The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

First Impression: I'm intrigued by a dystopian society where middle aged means dispensable.

Characters: I felt for the inhabitants of the unit, especially as they grow attached to each other while knowing it cannot end well. One relationship in particular stands out as star-crossed.

World Building: Claustrophobia is palpable in the underground unit, where only two seasons rotate around artificial sunlight. Otherwise a chracter-driven world.

Writing Style: I read this in one sitting, which is a testament to Holmqvist's writing ability. Except for a few unnecessary scenes, the story flowed really well.

What I Enjoyed: It didn't end the way I thought it would, which makes it all the more memorable. The relationships and moral questions bubbling up from this novel haunted my subconcious into the next day. The hallmark of good fiction is when it changes you in some small way.

Deal Benders: The author writes sex scenes with all the passion of a scientist observing the act. Seriously egregious sex scenes, enough already. This makes your book unsuitable for such a wider audience, I'm still not sure why authors feel the need to laboriously detail intimacy. It feels like a cheap ploy to increase hype...End rant.

Overall Rating: 3 stars for a solid likeable read.