The Dream Hotel

First of all, this book has gotten a lot of critical acclaim and is objectively good, but reading it was so upsetting that I almost DNF’d it several times. So, in this case, the “grade” is not about the writing but about my enjoyment level. I felt anxious and upset most of the time as I read this book. It is the not-so-distant future, and Sara Hussein is detained at LAX on her flight home from a work trip. Agents from the Risk Assessment Administration take her aside and tell her that she will soon commit a crime. Based on data from her dreams, the algorithm has determined her to be an imminent risk to her husband. For his safety, Sara will be detained for 21 days and kept under observation. Sara is transferred to a retention center, where she meets a group of women. The rules are strict, they are constantly being watched, and even the slightest misstep will alter their risk assessment score, resulting in longer detention times. Months pass, and Sara is no closer to release. This book scared me–it felt like it could come true. It was depressing in the same way that The School For Good Mothers did. I just wanted it to be over. But it is a brilliant, gorgeously written book that made me think and feel. It’s hard to recommend this, as it was torture to read at times, but having had a little distance from it, I am glad I read it.