The Dream Hotel is a gripping and eerie dystopian novel set in the near future, where technology and societal control have reached new extremes. Although I rarely read dystopian fiction, I couldn't put this book down.

The story centers on a single, well developed character, Sara, whose personal journey is captivating and thought-provoking, as well as scary, Her experience with the increasingly invasive systems around her highlights the emotional and psychological toll of living in a highly surveilled world.

The novel raises important questions about the future of technology, privacy, and human freedom. It's a chilling yet captivating look at what could lie ahead. I plan to recommend it to my book club as I think it would lead to very interesting discussion.

Ben Fountain clearly is an expert in the culture, politics and history of Haiti. As I knew very little about the period in Haiti's history covered in the book, I learned a tremendous amount as he wove his extensive knowledge into the plot. The main characters were well developed, however there were so many other characters that it sometimes became confusing. In addition, there were many subplots that also could become confusing. All was wrapped up well in the last section of the book. A warning to those who are looking for a thriller, as some critics have categorized the book, I wouldn't consider it a thriller but rather literary fiction. I would recommend this book to readers of literary and historical fiction.