In The Dream Hotel, Laila Lalami envisions a dystopian future where, after a devastating mass shooting, dreams are monitored and Americans are given a risk score in order to prevent future violence. The main character, Sara, is detained due to postpartum dreams that indicate to the Risk Assessment Agency that her husband may be in danger. What is originally to be a twenty-one day period of observation turns into a lengthy ordeal that raises many questions relevant to what we’re seeing today with technological advances and authoritarian legislation.
The Dream Hotel seems like a cautionary tale warning us of what could happen if we open ourselves up to more surveillance. If we think we’re among the “good people” who would never pose any risks or be targeted. If we place too much trust in technology (especially AI) to solve our problems.
This is a disturbing but necessary read because Sara’s response to her detainment, her observations of the world around her, and her work toward freedom offers hope that there is always a way out.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!