to feel warm and fuzzy after reading it.
This dystopian book takes us to near-future Sweden, where childless men and women who do not contribute to the economy in any way are taken to a locked facility called The Unit. Women enter at age 50 while men are given 10 years extra due to the longevity of healthy sperm and are committed at age 60.
While in the Unit, life is idyllic as the citizens (or "dispensables") are allowed to wander freely through the spectacular greenhouses and gardens (even a replica of Monet's famous garden), eat whatever they want, take part in various fitness activities (running, swimming, yoga, spinning - you name it, they have it), and even attend the cinema, art gallery openings, and live theatre.
Oh, did I forget to mention the involuntary experiments and organ donation? Silly me, it completely slipped my mind. Yes, it is true that the dispensables are in fact, dispensable. That is, they undergo psychological or behavioural or medical experiments that test new drugs, new treatments, and the like. Everyone at some point also contributes a vital organ here or there, with the "final donation" being the end of one's life as all of the organs are auctioned off to needy people in society (i.e., parents, especially those with meaningful jobs).
A thrilling read, but not thrilling like, "I'm riding a killer rollercoster" so much as "Oh, they really do that and no one objects?!" A great read for dystopian fiction lovers - just don't think that you will predict the outcome (as least I didn't).
This dystopian book takes us to near-future Sweden, where childless men and women who do not contribute to the economy in any way are taken to a locked facility called The Unit. Women enter at age 50 while men are given 10 years extra due to the longevity of healthy sperm and are committed at age 60.
While in the Unit, life is idyllic as the citizens (or "dispensables") are allowed to wander freely through the spectacular greenhouses and gardens (even a replica of Monet's famous garden), eat whatever they want, take part in various fitness activities (running, swimming, yoga, spinning - you name it, they have it), and even attend the cinema, art gallery openings, and live theatre.
Oh, did I forget to mention the involuntary experiments and organ donation? Silly me, it completely slipped my mind. Yes, it is true that the dispensables are in fact, dispensable. That is, they undergo psychological or behavioural or medical experiments that test new drugs, new treatments, and the like. Everyone at some point also contributes a vital organ here or there, with the "final donation" being the end of one's life as all of the organs are auctioned off to needy people in society (i.e., parents, especially those with meaningful jobs).
A thrilling read, but not thrilling like, "I'm riding a killer rollercoster" so much as "Oh, they really do that and no one objects?!" A great read for dystopian fiction lovers - just don't think that you will predict the outcome (as least I didn't).
doctorsophie's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
punpun95's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
suedd's review against another edition
4.0
Dystopia set in an institution where the dispensable people (those without children/dependents) are sent at around 50 years of age. Organ donations and experimentation is their future. Makes you think about marginalizing those who do not have children, the value of contributing to society. Slow start, but worth the read.
sallycacchi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
An interesting premise, but the book ended up being something I wasn't expecting.
This book seems to try too hard to critique capitalism and society's view of individual worth and just ended up being a bit shallow and obvious. There was nuance missing here and the story could have been built in a more subtle way.
As a late 30s childless woman myself I found some of the commentary around relationships between women with children and those without a little troubling. Perhaps attitudes are different in Sweden and this talks to more of societal norms there but I didn't resonate with this at all.
The premise of the book came across as really unrealistic to me and there are a number of plot holes, I think that the author leant too much on the "literary" style to deflect from these shortcomings, but the book does not have the emotional depth to pull this off.
The part of the book that most resonated with me was Dorritt's relationship with her dog, in all honesty this seemed to be the only part of the book with any true emotional depth.
I found the main character to be extremely unlikeable, I do wonder how closely she resembles the author in character...
This book seems to try too hard to critique capitalism and society's view of individual worth and just ended up being a bit shallow and obvious. There was nuance missing here and the story could have been built in a more subtle way.
As a late 30s childless woman myself I found some of the commentary around relationships between women with children and those without a little troubling. Perhaps attitudes are different in Sweden and this talks to more of societal norms there but I didn't resonate with this at all.
The premise of the book came across as really unrealistic to me and there are a number of plot holes, I think that the author leant too much on the "literary" style to deflect from these shortcomings, but the book does not have the emotional depth to pull this off.
