The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

 

I was looking forward to this book because the premise sounded similar to the movie Minority Report. While there are similarities, The Dream Hotel fell short of capturing the suspense and drama of the film.

Dreams are used to predict possible crimes in the near future. After returning from a conference in London, Sara, a wife and new mother, is flagged by the Risk Assessment Administration as a danger to her husband. She is sent to a retention facility for twenty-one days of observation. Still, as the observation period turns into months, she wonders what it takes to prove her innocence. Learning to adhere to the unwritten rules, Sara's world is upset when a new detainee, Eisley, shows up and upsets the norm.

This book starts slowly and never gains momentum until the end, which feels rushed. I felt frustrated for Sara and her fellow detainees but could never fully relate to them. For these reasons, I had difficulty caring enough to finish the book—I kept thinking it would get better, but it never did. Given today’s AI controversy, I did find it thoughtful and a bit scary. 

3/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pantheon, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is March 4, 2025.

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Burn by Peter Heller

 I loved Heller's The River and The Guide. Both were back-to-nature murder mysteries that painted a wild environment filled with natural and artificial danger. My favorite book of his is The Dog Stars, a dystopian work that captured my imagination. Burn is another dystopian work of fiction that is all too probable, given today's political climate. That is not to say it's political, just that it is easy to imagine right now.

Childhood friends Jess and Storey embark on their annual hunting trip in Maine to escape the political turmoil sweeping the United States. They emerge to find towns decimated and being shot at by both secessionists and the U.S. military. Living off their wits and scavenging food, they try to get to neutral territory and work their way home. However, an unexpected encounter alters their plans, and they must adjust to new circumstances using their survival skills.

This book discusses male friendships and the dangers of clinging to an ideology at the expense of family. It has many flashbacks to show why the bond between Jess and Storey is so strong. I liked that it does not take a political stand or seek to explore belief systems. As always, Heller does an excellent job weaving nature into an intriguing plot with well-drawn characters. 

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is August 13, 2024.

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Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

 

Well, this certainly is not an uplifting book—the dark subject matter combined with the writing style made for a difficult read.

In the near future, Ireland enacts the Emergency Powers Act for an unspecified "ongoing crisis facing the state." This has granted the power to the Garda National Services Bureau to detain so-called dissidents and restrict citizen freedoms. Eilish Stack's husband Larry, the deputy general secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland, is taken into custody and soon disappears into the system. Frantic and trying to protect her four children, Eilish tries to discover what happened to Larry. What follows is a portrayal of a country in decline as more citizens' rights are taken away in the name of national security. It is a frightening scenario.

I don't know what the author was attempting to do with this writing experiment, but it failed. There are few paragraphs, no breaks for dialogue, no quotation marks, just long paragraphs with thoughts, descriptions, and dialogue mixed together. Although the story is engaging and moves along rapidly, it is depressing to watch Ireland turn into a dictatorship. My opinions are in the minority, but I can't see why this book is so highly rated. 

2.5/5 stars.

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