Viewing individuals as an inventory of human capital creates other subtexts. One is gender-based. There is one reason men have an additional 10 years before they might be deemed dispensable - they produce viable sperm longer than women produce viable eggs. That increased chance of producing more human capital automatically makes them more valuable.
Another subtext raises the question of the value of art and literature to society. A number of those we meet in The Unit, including Dorrit, are writers, musicians, or artists. Yet such activities do not contribute as much to society as industry and commerce. As a result, those engaged in intellectual endeavors are dispensable while those who contribute to the economy are essential. In fact, the volunteer librarian has a good explanation for why the library in the unit is so busy. "People who read books," he says, "tend to be dispensable. Extremely."
Although thought-provoking, The Unit is not exploring entirely new topics. Still, Holmqvist's ability to invest the reader in both the story and the characters is exceptional. It is a book you hesitate to put down. In fact, I consumed it in the space of a couple separate sittings in less than a day. Perhaps due to its feminist overtones, the book is reminiscent of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. Yet to classify or judge it as a feminist work alone is unfair. It certainly surpasses Kazuo Ishiguro's widely praised Never Let Me Go, which represents for me a victory of form over substance.
Hopefully, the fact this is a translated work and tends to be billed as feminist literature will not adversely affect the book's ability to make it to bookstore shelves. The Unit deserves a wide readership.
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