The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
by Jenners • 11/08/2011 • 4 Stars, Dystopia, Fiction, H Authors, U Titles • 52 Comments
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist and translated by Marlaine DelargyPublisher: Other Press, 2009
Pages: 272
Genre: Fiction, Dystopia
Where I Got It: Bought it
Why I Read It: I kept seeing reviews for this dystopia and it sounded interesting. Plus, I wanted to experience an adult dystopia instead of a YA dystopia for once.
My Rating: 4 stars
Book Description
In the not-to-distant future, Sweden has adopted some new societal norms. Those who are “needed” (i.e., work in necessary industries, produce children) live their lives normally. Those who are “dispensable” (i.e., work in marginal industries such as the arts, have not produced children) live on the outskirts of society until the age of 50 (for women) and 60 (for men). At that point, they enter the Second Reserve Bank Unit for Biological Material (or The Unit) for the remainder of their lives. In the Unit, they enjoy a comfortable apartment, freedom to pursue their art, modern facilities (including restaurants, theaters, gardens, and shopping), and friendship with other dispensables. Although they are not permitted to leave the Unit and are under constant video surveillance, all of their material needs are taken care of. They also find something else for the first time—friendship and acceptance.
In exchange for this comfortable lifestyle, the dispensables participate in a variety of medical experiments and, when necessary, donate “non-essential” organs to the Needed. Inevitably, they make a final donation, which is permanent and irrevocable (i.e., they donate all their organs). Despite the seeming horror of the Unit, our narrator Dorrit finds it a rather pleasant place to live. For the first time, Dorrit finds herself forming real relationships and living a fulfilling life—rather than just scraping by in her falling down house with only the company of her dog and illegal lover. However, her initial enchantment begins to fade when her friends being making final donations or suffering debilitating side effects from experiments. To complicate matters further, Dorrit falls in love for the first time with a fellow dispensable—leading her to contemplate whether this way of life is really as dignified and humane as it first seemed.
My Thoughts
The Unit flips dystopia on its head by presenting a dystopic society in which everyone has bought into and accepted the new societal norms. (I’m not really spoiling the book with my description. It is all laid out in a rather matter-of-fact manner.) Dorrit and the others repeatedly remind themselves that they are living in a democracy and their donations are for the greater good. Despite some bitter resentment of fertile women, most dispensables find the Unit to be a safe haven—a place where they can fully and freely be themselves for the first time. Outside in the community, women like Dorrit were ostracized and barely able to get by. The freedom to create art and socialize with like-minded individuals is intoxicating. Ironically, inside the Unit, Dorrit begins to experience a full life for the first time.
Of course, the price of this life is rather steep. As Dorrit begins to see the effects of donations and experiments on her friends, she begins to waver in her attitude. In addition, Dorrit is not fully prepared for the reality of final donations. Yet the support and understanding of her fellow dispensables and the sympathetic staff help her deal with the sorrow and shock. It was fascinating how Holmqvist managed to make the Unit seem like an attractive option … if you just don’t think too hard about donations and such. It was easy to see why Dorrit almost enjoys her life in the Unit. It was also interesting how the staff of the Unit aren’t draconian guards or evil overlords forcing the dispensables to donate their organs. Everyone is supportive, caring and sympathetic. It was a strange and interesting dynamic—more in line with a dystopia like Never Let Me Go than The Hunger Games. (In fact, The Unit bears more than a passing resemblance to Never Let Me Go, including some of the terminology used. It made me wonder if Holmqvist was influenced by Ishiguro’s book.)
A book like The Unit raises interesting questions. How much is an individual life worth? Are some people more valuable than others because of what they contribute to society? Is the comfortable life given to dispensables a fair trade for the sacrifices they are asked to make? It was a pleasure (if I can use that word) to read a dystopia that seemed more grown-up and reasonable. Of course, that is exactly what makes this book so disturbing Although I found the book interesting, I didn’t fall in love with it … most likely due to the almost clinical nature of Holmqvist’s prose. I’m not sure if this was a translation issue, but I never fully got emotionally invested in Dorrit or the other characters due to the “aloofness” of Holmqvist’s writing. I was more interested in this society that Holmqvist was exploring than the characters living in it.Note: There are a few fairly explicit sex scenes that may make some readers uncomfortable.
Recommended For
Readers who enjoy dystopias that are more sophisticated in tone and less overtly brutal than dystopias found in YA books.
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It would probably be too clinical in tone for me as well. But I did find your review interesting and like that it poses good questions for discussion. Thanks Jenners!
It is one of those books that is more interesting to think about than to read in a way .. as odd as that sounds.
Jenners, this sounds really good. I do enjoy this genre. The way that this dystopia seems more realistic and beleiveable, does make it seem really scary.
Great review
I agree … the more “realistic” a dystopia, the scarier it is!
I’ve heard such mixed reviews do for this book. Some have loved it and others not. It’s somewhere in my pile of books so I imagine I’ll read it some day and see what I think.
I could see that it would inspire mixed reviews. It is one of those that I think you’ll only figure out if you like it after reading it.
I know I’ve heard about this one before but the reviews didn’t make me want to read it. Your review, on the other hand, makes me want to add this one to my list. This would be a great book for me and my son to read together. I think we would have some great philosophical discussions about this one. Dare I say it? I hope they will make a movie of this one too!
It would inspire a lot of discussion with your son … but there are a few explicit sex scenes so you’ve been forewarned! Just ignore them and you’ll be OK. : )
I’ve had this one on a wish list for a while and hadn’t moved to read it because it sounded so much like Never Let Me Go–interesting that you think so after reading it. I entered the giveaway because I’m still curious. The whole organ donation thing sounds a bit implausible, to me, unless this world is in the future; we’re not that good at replacing organs, so why would we need an entire segment of society ready to donate?
It is similar theme-wise to Never Let Me Go … but they are more aware of what is going on and they get the “old” not the young. In this book, if a “necessary” person needs a kidney, then the dispenables donate one of their kidneys. Basically, if an organ is needed by someone more “important,” the dispensables donate it … same with corneas, marrows and so forth.
Sounds great. I do enjoy dystopian novels and I have wanted some recommendations for adult dystopians, so thanks for sharing with me.
You’re welcome! Adult dystopia doesn’t seem to be as common as YA dystopia.
I remember hearing a lot about this one last year and thinking it looked interesting and now you’ve piqued my interest again. Thank you for the give away!
I felt the same way. I saw reviews from time to time and kept thinking “I need to read that!”
Every review of this book just makes me want to read it more. I must put it on the Xmas list.
I could see you grooving on this one! Be sure to enter my giveaway!
that sounds really different.
Well, if you’ve never read Never Let Me Go, it seems different. If you have read Never Let Me Go, it feels a bit familiar!
Jenners, your review was wonderful, and you fleshed out all the very intricate things in this book that made it interesting. I think most of the problems I had with this one had to do with narration, and with the detachment that everyone felt towards everything. I was also horrifically offended by the ending. It was so out of left field after all that Dorrit had said and done! I agree that you liked this one a lot more than I did, but I was able to appreciate it more fully through your eyes. Fantastic review!
I enjoyed reading your review … it helped me to see it through a different lens too. I think I was so disconnected from the characters at the end that I didn’t really care all that much! Isn’t that awful?
I really liked this one, and I thought the whole thing was creepy, but the most scary part about it was how everyone seemed so accepting of the situation (at least at first). I read this prior to reading Never Let Me Go and I think that had a lot to do with why I preferred this book – the ideas were all fresh to me.
I could see this book feeling “fresher” if you read it before Never Let Me Go. Their ideas were so similar. And I do thing the whole acceptance thing made it creepier than if everyone were fighting against it!
I have been curious about this book for a while. I have it on my TBR pile, but I just haven’t got around to reading it yet…
That is pretty much how I felt … I was curious about it for a long time and then I finally got around to reading it.
