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anniekaisa 's review for:
The Compound
by Aisling Rawle
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A Love Island-Lord of the Flies-Traitors-Survivors mashup set in a dystopian world? I’m in. Contestants on the reality series in The Compound compete to team up with a partner of the opposite sex, stay in the house, win increasingly fancy prizes, and slowly eliminate their rivals. I wouldn’t necessarily classify the contestants as likable but I wanted to keep reading to see how things would play out for them either way. Like all good reality shows, there was a good mix of suspense, emotion, and drama. The novel’s central themes about the corruption caused by consumerism and influencer culture have given me lots to think about.
I wanted more world building outside of the compound especially around the ideas of climate destruction and war, but I thought this was really solid for a debut novel. I’m excited to see what this author creates in the future. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence