Dorrit is dispensable. Society says she’s not needed because she unmarried, childless and doesn’t work in one of the specified professions that would give her an exemption for failing to fulfil her duties as a woman. Having just turned fifty, Dorrit has earned herself a one way trip to the Second Reserve Bank Unit for biological material.

“From now on it was important that I was kept in good condition and good health in every way. That was the whole point, after all.”

It’s almost like an all expenses paid resort, where your food, entertainment, medical expenses and even shopping are on the house. All it costs is your life.

A dystopia for the childless, this book introduces readers to a democratic society that’s come to the conclusion that every body is a commodity. Those who have been designated dispensable - fifty year old women and sixty year old men who don’t have children - have all of their needs met as they participate in drug trials and experiments, and ‘donate’ their organs to the indispensable.

The best dystopias are the ones you can imagine happening. The worst dystopias are the ones you can imagine happening. This is a best-worst dystopia.

I liked Dorrit and, despite the circumstances, enjoyed seeing her belong for the first time in her life. I loved the camaraderie between her and the friends she made at the Unit. I had such hope for her when she found love.

Then I remembered this was a dystopia and all of the things I loved about this book became things that could be taken away from Dorrit and, by extension, myself as I became more and more invested in her story.

Interestingly, while I liked most of the characters, I didn’t become emotionally attached to any of them. When I learned about various characters having made their final donation I was interested but didn’t need a single tissue.

Considering how much money was being invested in keeping dispensables as healthy as possible for as long as possible (alcohol isn’t even allowed), I wondered how management would feel about the potential drug trials had to destroy previously viable organs.

Content warnings include mention of abortion. Readers with emetophobia may have trouble with some scenes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Oneworld Publications for the opportunity to read this book.

Dorrit, like most other women when they reach the age of fifty, is sent to live out the rest of her days at The Second Reserve Bank Unit for biological material. Men are sent there when they reach sixty. Not all people end up at the Unit - just those who have not had children, or those who aren't in important jobs. While there, Dorrit meets a man who she falls for - but amidst the friendships and relationships people form there, they are also subject to procedures and experiments to ensure that the top members of society have enough biological material should they need it.

This is a strange book, I didn't really feel like I got to know much about Dorrit other than she had a sister and she liked dogs. I wanted to know more about her life and would have loved some insight into who she was before she was brought to The Unit. The actual premise was fascinating, if very dark - but I also would have liked a little more clarification on what exactly The Unit was and when/how it began. Overall it was dark and left me feeling a bit depressed, but if you like dark dystopian fiction then you may enjoy this one.

Apologies for the lateness of my review. It took me several attempts to read this book because I just found it so depressing that I had to stop and read something a little more uplifting. That's not to say it's poorly written- far from it- it's just not for me.

Such a brilliant premise that I just had to read. Taking threads of stories from the past (Logan's Run came to mind for me) in order to explore the realms of ethical politics. It's rather chilling.

I am generally on board with anything remotely dystopian or speculative fiction related. My ass is still firmly seated on the dystopian craze.
The premise and broad storyline are what initially grabbed my attention; when men or women get to a certain age (50 for women and 60 for men) and when they are no longer deemed to be contributing to society, but rather costing society money they are moved to The Unit known as the Second Reserve Bank Unit for Biological Material, where they will partake in medical and scientific experiments to help the greater good, as well as donate various body parts until there 'final donation'. FASCINATING!!
And honestly, it was well executed. This is not a fast-paced, action-packed thrill, it is more of a meandering exploration of what the future may hold and dispensability. However, it was unsettling.
I enjoyed the book and managed to finish it in less than 24 hours. I wouldn't class it as groundbreaking or special but it was interesting.

This is a weird book. I think I struggled with it, despite how short it is, because of how little actually happens throughout. Often, there are so many different strands of narrative that never seem to play out very far, that you become entirely disillusioned by what the novel is truly supposed to be about. There's no external commentary or anything you would expect from a semi-dystopian novel about the harvesting of humans. It ricochets between dragging slowly through the ordinary to throwing things at you that happen over the course of a few pages that have no build up whatsoever. Ultimately, I found it to be a little tedious and, on occasion, too soap opera esque for my personal tastes. I'm sure it's a novel that would appeal to some people, but I found it to be kind of silly.

The Unit gave me a lot to think about with its depiction of a world in which the "dispensable" are sent to live in communities where they live a life of luxury until they have to make their "final donation". I did feel there were a lot of plot holes but I was gripped by Dorrit's story all the same and would recommend this to anyone who likes dystopian fiction.

