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A review by nuhafariha
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Thank you Knopf for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available March 2025.
Set in the distant future, Laila Lalami's newest novel follows a young Morrocan woman as she navigates a predatory security system. When Sara is flagged as a potential threat to public safety, she thinks it is just a glitch. A one hour wait to speak with Risk Assessment turns into a day retained at the local facility turns into 340 days apart from her two children. Lalami explores the dangers for for profit prison system, painting a grim future I can imagine quite easily. Yet I wish Sara had turned evil a lot sooner - I was rooting for her Black August like prison strike. The ending felt liks it came so rapidly.
Available March 2025.
Set in the distant future, Laila Lalami's newest novel follows a young Morrocan woman as she navigates a predatory security system. When Sara is flagged as a potential threat to public safety, she thinks it is just a glitch. A one hour wait to speak with Risk Assessment turns into a day retained at the local facility turns into 340 days apart from her two children. Lalami explores the dangers for for profit prison system, painting a grim future I can imagine quite easily. Yet I wish Sara had turned evil a lot sooner - I was rooting for her Black August like prison strike. The ending felt liks it came so rapidly.