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A review by me_alley
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow. I will be thinking about this book for a long time. Literary Fiction and Speculative Dystopian fiction, this book speaks to our deepest fears about our changing society. In a future not so far away, you can buy a dreamsaver, a device that saves and records your dreams, but also shares this data with the government. In fact, the algorithm can apparently detect when you are about to commit a crime. You are assessed with a "risk score" by which the government can retain you at a retention center. Idea being, you stay for 21 days until the risk of you committing a crime goes down. However, most of the women there have been there much, much longer, Sara Hussein has been retained over 300 days. She misses her husband and her young twins terribly. Sara was an archivist, and now spends her meager commissary account on shampoo, snacks and internet time to read the news and email back home.
How was we reconcile the freedoms we hold most dear with changing technology and culture? What does "freedom of speech" mean when millions can be at risk if someone shares viral misinformation? Do I have the same freedom of speech as celebrities and influencers with millions of followers? What does the second amendment really mean when we have guns that can shoot 700 rounds per minute? What responsibility does the government have to keep its citizens safe?
This book extends that to our fear about our privacy and data collection. What can be done with the collection of our data? Over time, our habits, our searches, our DNA are all collected in an effort to sell us more things and to keep increasing the wealth of a handful of citizens. Many people, myself included, would like to see common sense gun laws to keep dangerous guns away from those that shouldn't have them. And what if we had even more data? Could we save lives by eliminating the crimes in the first place?
This book is a 1984 for our time. While the people of 1948 feared dictators when that classic was published, we fear our freedom being lost in the name of safety. Our privacy being taken and misinterpreted.
It reminds me of a friend of mine who kept seeing ads for diabetes medicine in her social media feeds. For months she saw this and couldn't understand it. At her blood draw at her annual physical she found out... you guessed it... she has diabetes. I have 1600 books read and reviewed on Goodreads, and I have entered COUNTLESS giveaways. I am happy to disclose that I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. And now I am sure that I won because the algorithm knew I would rate this 5 stars.
It comes out March 4, 2025. I can't wait to talk to other people about it, it's going to drive me nuts. I LOVED THE ENDING. Based on that pub date, I just know it will be picked for one of the celebrity book clubs. Tons of people are going to read this, although many will hate it, it's not a feel good book. But it will inspire great discussions at your book club!
How was we reconcile the freedoms we hold most dear with changing technology and culture? What does "freedom of speech" mean when millions can be at risk if someone shares viral misinformation? Do I have the same freedom of speech as celebrities and influencers with millions of followers? What does the second amendment really mean when we have guns that can shoot 700 rounds per minute? What responsibility does the government have to keep its citizens safe?
This book extends that to our fear about our privacy and data collection. What can be done with the collection of our data? Over time, our habits, our searches, our DNA are all collected in an effort to sell us more things and to keep increasing the wealth of a handful of citizens. Many people, myself included, would like to see common sense gun laws to keep dangerous guns away from those that shouldn't have them. And what if we had even more data? Could we save lives by eliminating the crimes in the first place?
This book is a 1984 for our time. While the people of 1948 feared dictators when that classic was published, we fear our freedom being lost in the name of safety. Our privacy being taken and misinterpreted.
It reminds me of a friend of mine who kept seeing ads for diabetes medicine in her social media feeds. For months she saw this and couldn't understand it. At her blood draw at her annual physical she found out... you guessed it... she has diabetes. I have 1600 books read and reviewed on Goodreads, and I have entered COUNTLESS giveaways. I am happy to disclose that I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. And now I am sure that I won because the algorithm knew I would rate this 5 stars.
It comes out March 4, 2025. I can't wait to talk to other people about it, it's going to drive me nuts. I LOVED THE ENDING. Based on that pub date, I just know it will be picked for one of the celebrity book clubs. Tons of people are going to read this, although many will hate it, it's not a feel good book. But it will inspire great discussions at your book club!