My opinions on this book were mixed. I enjoyed it as a story in its own right and found the dystopian future both sad and plausible. The idea of the elderly being dispensibleand having their bodies used for science was an enticing plot device and something I could easily see happening in our near future.

The character of Dorritt was sympathetic and yet flawed, allowing you to see her selfishness but also her empathy towards her friends, she was a well rounded character who you did feel sorry for but understood her position.

That said I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought, partly because the writer didn't seem to do anything with the plot. It felt bland and like the writer was too timid to venture into her world.
Maybe I have read too many action stories or dystopian adventure because I was waiting for something explosive to happen and nothing ever did. Even when certain key events occurred I thought ; this is it, this is where it starts, but then nothing.
The ending was very abrupt and , although poignant, it felt like writer just gave up. There was so much about the world that I would liked to have seen fleshed out.

I would say that this would be A great read for book groups, there are so many key themes which would be great for discussion; the idea of disposability, ethical experiments, treatment of the elderly and life experiences to name a few.

As fo me I would have liked to have more depth into the world and less introspection and descriptions of meals.

REVIEW
I was intrigued by the idea of people being classed as "dispensable", what sort of society would be okay with deciding who has a meaningful life and who is to be classed "dispensable". Who decides? Do the people accept their allotted fate?

The cover I have featured above is the UK version. Below this review I have put a picture of both covers to ask which you prefer. So I shall describe and talk about the UK version which has a background colour of a blue/green colour. The title appears twice on the cover. The word Unit dominates the whole cover and gives it a utilitarian, no fuss, almost medical feel to the book but there is also the title "the Unit" fitted around the large I from the word Unit. The word Unit made me think of cubicle walls of a medical room/ward.
There's also a quote about the book by Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaids Tale and is a well respected author. So I guess if she has read the book and liked it what better recommendation could it have. I should admit these quotes from author on front are usually one of my "pet hates" but a comment from Margaret Atwood is wow!

The genres I have seen listed for this book are Sci-Fi, Fantasy and General Adult fiction which I do agree with. Personally I would also add Dystopian and Futuristic too.

The basis of the book is that the world has so many people in it that if by the age of 50 you are not a highly successful person and/or have family relying on you then you are considered dispensable and sent to a Unit where you take part in medical trials, experiments and donate organs to the un-dispensable that are living their fulfilling lives. Once you enter the Unit you have been assigned to you never leave. You are not allowed anymore contact with the outside world, nor are you permitted to walk outside in the fresh air again. You basically give up your freedom the moment you enter the Unit. These Units can't sing their own praises enough, such as how modern they are, how their indoor gardens are so realistic you will think you are outdoors, there are shops you need no money for you just go and choose what you want or request the item you wish for to be ordered in for you. There are movies, books, musical instruments if you want them. The regular monthly intake of newbies that mean a welcome party every month. There are other gatherings such as dances, different restaurants to eat in. If you want to be alone you have your own apartment within the unit.

The down side of the Unit is obviously kept as secretive and quiet as possible, it certainly isn't widely discussed at any of the newbie meetings or Welcome Parties. When you arrive at the Unit you already know why you are there and that you will be experimented on and be testing new medications etc.

One such trial a female dispensable is put on makes her begin to develop into a male, meaning a deeper voice, more facial and body hair. Some of the tests, experiments, treatments and medications that are being trialed have side effects which can be anything to uncontrollably breaking wind, to being very sick, or even developing serious life threatening disease. The organs that are donated, such as part of an eye or ear that leave the donor blind or deaf. It makes you wonder how these outrageous experiments are allowed to be carried out on live guinea pigs! How can one persons life be deemed less valuable than another's? Then there is the kind of "get out clause" if you cannot cope any longer living in the Unit, which is a "final donation form" you fill in and then you are giving a date to go down to surgery to have all remaining functional organs removed and stored for future use by non dispensable recipients.

My favourite character in the book is Dorrit Weger, she is also the main character of the book. Dorrit has been classified as dispensable. Dorrit seems to have quickly accepted what her new life will be, and realises that as a single woman with no children she is dispensible. This resignation and acceptance of her fate doesn't stop Dorrit musing at how different things could have been. She had been in a long
relationship with a man called Nils who was younger than her. Nils already had a child with someone else but it seems like he kind of wanted to have the best of both wolds, in that he was leading quite a good double life. Though he had never actually said the words "I love you" to Dorrit, when she was nearing he 50th birthday she finally asked him to provide a letter saying he loved her for the authorities. Nils however reveals he wants his child, his son to grow up in a home where both his parents live. Nils breaks down crying saying he cannot lie to the authorities as that would be perjury. Nils continues to howl and say how much he will miss her when she has to leave! Dorrit did not cry, as he did. In fact Dorrit did not cry for her most beloved dog Jock, whom, in my opinion had been a much better companion to her than Nils ever was. Dorrit had found a family nearby that she knew would take care of Jock and give him as much love as she had.

