2.76k reviews for:

The Compound

Aisling Rawle

3.8 AVERAGE

anna_henwood's review

3.5

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ally_bur's review against another edition

4.0

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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This was a definite page turner! I loved the premise of this book and being able to dive into the mind of a reality TV contestant. The author explored how reality TV shows leverage consumerism and capitalism to extract shallow, base content from participants. I think she could have explored these ideas more deeply, and the ending left something to be desired for me...but maybe that's the point. These shallow forms of entertainment don't always invite deeper thinking.

starkymalarkey's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional medium-paced

ayahaw's review against another edition

4.0

dark tense

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

whatanneread's review against another edition

3.5

fast-paced

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Like consuming your favourite binge-worthy, trash tv show in book form. I found myself struggling to put it down. Were the characters or relationships particularly compelling? Not really, and yet I just had to know what was going to happen next. 

Told through the POV of Lily, a contestant on a TV show that’s like a hybrid of Love-island and Survivor, we follow the lives of the inhabitants of the compound, as they demonstrate just how far they’re willing to go to win. 

While the conditions of the compound are often cruel, it not a stretch to imagine it existing in our world. I found it an interesting commentary on our society and the things we value. If you’re a fan of Love island and other reality tv shows, you’ll enjoy The Compound. A highly entertaining binge read. 

sbranch's review against another edition

3.25

dark emotional 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

jess_reads1000's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

fmurray97's review against another edition

4.5

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ascoville's review against another edition

3.5

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I enjoyed reading this but the ending was kinda meh

mayawazana's review against another edition

3.75

dark tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Had a bit of a slow start but became really gripping about 20% in. Slightly dystopian, I was waiting for more depth in the reader understanding of the “real world” that would better explain the contestants motivations to endure the or the contradictions in audience sentiment (outrage at some things, delight at others that could be considered “worse”). Then again, this could be argued as the point. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence