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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Engaging book but the ending left something to be desired.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
slow-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
3.75 stars up
Definitely compulsively readable, more lit-fic than thriller
Felt right to read this after watching my first ever season of Love Island (this writer *really* gets reality shows)
Gave me lost generation/hopeless vibes - what was the point of it all?
They are all going to be so majorly messed up
Sometimes gave slight YA
Tom is a piece of work
Sam 🥺
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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:
Yes
"It didn't mention a punishment. I think it was just a warning."
"There are some people who are so compulsively watchable that you feel yourself surrender some small bit of your personality to them."
Okay this definitely scratched my Love Island itch for sure! The beginning and parts of the middle of this story was solid and captivated my attention due to the uncertainty of what else was going to happen, and the potential tasks the characters were exposed to. There was lots of twists and turns I was not expecting and certain characters definitely added to the uncertainty / eerie vibes in the compound, which made things unpredictable which I liked. I like the important themes surrounding consumerism, and greed that was intertwined into the story. Overall this was an enjoyable read and kept my attention, however I wish the ending provided more a well rounded ending.
"There are some people who are so compulsively watchable that you feel yourself surrender some small bit of your personality to them."
Okay this definitely scratched my Love Island itch for sure! The beginning and parts of the middle of this story was solid and captivated my attention due to the uncertainty of what else was going to happen, and the potential tasks the characters were exposed to. There was lots of twists and turns I was not expecting and certain characters definitely added to the uncertainty / eerie vibes in the compound, which made things unpredictable which I liked. I like the important themes surrounding consumerism, and greed that was intertwined into the story. Overall this was an enjoyable read and kept my attention, however I wish the ending provided more a well rounded ending.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
The Compound is compulsively readable in the way reality TV is — quick to consume, high on drama, and low on substance. Set in a near-future, burning-earth dystopia, the novel traps contestants in a Survivor/Big Brother/Love Island-style competition where the last one standing wins. The setup is promising, and the dual pressure of in-house rivalries and a collapsing world outside creates inherent tension. But while the premise begs for sharp social commentary or deep character work, the execution mostly coasts on the page-turning premise.
Characters are the novel’s biggest weak link — the protagonist is paper-thin, and no one in the cast feels compelling enough to anchor the emotional core. The writing is simple and easy to tear through, but it rarely elevates beyond “bingeable.” There are flickers of insight, like the messy interpersonal web of betrayals (including one surprising bisexual twist), yet these moments feel like wasted opportunities in an otherwise underdeveloped sandbox. In the end, The Compound is fast entertainment with little staying power — fun in the moment, forgettable after.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No