When we first meet Dorrit she is waiting patiently to be collected from her little home and taken to her "new home" to live in a specially built facility with others like her. Other's that have been deemed dispensable. An unmarked van with blacked out windows arrives to collect Dorrit, she is the only one on the bus apart from the driver. Dorrit cannot see anything outside the van because of the blacked out windows. The only sense that is any use to Dorrit is her hearing, as she can hear the different sounds the van engine makes. Eventually it seems like they maybe in a tunnel of some sort but they don't go out the other side, instead the van stops and she is greeted by a man called Dick and a woman named Henrietta who are both wearing the linden green uniform with the logo of the Unit on the breast pocket. Dorrit recognises the logo from the information pack that had been sent to her a few months ago. Dick and Henrietta escort Dorrit through the complex hallways and lifts and different floors introducing people as they come across them.

Dorrit is surprised by her room/apartment's fairly generous size and what it contains. It's much more comfortable and furnished a lot better than she had expected. Dorrit is pleased to see the modern tasteful decoration in soft muted colour's. Though Dorrit is not as pleased to notice the camera's and microphones that are hidden in the tiniest nooks and crannies available. Dorrit realises she has no choice but to adapt to this new life she is embarking upon. There is a newbies meeting where they all meet the others in the exact position they are in. There are eight of them in total with only two of them being men. Some of the other newbies that have just arrived at the Unit that Dorrit meets are Annie who had been a hotel receptionist, and Elsa who had worked at the same shoe store since she finished school until now.

In the evening Dorrit and the other newbies get to meet other residents that have been at the Unit much longer. As Dorrit and the newbies become friends with other residents we as readers lean more about what happens at the Unit.

Majken has been at the Second Reserve Bank Unit for 4 years, she has donated her eggs for stem cell research, donated a kidney, as well as a an auditory bone from her right ear. Majken is now deaf in he right ear. Majken is quite open about the fact he life at the Unit is coming to an end, explaining that in a few weeks she will be donating her pancreas to a student nurse who has four kids.

Dorrit and the other newbies, along with those residents that have been at the Unit longer soon get caught up in the different trials, from fitness trials, to medical trials as well as the organ donation too. The "residents" or "inmates" as they also could be called, form relationships with each other, that are not discouraged as long as these relationships do not interfere with the work being done at the Unit.
The dispensable's live in what some would see as a life of luxury, a place to live, free of charge, food, clothing, entertainment provided what could they possibly wish for? . . . Their own life? Their own chance at love and a family maybe? Many of the indispensables begin innocent friendship's that rapidly develop into more like a permanent relationship they would have if they were non-dispensable. There are lesbian, gay and heterosexual relationships which are all allowed to continue as long as they do not interfere with the purpose of the Unit. Obviously when one dispensable from a relationship gives their final donation that leaves a grieving dispensable behind. Though this can be avoided by being stoic as both of the dispensable know the consequences of their relationships. Also any of the dispensable can fill in a form to end their own life by donations all their body has to offer and therefore dying themselves too. This seems to have worked, until a
dispensable becomes pregnant and immediately becomes elated with the news presuming now she is to be a mother she will be reclassified as being non-dispensable along with her fellow dispensable partner. I mean her pregnancy changes everything now doesn't it? They can be a family? They can leave the Unit together? Can't they? They are both relatively healthy, they can become a real family and bring up their child?

I found this book to be intriguing, deeply thought provoking, and a book that took you through a whole range of emotions. Who decides who is dispensable? Why should dispensibles be subjected to medical trials and also voluntarily give their organs including vital organs that inevitably cause their death to others considered non-dispensible. I really grew to care a lot about Dorrit who is let down by a dishonest man called Nils whom she thinks loves her and wants to grow old with her. Sadly Nils seems to have just been leading Dorrit on. Then she accepts that her life is that of a dispensable, that her chance of love and her own family is gone, but has it? At times in this book I wanted to scream and shout on behalf of Dorrit who seems to be the "victim" in the book. Yet at the very end of the book she does get her way about one thing. This book honestly makes you think about a lot of difficult subjects that are usually "brushed under the carpet" or only discussed "behind closed doors" such as the whole different class system between the dispensable and indispensable. Then there's the younger man who has been using Dorrit and had little intention of growing old with her. There is also the fact families drift apart and how Dorrit finally learns what happened to her older sister as her life ended. I enjoyed the camaraderie and friendships between those living at the Unit. Those that chose short and sweet love affairs before they became so dispensible it was time for them to make the ultimate sacrifice by donating an organ that would mean they could no longer live. You experience the grief when someone makes their "final donation" and dies. Then there will be another influx of newbies, meaning the cycle begins all over again. I could go on and on about this book, it covers so many different subjects that are amazing conversation starters, or maybe the correct term would be debate starters.

