Author: Laila Lalami Reading Moroccan-American novelist Laila Lalami’s “The Dream Hotel” was an eye-opening experience that left me simultaneously captivated and unsettled. The novel weaves a story about one woman’s fight for freedom in a near-future society where even dreams are under surveillance. The narrative centers on Sara, who, upon returning to Los Angeles International Airport, is pulled aside by agents from the Risk Assessment Administration. The chilling premise — that an algorithm has determined she is at risk of harming her husband — immediately drew me in.