Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

1 review

samdalefox's review

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challenging dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

I read this as an audiobook. Pros: the narrator aided my undertanding of pronunciation of Swedish names and words. Cons: I probably would have moved through the book at a quicker pace if reading it as a physical book.

There were many interesting themes and topics introduced in the book, however they were done so 'quietly'. This is not your usual on-the-nose dystopian feminist-critique. I am glad I read it and appreciate the style, but I don't think ultimately that it's for me. There were only a few moments that really grabbed my interest. The ending frustrated me but I do think it was the right choice for Dorrit (the protagonist) and the overall 'quiet/passive' social and political commentary of the book. 

What would have improved the rating for me was more world building outside of the unit. I'd like more social and political insights as to why The Unit exists, what justifies it, do people support or oppose it etc. I think this could have been incorporated in the 'quiet' style of the author. We get a glimpse of how these societal views have sadly developed towards the end of the book, but it wasn't enough to satisfy me and fully contextualise the reactions of the residents imprisoned inside The Unit. 

If you are interested in any of the following, you will find 'The Unit' an interesting read:
  • Feminism - specifically how Capitalism has openly and specifically centered cis-hetero social reproduction (child rearing) as a critical necessity to the economy. 
  • Imprisonment
  • 'Utility', humans' 'use' or 'purpose' in society 
  • Reproduction rights/reproduction freedom complexity
  • Ageism and utilitarianism - think along the lines of 'Logan's run
  • Being alone vs being loney
  • Chosen family and love e.g. pets
  • Who is 'dispensable' in society, who is valued, who are role models?
  • Disability ethics (the social model vs medical model) - there was a fascinating short story in Part 2 about a mother and a disabled baby that was particularly thought provoking.
  • Authoritarian tactics, surveillance - think 'big brother' 
  • Treating humans with dignity - this was highlighted through a conversation with the staff member called Potter.
  • Conflation between the 'value' of life and 'cost' of life. e.g. money spent by the state on each person, limitations of Capitalist computations
  • People who are sure of themselves and follow their dreams vs people who are not sure of themselves and/or did not live the life they wanted. 
  • The social impact of non-conformity
  • The difficulties of being child free, being treated as a second class citizen, losing friends to parenthood. I strongly resonated with these parts. 

One final comment. I don't know what the Swedish-vibes are out there in the world, but this is not the first time I've seen this intense community spirit linked to Swedish people. Think about that scene in 'Midsommar' where the lead is screaming/crying and very upset and the rest of the women surround her and scream with her until she is calm. There are similar vibes in 'The Unit'. I am unsure if this is cultural commentary and whether this is a positive or negative take, without more information I believe it could be interepreted either way.

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