My first thoughts upon finishing this book were what an abrupt, yet understandable and plausible ending. At first I thought the basis of this book and it's dystopian society was very strange, however the more I read and the further I was pulled into the plot I began to realise that this was something that could actually happen in our near future society.

I really loved reading this book, it felt more than just a story, it feels like we aren't that much removed from the possibility that these Units could be in our future! It really is that believable. I could chat/write and rattle on and on about different aspects in the book. I hope I haven't given too much away. It's a difficult book to talk (I know rave about) without revealing certain facts.

It’s an interesting premise, and Dorrit’s sadness about being separated from her dog and her dilemma are sensitively handled. However, there a lot of threads that go nowhere and I found the ending confusing, rushed and very dissatisfying.

You can see why I was interested in this concept. I think the discussion of older people and children as well as our perception of what is ‘valuable’ in society is certainly something that doesn’t get brought up enough. Perhaps it does more so in adult fiction, it (unsurprisingly) doesn’t come up a lot in YA. I appreciated a book from the perspective of an older woman. I should say that Dorrit isn’t what I would call an ‘old’ person at fifty, especially given the current life expectancy rates. That is one thing that makes this book very powerful, the way it shortens the life of an entire generation.

I wanted to like this book, I wanted to be able to recommend it as something people wanting to engage with these kinds of debates should read. However, there were certain aspects of the book which made the entire thing fall flat. For one thing, there is a moment in the story that to me read as incredibly transphobic, comparing a woman taking hormones that made her appear more male to the idea of dying (that’s not quite as nuanced as the situation is in the book, I grant, but it made me uncomfortable as a reader).

There are also several moments in the book where Dorrit says things which feel like something no woman would say, or at least not in the contexts in which she says them. One that stood out for me is where Dorrit talks about how beautiful women are when they are weak (contrasting that with male strength and protectiveness). In some contexts, I could appreciate that sentiment, but it made me feel like this character was suggesting that women who were strong or independent were somehow not beautiful? Thinking about it now, I can see how that may have been an attempt to show the indoctrination of Dorrit in this society that sees single older women as dispensable, but that doesn’t necessarily come across in an initial reading.

This is an interesting book to read, at times it tugs at your heartstrings and it absolutely makes you think. I don’t think that the main character is relatable enough throughout the entire story to carry the weight of the narrative, I wanted more out of her, more backstory, more decision making or similar. This is an example of a high concept dystopian novel that just falls short of being exceptional.

Should you read this? It has a lot going for it, and I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the read, but I don’t think I would read it a second time.

My rating: 2/5 stars

I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Wow! What an amazing book. A premise so believable that I could imagine this happening in the near future. I rattled through it and extremely enjoyed it, so much so I was sorry it had to end. I will be definitely reading more by this author. My favourite read so far this year. I will definitely recommend.

You’re living in the most beautiful housing development - wonderful food, clothes and entertainment, and it’s all free. But - through new incumbent - childless 50 year old Dorrit - Holmqvist gradually reveals the devastating price to pay.
I found this novel devastating, heartbreaking, chilling and beautiful. Like it’s predecessor Never Let me Go, this is a society that’s not immediately recognisable. But I found this sinister dystopian society all too believable.
At its heart is a love story laced with loss and impossible choices as Dorrit has to decide what compassion really means and whether freedom is really in her best interests.
If you’ve ever pondered on your worth in society or just enjoy a love story laced with loss, this is the novel for you.

Set in future where the elderly become dispensable (women at 50, men at 60) and are placed into the Reserve Bank Unit where they’re expected to live the rest of their lives. They’re fed well, clothed and have access to many social activities. In return for the comfortable lifestyle, they must partake in medical trials and donate their organs when needed until the final one. The longer you contribute, the longer you live.

