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Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A fun one! I flew through this short and exciting read—what begins as a Love Island-style drama fest quickly becomes an exposé on the human psyche (so… Love Island). I loved the concept of the show, and I loved how Lily was your classic, selfish contestant, not the one who pretends to be otherwise. This would have been five stars if not for the ending—I felt it wrapped up way too quickly. We were gearing up for a deeper ending than what we got. Still, I would recommend this to anyone who consumes reality TV.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Infidelity, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Torture
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is just a very weird and creepy book, and I mean that in the best way possible. I guess I would categorize it as reality show dystopia?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexism, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Violence
Minor: Animal death, Racism
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
‘The Compound’ is a strong debut novel, and it marks Aisling Rawle as a writer to watch. Although described as ‘Lord of the Flies’ meets ‘Love Island’, it will likely appeal to fans of the latter more than fans of the former, as the brutality and survival element of the story is somewhat over-egged in the synopsis. Indeed, while ‘The Compound’ does have dark and borderline dystopian elements, I was expecting something far more barbaric; however, this didn’t stop me from enjoying the story for what it is, and I’m not sure if I would have given the book a chance had it been marketed as more ‘Love Island’, as the dark underbelly of the industry and the social commentary around reality TV and consumerism are what appeal to me.
The writing is good (although tighter editing is required in places, as it occasionally becomes clunky, the same adjective is used a distracting number of times and there are inconsistencies in the narrative voice); the characters are intriguing, if unlikeable (by design), and I was eager to find out what would happen to them, even though I never knew for certain what outcome I was hoping for; and the world-building is well-handled, with readers being given exactly the information they need, when they need it (no info-dumping here). I also appreciated that the social commentary element isn’t directly pointed to and readers aren’t lectured, but instead are trusted to form their own opinions. At the end, especially, readers are invited to draw their own conclusion. For some readers, this might make the ending unsatisfying, but personally I thought it worked and achieved what the writer was hoping to achieve. I will certainly be thinking about it, and the book overall and the issues it raised, for a long time.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Aisling Rawle and HarperCollins UK for the ARC.
⚠️ Body shaming, sexism, violence, injury
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexism, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Part Love Island, part Black Mirror, The Compound takes place on the set of a hit reality show in a near-future society mired in war and hardship. 10 women and 10 men must pair up to make it through the night, and compete for a series of rewards ranging from basic necessities to increasingly lavish luxuries. How far would you go to win it all?
This book is slow but searing, simmering with tension as it pits human connection against material desires. Beneath the glossy surface of reality TV, the Compound’s residents contend with just how much they're willing to trade for comfort, status, and luxury, exposing the darker threads of desire, performance, and consumerism propping it all up. With love and survival on the line, what does it really mean to win - and at what cost?
Hints of devastation in the outside world create a contrast with the Compound’s curated paradise, where the residents are constantly performing for the cameras and each other. While I wanted to know more about the world beyond the set, there was enough to fill in the blanks, and the vagueness added to the sense of unease and desperation to stay in the Compound. The story starts out light and superficial, but slowly builds unease as it devolves into the darker side of the influencer-consumer culture, leaving you with lingering questions about meaning, desire, and the cost of wanting more.
Thanks to Random House for the advance review copy.
This book is slow but searing, simmering with tension as it pits human connection against material desires. Beneath the glossy surface of reality TV, the Compound’s residents contend with just how much they're willing to trade for comfort, status, and luxury, exposing the darker threads of desire, performance, and consumerism propping it all up. With love and survival on the line, what does it really mean to win - and at what cost?
Hints of devastation in the outside world create a contrast with the Compound’s curated paradise, where the residents are constantly performing for the cameras and each other. While I wanted to know more about the world beyond the set, there was enough to fill in the blanks, and the vagueness added to the sense of unease and desperation to stay in the Compound. The story starts out light and superficial, but slowly builds unease as it devolves into the darker side of the influencer-consumer culture, leaving you with lingering questions about meaning, desire, and the cost of wanting more.
Thanks to Random House for the advance review copy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Violence
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a page turner for me! Since I'm not really a fan of reality TV, I wasn't sure if I would appreciate this one but kept hearing about it, so I gave it a try. I got hooked fast and mostly flew through it- except for a bit in the middle where I got tired of their daily life. I did not like the abrupt ending, but I know it had to be that way to keep the focus on what happens at the compound.
The characters themselves varied greatly, and though I often got irritated with Lily's voice, her passivity allowed us to see the other contestants more clearly. Lily herself is unapologetically there for the prizes. She is materialism and influencer life. She has no other depth to her, and though she sometimes get uncomfortable when her goal is revealed, she otherwise doesn't care.
I was worried about the dystopia/sci-fi feels, but they are so low key with small mentions of a "war" and references to "what's the point" of long term thoughts, that I didn't really notice it at all. It really is kept to life on the compound not the "real world."
I would suggest this as a book club book. There are many parts I wanted to discuss as I was reading.
Overall, this is a great summer read that leaves you with a lot to mull over. It won't be a favorite of the year for me, but I don't think I'll forget it any time soon.
There are some trigger warnings for confinement, blood, violence, vomit, physical abuse, cursing, etc.
There is also LGBT+ representation.
The characters themselves varied greatly, and though I often got irritated with Lily's voice, her passivity allowed us to see the other contestants more clearly. Lily herself is unapologetically there for the prizes. She is materialism and influencer life. She has no other depth to her, and though she sometimes get uncomfortable when her goal is revealed, she otherwise doesn't care.
I was worried about the dystopia/sci-fi feels, but they are so low key with small mentions of a "war" and references to "what's the point" of long term thoughts, that I didn't really notice it at all. It really is kept to life on the compound not the "real world."
I would suggest this as a book club book. There are many parts I wanted to discuss as I was reading.
Overall, this is a great summer read that leaves you with a lot to mull over. It won't be a favorite of the year for me, but I don't think I'll forget it any time soon.
There are some trigger warnings for confinement, blood, violence, vomit, physical abuse, cursing, etc.
There is also LGBT+ representation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Alcohol
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content
Minor: Gore, Mental illness, Torture, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, War
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was first drawn to this book for its comparison to Love Island meets Lord of the Flies. The book is set on a reality tv compound where 10 people compete to be the last one standing, completing tasks and earning rewards along the way (all while being watched by viewers at home). I ultimately felt like it was more like Big Brother with a hint of Hunger Games. It honestly didn’t get as dark and twisted as I was expecting, but I was fascinated by its comments on consumerism, greed, and backstabbing. How far would you go to win branded rewards? It seems to take place in a world slightly beyond our own, but it doesn’t seem all that far away.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Vomit, War