A review by stephxsu
The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

3.0

THE COMPOUND is an interesting but not life-changing “action” read. Bodeen’s descriptions of the extent of the compound is fantastic and almost makes you okay with the idea of living in one place for 15 years…until she begins to describe the personality alterations inflicted on the family members from all those years of confinement. So the world-building is fantastic, but Eli is a bit difficult to get behind as a protagonist. He is admittedly selfish, sullen, and a giant pain in the you-know-what, and he doesn’t grow nearly quite enough through the course of the short novel to make me sympathize with him.