What an interesting concept. This story was the best mix of reality tv and looking at how far people will go to win. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to read an ARC of The Compound and am so excited to see this book in its final form.

This book was pretty good. Exactly what you would expect from the type of people "casted". The lengths people would go to for prizes is crazy and I'm sure sadly true!

The description seemed really good however I was unfortunately not a fan of the writing and did not finish this book.

Wow. Just wow. I had to take a little bit before writing my review so I could process this book. I will absolutely say, don't judge a book by it's cover. I was slightly turned off by the cover, It definitely did not grab my interest, but I am so glad I ignored that and read it. Lord of the Flies and Love Island is pretty accurate. I wouldn't say it is totally dystopian, but there are some themes- the outside world is being ravaged by war, and the way in which the contestants get to the compound is pretty wild.

Twenty contestants, 10 men, 10 women compete to see how long they can stay in the compund, but there are rules and there are prizes. Each contestant must find a bedmate, or risk being banished. They also must compete for prizes. They are not allowed to talk about their lives on the outside, which creates a superficial, fake environment. The producers are ruthless and will deprive the contestants of certain necessities until they complete certain tasks.

The MC, Lily is absolutely beautiful. She says she doesn't have much else going for her, but the more we get in to the book, the more we see how she is forced to use her wiles and dig deep into figuring out far she is willing to go to win.

This book for sure messes with your head, in a good way. It makes you think, and stay up late flying through the pages to find out what happens next. After I finished reading, I had to sit and stare, just thinking, wondering and wanting to know what happens next. I am craving a follow up. I want to know where everyone is and how they are doing and how incredibly this experience messed them up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of this book.

A dystopian reality tv show novel that is exactly what you’d expect and also wildly surprising in its execution. This debut novel from Aisling Rawle grabbed my attention in the first pages in the way a reality dating show would- who are these people, what are their goals, what are the boundaries and expectations set by the producers, and, most importantly, how do you win?

The entirety of the narrative takes place within the titular Compound, where 20 men and women have been sent to… find love? No, not necessarily. To win a big cash prize? No, not that either. To escape the dismal reality of their lives in the vaguely dystopian near-future world outside while earning basic material rewards, pleasing the brand sponsors, and providing questionable entertainment to the masses? Yeah, pretty much that. To reveal too much of how the plot progresses would spoil the experience, but suffice it to say that things get as weird and dark as you might expect, but not quite so weird and dark that it would qualify as “horror.” It’s just… bleak and surreal.

I very much enjoyed my experience reading this book and appreciated the way the author used familiar reality tv tropes to critique late-stage capitalism as well as heteronormativity and material excess without feeling too heavy-handed. This was a really refreshing debut that would make a great beach read for anyone looking for something that really rides the line between literary fiction and trashy (in the best possible way) entertainment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to be an early reader of this title, available now!

Compulsively readable and surprisingly harrowing, this dystopian take on reality tv had me hooked from the start. I thought the book would be lighter based on the premise and cover, but was pleasantly surprised at the depth, social commentary, and plot. The characters were also fully fleshed out - a feat considering the large cast and frequently shifting relationships. This is a perfect read if you’re a fan of love island but want a dose of black mirror.

Was not expecting to like this Lord of the Flies meets Bachelor in Paradise (yes, you read that right) mashup so much - but it was so good.

The Compound is a near-future dystopia that follows a group of strangers who wake up in a desert mansion compound knowing that they are now on a world-famous reality dating show. The rules are simple - they can’t talk about their real lives or the fact that they’re on the show, but they’re being filmed at all moments. Every man and woman has to pair up and sleep in the same bed; anyone who doesn’t find a pair is banished from the compound into the desert. They can earn rewards for essential and non-essential things they need - like food, water, or diamond earrings - by completing individual or group tasks.

Although there’s certainly some salacious drama between the characters, I was surprised at how much of the book was almost like a survival thriller, with individual tensions and selfish motivations coming to the surface as the competition gets more heated and literal survival for food and water becomes harder. I found it to be an inventive, thrilling, engaging concept that asks hard questions and immerses you in this odd, alienating setting. Loved it.

The Compound by Aisling Rawles

Love Island meets Lord of the Flies in this dystopian debut that reads like your favorite binge-worthy reality show—but darker. Contestants are dropped into a remote, camera-covered desert compound to compete for luxury goods, material comforts, and ultimate survival… but the real question becomes: how far will they go to win?

If you love reality TV chaos, dark dystopian settings, and compulsively readable fiction—you’ll want this one on your TBR. This debut is addictive, propulsive, and eerily thought-provoking.

There’s also something quietly Orwellian about it—reminiscent of Animal Farm in how power shifts, groupthink festers, and individuals justify the inhumane for the “sake” of the collective.

This one dives deep into human behavior, desire, and isolation—and I couldn’t put it down. Dropped into a high-stakes experiment, you’re just as in the dark as the contestants, questioning every twist and motive as you turn the pages. The characters are deeply flawed, often unlikeable, and all too human—which, let’s be honest, makes for great reality TV and great fiction.

It left me thinking:

💭 What lengths would we go to—for comfort or survival?
💭 Does winning still mean anything when choices are being made based on manipulation?
💭 When loneliness sets in, would we trade material luxury for real connection?

A strong, unsettling debut that’s absolutely worth the read.

this is a perfect book to get ahead on your reading challenge when you really just want to be watching reality tv. an ideal beach read. it slightly heightens the stakes with traces of a dystopian future outside, but it's not too far off from traitors, which makes it fun. i expected that this would get darker or have some light themes of greed and fame take more precedence, but i'm not mad that it didn't. i enjoyed this book to the end and was desperate to find out where it would go.

The Compound has such a great premise: Lily is a contestant on a reality show where she wakes up in a compound in the middle of the desert with 9 other women, waiting for 10 men to arrive. Lily does not have much to look forward to in the "real world" and hopes to win and stay on at the compound indefinitely. I flew through the first half but then it began to feel a bit redundant, and then it went a little off the rails. I loved what it had to say about our current culture, consumerism and group dynamics in general. It was a fun read that I wish could have ended a bit more solidly. I liked Rawle's writing style and would be interested in what she writes next. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. 3.5/3.75 stars rounded up

Brilliant, compelling, a book for the summer or fall or winter - don't box it in. A take on current reality show dating culture with a dash of Hunger Games, I couldn't put it down.

Imagine a game show that is a crossing of Love Island and a not-exactly-lethal version of The Hunger Games. If that sounds intriguing, you might be the perfect reader for Aisling Rawle’s new novel, The Compound (note: a Good Morning America Book Club pick). Reality TV meets a near future climate and tech capitalist dystopia. How’s that for a Black Mirror episode?

I think it’s best to go into the novel fairly uninformed, so I won’t say much more than what I have. However, there is something else to keep in mind here. While this novel has plenty of action, the book is really character-driven. We see and feel every piece of one contestant’s experience on The Compound. Lily’s perspective, start to finish, drives this book, and the action serves that end.

I admit that I struggled at a few points with her character’s journey, as well as with the ending. But the publisher’s description promises that this book “will linger in your mind long after the game ends”. I finished the novel two weeks ago, and that has certainly been the case for me. The more I’ve thought about it, the more Lily’s journey and the ending ring true with its message. It may not be traditionally satisfying, but it packs a punch. Recommended for readers of character-centric dystopian fiction. Ripe for discussion -- would make a great book club pick, as long as your club members can take some intensity. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to RandomHouse Publishing Group – Random House, the author, and NetGalley for providing this copy of The Compound for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. This one was very slow for me, I felt I couldnt' get into it because it was going so slow. Also had a hard time with the amount of characters to track.

Love Island meets Lord of the Flies in this addicting, propulsive read. I was obsessed and went in totally blind.

I really enjoyed this book, as a fan of shows like Love is Blind, Too Hot To Handle, it very much gave off that feeling. The only difference is the tasks are a little more out there then the shows I watch.

"The Compound" is a gripping and thought-provoking debut that kept me hooked from start to finish. The premise of a reality show set in a remote desert compound is both intriguing and unsettling, as it mirrors the voyeuristic nature of our society. Lily, the protagonist, is a fascinating character whose journey from boredom to desperation is both relatable and compelling. The book does an excellent job of exploring the blurred lines between reality and performance, desire and survival, making it a captivating read.

The challenges and dynamics between the contestants are well-crafted, adding layers of tension and intrigue. The author's ability to create a vivid and immersive setting, combined with the psychological depth of the characters, makes this book hard to put down. The stakes are high, and the twists and turns keep you guessing until the very end.

While the book is addictive and engaging, there are moments where the pacing could be tighter, and some plot points feel slightly predictable. However, these minor issues do not detract from the overall impact of the story.

I do not agree with classifying this book as dystopian. While it explores themes of societal breakdown and human behavior under pressure, it feels more like a psychological thriller than a traditional dystopian narrative.

Overall, "The Compound" is a compelling and timely novel that offers a sharp critique of reality TV culture and the lengths people will go to for fame and fortune. It's a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

Things I enjoyed:
- the slowly escalating tension
- the general plot (esp the reality show element)
- the hints at what the rest of the world is like / war (felt somewhat prescient without going too far afield from the topic of the book)
- the writing itself was enveloping and I didn’t want to put it down!

Things I didn’t enjoy:
- the ending left me wanting more
- not quite sinister enough for me
- this is the rare book I would have liked to see other character perspectives and possibly information about the reception of the show/people

The Compound was a fun and fast-paced read. I'd give it a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. It follows Lily while she is on a reality show with 19 other contestants. They must complete challenges to gain food or items and avoid being banished. While it’s listed as a thriller/dystopia, it’s more reflective than dark or twisty and I feel like there could have been so much more potential within those genres. I did enjoy delving into themes of influencer culture and consumerism and it definitely made me think a lot after having read the book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I don’t have a lot of positive things to say about this one and honestly probably should have DNF’d it. I picked this one up because I love a trashy reality show now and then and thought this would be a fun summer read. But this book tries to be something more and doesn’t deliver at all. I guess it’s kind of dystopian but with zero background on what is going on in the outside world or what the stakes even are, it's hard to be too invested. There is almost no character growth or development throughout the story, making it equally difficult to care about any of the characters. And then the book just kind of ends without giving you any background on what the compound is, what the point of it is, who runs it, etc. To say I was mad at the end of reading this one would be an understatement because the whole thing felt like a waste of time. I kept waiting for something to happen (especially since the description says Lord of the Flies meets Love Island) and honestly didn’t get anything. So I cannot recommend this book to anyone.

If you’re into deeply f’ed up climate fiction dealing with class and consumerism? Grab this one. Immediately. I was sucked in from page ONE and the book did not let me go until I finished. Read this one in 2.5 sessions. It’s giving Yellowjackets meets 1984 meets Love Island??? Go with me here, okay. It’s wild. Read it.