You and I have similar opinions on this one. What you said about The Unit not being so bad… it seemed like a pretty swank place to me! So you have to donate stuff every now and then… so be it, right? LOL.
Dorrit was not likable to me. She seemed to make poor choices and she didn’t react the way I wanted her to. She was a shell of a person. She needed a bit more depth for me to care about her.
I’m with you on Dorrit. She didn’t feel fully developed. I felt like the author needed SOMEONE from whose point of view to tell the story but she didn’t really flesh her out too much.
I enjoyed this book more than you, I think, but you’re right that it’s hard to connect to/with Dorrit. It was a creepy book for me because I kept thinking how awesome the unit sounded and how wonderful it must be to just be able to create and do whatever you want. And then the author would remind you what the unit’s really all about. I haven’t read Never Let Me Go, so I missed that connection.
Never Let Me Go is very similar but with young children instead of “older” folks. Plus the children aren’t necessarily “in” on the idea at first. They would be good companion reads. And I shared your feeling about The Unit. It sounded attractive in some ways!
Great review!
I tend to get angry over these issues – what is a human life worth? Most people don’t realize how shunned and “put away” and what a tortured life many “undesirables” lived in the US until approximately the early 80s. And many undesirable populations have actually been the guinea pigs for different types of medical research. Eugenics…no matter how pretty a package it becomes on the outside…is a disgusting practice.
I would pass on this one. Disregard for a life…be it human or animal (although there is no doubt in my mind that a human is more valuable than an animal) .. has been personalized enough in my life and hit quite close to home lately. I would probably cry through the whole thing.
It does sound like this is probably not a good book for you. No need to get yourself worked up about something that we hope very very much will never come to pass.
I found it slow in parts but definitely worth reading for dystopia fans!
I think you were the one that first put it on my radar!
yes, I have seen several reviews of this one…guess I am going to have to buy it soon…lol
Interesting ideas…especially since I would be in with the “dispensable” no doubt.
I found myself thinking at points “This really doesn’t sound all that bad really.” Then the final donations started and I began to change my mind.
Hmmm…I think I’m more of YA kind of girl on this one.
Thanks for the review.
YA Dystopias do tend to be more “fun” and fantastical. There are no mechanical death creatures in this one!
Reminds me a bit of the things that happened during the reign of the Third Reich. Being a disabled citizen I wonder what would become of me.
I’m sure there are some echoes of that time in this. And I don’t think you would fare well in this scenario unless you worked in a critical industry.
I love this review! This book sounds so intriguing…but it also FUH-REAKS me out a little. I ain’t too proud to say so!
The whole matter-of-fact approach to something really quite awful is what makes it so freaky. Or, as you said, FUH-REAKY.
Sounds creepy but very readable. I’m going to see if I can find it in Swedish to read!
Oh … I wish you could read both the Swedish and the English versions and comment on the translation and if the writing was as “clinical” in Swedish as it was in English.
This isn’t the first time that I’ve read this one is a little cold, but good. The premise is scary for old fogies like me
That would be the perfect five word description: a little cold but good.
I liked this book a lot but don’t know that I loved it either. I was 50 when I read it and it gave me the creeps.
Oh I could see that being age 50 when reading it might give you pause!! You know, it wasn’t really clear … if you had children and then turned 50, were you still dispensable or did you get a pass?
I can see what you mean about the prose, but there were a couple of places where I was so caught up that I got really emotional. Like for instance, when Dorrit’s friend has that first breakdown and everyone comes to comfort her. That was one scene that just made the book for me.
Reading your review makes me want to reread this already!
I tried to get caught up in it but just couldn’t. I seriously wonder if it was a translation issue or just how she wrote. Glad it worked for you emotionally too!
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Oooo, I’m glad now I signed up with this as my first choice in your giveaway. Sounds good!
Best of luck! I hope you win … it was an interesting book.