title: The Unit
author: Ninni Holmqvist
genre: dystopian fiction
published: originally published in Swedish in 2006
pages: 268
source: personal copy
first line: It was more comfortable than I could have imagined.
rated: 4 out of 5 stars
blurb:
When Dorrit Wegner turned fifty, the government transferred her to a state-of-the-art facility where she can live out her days in comfort. Her apartment is furnished to her tastes, her meals expertly served, and all at the very reasonable non-negotiable price of one cardiopulmonary system. Once an outsider without family, derided by a society bent on productivity, Dorrit finds within The Unit the company of kindred spirits and a dignity conferred by 'use' in medical tests. But when Dorrit also finds love, her peaceful submission is blown apart and she must fight to escape before her 'final donation'.
About:
The Unit is set sometime in the not too far off future. According to a new law, if adults cannot contribute to society in some way, they are considered to be dispensable. Contributing to society means having children or having a high demand career.
Dispensable adults are taken to Second Reserve Bank Unit for Biological Material, where they will live out the remainder of their lives donating body parts and organs, until their 'final donation'. In The Unit, they are also experimented on. This is all considered to be for the 'greater good'. This final donation refers to essential life sustaining organs, such as the heart, liver or intestines, etc.
Childless women are collected at age 50, men at age 60, since men are capable of producing sperm and possibly impregnating someone into their 60's. The Unit is heavily monitored, there is no privacy. The Unit is made to be as pleasant as possible, there are activities, health care and food available, all for free. Although technically a prison, a fake environment is created, parks and such, to make those sentenced there feel as comfortable as they can.
Dorrit Weger is a childless, unwed, semi-successful writer who has turned 50 years old. Considered to be dispensable, Dorrit is taken to the Second Reserve Bank Unit, where she will live out the remainder of her days. There Dorrit meets other dispensable citizens, forms bonds and develops friendships. She even finds love.
My thoughts:
I found The Unit to be a disturbing and intriguing book. The idea that at a certain age and after supposedly not having contributed to society, adults are taken off and made to live in a government facility in order to harvest their body parts gave me the heebie jeebies.
Dorrit and the others at the Unit all know what is going to happen to them, and they all have no choice but to accept it. Oddly enough, since this society has accepted this way of living, once dispensables go to live in The Unit, they find acceptance and even some comfort. In the outside world, those who haven't contributed to society are shunned and made to feel left out.
The Unit is technically a prison, even though they have pools, artificial gardens, parties and nice food. The staff seems nice, albeit in a detached sort of way, most reminded me of non feeling robots. I kept wondering how they could possibly work there. Yet there are a few staff members who seem to have true compassion.
It's creepy and sad how the other residents of The Unit have obvious health problems such as skin disorders, loss of hearing and eyesight, among other things, after certain experiments and donations.
Dorrit and the other dispensables form bonds and friendships, even love interests. She falls in love with a fellow inmate and I was stunned that the two were having a sexual relationship, even with cameras on constant watch. I should mention there are a few graphic sexual scenes within the book.
The narrative is very cut and dry here, no poetic prose or sugarcoating things, and I was very much sucked into the storyline and felt uneasy as I read. I felt bad for Dorrit, mainly when she mentions how she misses her dog. The ending wasn't what I wanted, it left me feeling a tad exasperated with the whole situation.
I do enjoy dystopian fiction and am glad I had a chance to read this one. So far this is my favorite book read in this genre. I even wound up telling hubby about this book, which in turn led to a discussion about the "what if's?".
Overall an interesting and disturbing dystopian read with food for thought.
Special thanks to Jenners for my copy of The Unit. I won it over at her blog.
13 comments:
As a childless, disabled woman aged 43 I guess my chances would be pretty grim.
Petty: what a crazy idea to begin with.
This book was pretty creepy and very thought provoking. I was frightened by how the dispensables just went along with it and by how the unit actually seemed like a great place, until you thought about the donations. Chilling.
anna: Yes, the Unit seems almost nice, especially since they form friendships and find acceptance.
This sounds right up my street, I will be adding it to the wishlist.
I've had this one on my shelf for ages. I've heard mixed reviews on it but I still want to read it for myself. It is a scary idea for sure and not a future society I'd want. I'd certainly be in trouble.
This sounds very thought provoking, I really need to read it. Thanks for the review
Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net
Sounds like my kind of book too. The kind you don't want to keep reading because you kind of know what's going to happen and yet you can't look away. Sounds a little like a cross between Never Let Me Go and Unwind.
It was such an odd book in tone and feeling. It was such a mix of horror but then just plain commonplace events. That is why I think it works as a dystopia -- because it seems so ordinary in part. Glad you "enjoyed" it and it led to some good discussions.
I've wanted to read this one for some time now...it sounds so interesting and definitely a bit disturbing. I'm going to have to pick it up as soon as possible after reading your review...thanks for sharing!
ellie and lainy: I enjoyed it. I think those who like dystopias might feel the same.
sam: yes, it was both disturbing and interesting. I added the steampunk you recently reviewed to my every growing wish list.
jenners: thanks, if not for u, I probably wouldnt have read this one :) I think thats what made it so scary, that it was just accepted.
karen: exactly that. And I have heard this one being compared to Never Let Me Go. I want to read that too.
dar: it was a creepy read for sure. I wonder why the author came up with such a storyline.
I was 50 when I read this book so I was totally creeped out!
lol Bermuda.
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