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A review by cassidy_rain
The Compound by Aisling Rawle
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
“I thought, in a brief moment of unease, about the trampoline that I had wanted so desperately as a child - that maddening, all-consuming desire to possess something that I didn’t have - and how quickly I tired of it, how soon after I was looking for something new to covet.”
The Compound follows a group of young adults competing in a reality television show, where they live together in a compound and compete in challenges to acquire gifts and luxury items. It definitely has a dystopian vibe and is very much a critique on society.
As an avid reality tv watcher- I think this does a fantastic job of portraying that kind of show and setting. It was super interesting to see the dynamic in the compound as it unravelled throughout the story. It started out with such harmony and felt like a vacation/show you’d want to be a part of too and then continued to descend into something darker, with stakes getting higher and tasks getting more unhinged. Really goes to show what one might do when they’ve been cut off from society for so long and when fame and riches are waiting for them on the other side. I didn’t really find myself rooting for any of the characters and it overall felt really grim. Even though this is meant to be thought-provoking, I kind of kept waiting for something to happen that never came. So for that I am left feeling slightly unsatisfied.
Overall an intriguing novel that will leave you thinking about it!
Thank you to Netgalley, Aisling Rawle, and Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The Compound follows a group of young adults competing in a reality television show, where they live together in a compound and compete in challenges to acquire gifts and luxury items. It definitely has a dystopian vibe and is very much a critique on society.
As an avid reality tv watcher- I think this does a fantastic job of portraying that kind of show and setting. It was super interesting to see the dynamic in the compound as it unravelled throughout the story. It started out with such harmony and felt like a vacation/show you’d want to be a part of too and then continued to descend into something darker, with stakes getting higher and tasks getting more unhinged. Really goes to show what one might do when they’ve been cut off from society for so long and when fame and riches are waiting for them on the other side. I didn’t really find myself rooting for any of the characters and it overall felt really grim. Even though this is meant to be thought-provoking, I kind of kept waiting for something to happen that never came. So for that I am left feeling slightly unsatisfied.
Overall an intriguing novel that will leave you thinking about it!
Thank you to Netgalley, Aisling Rawle, and Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, War