The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

So this is a dystopian novel where once a person reaches the age of 50 and has no children or no significant other, they are viewed as unnecessary by the surrounding society.  Just after their 50th birthday, the government comes to take them to live in the Unit - a type of communal living where they can stay and be useful.

How are they useful you ask?  Well, the government uses them for experimentation and finally for donations - that's right, they provide organs and such for others that society deems "necessary".

This is the story of Dorrit,  a woman who is happy living quietly on her own with her beloved dog.   Of course, she can not take the dog into the Unit with her, so she has to give him up.  When in the Unit, Dorrit makes friends and finds a certain kind of dignity in being deemed useful.

She also finds love and other unexpected complications.  

This book is really about the things we value as a society and what we deem as necessary.   I found the whole idea of it to be offensive - the fact that a person should have to give up their life and that it's just expected.   That goes against the grain of everything it means to be free.   



I was so disappointed in Dorrit and her choices.   I just couldn't understand how she would just give it all away.   It isn't in me to quit like she did.   I thought this book had some really wonderful insights and a very unique and compelling story but I could only give it 3 stars because I expected more from Dorrit.