In a near-future America where dreams are monitored by government algorithms, scientist and new mother Sara Hussein is detained indefinitely after being flagged as a potential threat based on her subconscious. This chilling dystopian tale explores the erosion of privacy, the dangers of predictive surveillance, and the struggle to maintain personal freedom in a society where technology and corporate interests dictate justice.

Reader Review Summary

Set in a near-future United States where technology and government surveillance have merged to an extreme degree, the novel follows Sara Hussein, a scientist and new mother, who is detained at LAX after returning from a conference. She is informed by agents from the Risk Assessment Administration (RAA) that, based on data mined from her dreams via a neuroprosthetic device called Dreamsaver, she is at imminent risk of harming her husband. Sara is sent to a retention center for a supposed 21-day observation period, but finds herself trapped for months as the facility’s arbitrary and shifting rules continually extend her stay. The center is populated by other women similarly detained for algorithmically predicted crimes, and the narrative explores the psychological and social consequences of being held without due process. The story delves into the mechanics of the surveillance state, the commodification of personal data, and the impact of predictive policing, with the plot unfolding largely within the confines of the retention facility and occasionally shifting to perspectives from the corporations and authorities behind the system.

Readers praised the book’s exploration of contemporary issues such as surveillance, algorithmic bias, and the erosion of privacy, noting its plausibility given current technological trends. Many found the depiction of the retention center and its bureaucratic, punitive environment to be immersive and chilling, with the slow, claustrophobic pacing effectively mirroring the protagonist’s experience of confinement. The protagonist, Sara, was described as relatable and her emotional journey resonated with readers, particularly her frustration, longing for freedom, and attempts to resist dehumanization. The book’s focus on the intersection of technology, corporate profit motives, and systemic injustice—especially as it affects marginalized communities—was frequently highlighted as thought-provoking. Several reviewers appreciated the literary quality of the prose, the psychological depth, and the way the narrative raised questions about autonomy, freedom, and the human cost of technological advancement.

Some readers expressed dissatisfaction with the book’s pacing, describing it as slow, repetitive, or lacking in momentum, especially in the middle sections. There were critiques that the secondary characters were underdeveloped and that the relationships between Sara and others in the facility were not explored in enough depth. A number of reviewers found the plot to be didactic or too focused on delivering its message at the expense of character development and narrative drive. Others struggled to suspend disbelief regarding the premise of dreams being used as evidence for pre-crime detention, or felt that certain plot points and world-building details were insufficiently explained or left unresolved. The ending was described by some as anticlimactic or lacking the impact they expected after the buildup, and a few readers found the book’s approach to its themes to be more reiterative than revelatory.

The book has generated significant discussion, with over 5,000 reader ratings and more than 1,300 full reviews, and has been longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction and selected as a book club pick. The narrative is primarily told from Sara’s perspective, with occasional shifts to other viewpoints, including those from the corporate side. The story incorporates elements of science fiction, dystopia, literary fiction, and speculative fiction, and addresses issues such as the prison industrial complex, racial profiling, and the commodification of personal data. The setting is largely confined to the retention facility, with limited depiction of the outside world, and the book’s tone is described as urgent, claustrophobic, and reflective of current anxieties about surveillance and technology. Content warnings noted by readers include imprisonment, bullying, and references to wildfires.