The Unit is quite sad, since it asks the question of what makes a person indispensable? Why does someone’s life mean less because it doesn’t conform to what’s required. And the government in this book tries to cover it up by treating the people who enter the Unit well. There’s a few sweet moments as Dorrit makes new friends and finds a love she never had outside and despite the circumstances they have a place where they finally fit.

The Unit is an interesting idea but there were so many plot holes and moments of ambiguity that brought down the story a lot.

Solid, sparse writing style and a great premise. But did I really care about the characters? A little but not enough to really lift this to the level of something i would unreservedly recommend.

I liked the concept of this book but it didn’t grip me and I read another book whilst reading this one.
Dorrit is a dispensable this means at age 50 she has no dependents or children so she goes to the unit. Dispensable leave there in luxury whilst they take part in medical and donate organs to those in the world with children. They then have a final donation where they die.
Dorrit meets some interesting character and the whole book is written from her point of view. She meets Johanns and falls in love. Her story follows this love story.
I was bit confused by the end of the story but was glad I had read it. Thanks to Net Galley and OneWorld for an ARC. #TheUnit #NetGalley

I really enjoyed The Unit; a scarily believable tale. In this society you are either "needed" or "dispensable". Dispensable basically means you have never had children and have a creative rather than "worthy" job. At age 50 (60 for men), women are sent to The Unit and used in scientific trials/experiments and organ donations until the final donation. Whilst in The Unit Dorit falls in love - prepare to be heartbroken/shocked and appalled in equal measures.

I rather enjoyed this. I get a bit frustrated by Netgalley not revealing books are reissues as I don’t feel as confident discussing them online. Like Eleanor Oliphant, this taps into the concerns of single independent women, in this case who choose to remain alone forever, so touched a nerve. It’s Never Let Me Go meets Shawshank Redemption. Older central characters (who have sex!) are rare and I like how Dorrit is represented. It reminded me a lot of Atwood’s The Heart Goes Last, and looks like it may have inspired Atwood. The only thing that struck me as odd was that, despite a good representation of lesbian characters, the role of gay men in a country that only values procreation was completely overlooked.

The Unit bears more than a passing resemblence to Kazuo Ishiguro's masterful Never Let Me Go. The Unit was published slightly later, but close enough in time for plausible deniability.

The novel is set in a near future Sweden which has voted to take people who are clearly never going to be needed (age 50 for women, age 60 for men) and use them for medical experimentation and organ donation. We follow the life of Dorrit, a lonely 50 year old woman who never had children and never married despite a late, half-hearted attempt to snare a married man. We see her admission to the Unit, the medical facility that will be her new home until she has donated vital organs and get some perspective on the rather sad life she has led up to that point. Dorrit had been a moderately successful writer, but in future world writers are not seen as economically necessary. The only people who are needed are those with children or the lucky few whose work skills are sufficiently scarce to make then needed by the nation. Dorrit and her fellow un-needed people have generally led solitary lives. Their absence is hardly noticed and most have drifted towards their admission date with little resistance.

Inside the Unit, there is a thriving but institutionalised community. Every month, a banquet is held to welcome the new intake. There are boutique shops, cafes, gardens, social activities, swimming and sports facilities. The irony is that, for many residents, their short time in the Unit is happier and more fulfilling than life had ever been on the outside. The implication, clearly, is that when time is limited you value it and make more of it than when it seems infinite. And this cashless, care-free society is genuinely paradisiac, except that there is no way out, no external windows, no privacy and no sense of the passage of time. Festivals are not celebrated; external news is irrelevant. Oh, and there's... <<shudder>> ... no alcohol! And, of course, many of the residents are in various stages of induced disease or carry the scars and disabilities associated with having spare parts removed. It is a sugar coated horror.

There is plot development as, just like in Never Let Me Go, rumours of a way out emerge. It provides some suspense, but the plot is secondary to the depiction of this utopia and the characterisation. Some may see some of the characters as rather cliched but put together, they represent a whole psyche. They allow the reader to re-evaluate his or her own life and learned fatalism. The reader will inevitably self-identify with either the needed or the un-needed category. Being needed won't necessarily make you think that the program of medical experimentation is justified, but will make the reader see Dorrit and her fellow travellers as deserving of pity rather than deserving of opportunity. It's quite subtle, but it's there. Middle aged readers, even those who are needed, might ask themselves whether they are just treading water until they die or whether they are actually also living for the moment.

The ending, without giving anything away, is deeply troubling.

In the final analysis, it doesn't really matter whether Ninni copied Ish or Ish copied Ninni - The Unit is a sublime book in its own right, written with perfect pace and plain but beautiful prose. Both books stand alone on their own merits.