The part of the book that most resonated with me was Dorritt's relationship with her dog, in all honesty this seemed to be the only part of the book with any true emotional depth.
I found the main character to be extremely unlikeable, I do wonder how closely she resembles the author in character...
theseventhl's review against another edition
4.0
Review originally posted at Dangerously Cold Tea
On occasion, you come along novels that are so startling fresh and outspoken that they leave you thinking long after the last page. For most readers, The Unit is - or will be - one of those novels. It is a science-fiction premise but it is presented in a fashion most unlike the sci-fi we normally read: it is human and intimate in scope, yet approaches revolutionary ideas with an open-minded narrative that it's impossible to really put this book in one genre or another.
Our protagonist, Dorrit Weger, has been deemed by society expendable, so she is sent to a facility where she will be taken care of as they experiment on her person and eventually give away all her major organs away, leading to her death. She enters, perfectly resigned, but that doesn't make a good story, does it? So naturally, something happens to make her realize how terribly wrong this all is: she falls in love. And it is through this new relationship - and the memories she falls back on from time to time - that brings this character around in a new light, makes us question the novel's brave new world which we are thrust into from page one.
Like many novels of its ilk, The Unit has a controversial ending. Obviously, I won't say what happens, but it is the kind of ending to divide readers and have them question both Miss Holmqvist's motives as well as the true meaning of the story. The main question of the novel is never really answered by either Dorrit, the rest of the cast, or the narrative: is the world of the Unit wrong? That is a question better answered by the individual reader, to promote discussion over the touchy subjects brought up by Holmqvist's writing - and rightly so. Stories like 1984 and The Giver are classics because they bring up questions and leave their audience to provide their own answers. Only time will tell if The Unit will join their ranks.
On occasion, you come along novels that are so startling fresh and outspoken that they leave you thinking long after the last page. For most readers, The Unit is - or will be - one of those novels. It is a science-fiction premise but it is presented in a fashion most unlike the sci-fi we normally read: it is human and intimate in scope, yet approaches revolutionary ideas with an open-minded narrative that it's impossible to really put this book in one genre or another.
Our protagonist, Dorrit Weger, has been deemed by society expendable, so she is sent to a facility where she will be taken care of as they experiment on her person and eventually give away all her major organs away, leading to her death. She enters, perfectly resigned, but that doesn't make a good story, does it? So naturally, something happens to make her realize how terribly wrong this all is: she falls in love. And it is through this new relationship - and the memories she falls back on from time to time - that brings this character around in a new light, makes us question the novel's brave new world which we are thrust into from page one.
Like many novels of its ilk, The Unit has a controversial ending. Obviously, I won't say what happens, but it is the kind of ending to divide readers and have them question both Miss Holmqvist's motives as well as the true meaning of the story. The main question of the novel is never really answered by either Dorrit, the rest of the cast, or the narrative: is the world of the Unit wrong? That is a question better answered by the individual reader, to promote discussion over the touchy subjects brought up by Holmqvist's writing - and rightly so. Stories like 1984 and The Giver are classics because they bring up questions and leave their audience to provide their own answers. Only time will tell if The Unit will join their ranks.
meglistenstobooks's review against another edition
4.0
I love a dystopian society and this did not disappoint.
How is one's life valued?
What burden does a person place on society?
What obligation does a person have to pay society back?
The brainwashing of the 'dispensables', clear in the way they accepted their fate without a fight, even when their bodies were dismantled piece by piece, was interesting, in the same way that the Handmaids accepting monthly rape in order to survive is fascinating and terrifying.
The ending was frustrating for me -
How is one's life valued?
What burden does a person place on society?
What obligation does a person have to pay society back?
The brainwashing of the 'dispensables', clear in the way they accepted their fate without a fight, even when their bodies were dismantled piece by piece, was interesting, in the same way that the Handmaids accepting monthly rape in order to survive is fascinating and terrifying.
The ending was frustrating for me -
Spoiler
I wanted something that blew up the society, I wanted the main character to fight for something different for herself and her baby.bria_'s review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25