The Unit

by: Ninni Holmqvist

Published by: Other Press

Reviewed by Maria Hoeffer

Ninni Holmqvist’s The Unit describes a near futuristic world where social engineering provides for all and gives everyone a purpose. Jobs are secure; childcare is provided; all is well, or is it? Middle-aged adults who have willingly chosen or happen to not have children are required to contribute to society in another way, namely as subjects of drug and psychological research studies and as organ donors, ultimately giving their lives (and vital organs) to those in society who are not “dispensable.”

Upon a childless woman’s 50th birthday or childless man’s 60th birthday, they are moved into “The Unit,” a domed community complete with restaurants, art galleries, exercise facilities, shopping and lush gardens. It is here that they are able to form friendships and live without the restrictions of society until their “final donation.” The story centers on Dorrit, a 50-year-old woman who has just entered The Unit, and the development of her relationships with others also deemed dispensable. This emotional and haunting tale carries the reader into a world of extreme social control and engineering.

Reminiscent of Lois Lowry’s The Giver and Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale, The Unit explores many questions about the nature of society, freedom versus restriction, and an individual’s worth within a society. Are any people “dispensable”? Are some people’s lives worth more than others? If there are social restrictions and mores, is there true freedom?

A thought-provoking read, The Unit will have you asking many questions about your own beliefs and thinking about this book long after the last page is read.

Armchair Interviews says: A 5-star emotional and haunting story that will stay with you long after the last page.