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The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami

The Dream Hotel

A Novel

by Laila Lalami
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus (18):
  • Readers' Rating (19):
  • First Published:
  • Mar 4, 2025, 336 pages
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Reviews

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There are currently 19 reader reviews for The Dream Hotel
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Maren C. (HARVARD, MA)

What Dreams Decide
The premise of the book and the incredible cover design are what drew me in initially. Laila Lalami's writing style kept me interested. A mix of Kafka's The Trial and the film Minority Report, The Dream Hotel is an interesting thought exercise about a future that might not be so far away.

Ultimately, while there were moments where the reader could connect to Sara, it seemed as if The Dream Hotel may have benefitted from being a short story. The reader never truly gets a sense that Sara is in danger, nor do they share the same frustrations Sara mentions repeatedly. I would have liked to see the story presented in such a way that Sara's isolation was more impactful.

Perhaps it is more difficult to connect to the inherent dangers presented in the novel because the author came up with the idea ten years ago. Our current political landscape makes any attempt at dystopia seem like a pleasant distraction!
Carl C. (La Canada Flintridge, CA)

A frightening future world
A gripping tale of a complete loss of privacy amid a bureaucratic entanglement. The novel kept me hooked with one exception. I feel that Julie's role should have either been expanded or eliminated. What relevance does Julie's dinner party have to the plot? Is the author setting up a hook for a sequel?
Power Reviewer
Donna W. (Wauwatosa, WI)

The Dream Hotel
This story started out very confusing, and unfortunately was confusing for most of the book. The time lines kept jumping back and forth, and dream settings and administration memos were added to also interfere with the flow of the story. The concept of the story was really quite good, but I never felt like I was into the story, and I didn't get a real connection with the characters.
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