The Compound starts with ten women, waking up in a bizarre compound in an undisclosed location in the middle of the desert for a reality TV show. It feels very dystopian - It is supposed to be a gorgeous house, but it is in a state of disarray - and many items are damaged. The women wait for the men to show up - the men having to traverse through the desert to arrive at the house. When only nine men arrive, you realize that something is "off", and this utopian set is not what it claims to be. The Compound has many rules - the main rule is if you wake up alone - you are banished. This sets up a competition to pair up, which is ratcheted up with both team and individual challenges to obtain both goods for the group, and individual prizes from sponsors. You experience the Compound through the POV of one contestant - Lily, a twenty-something beautiful women who craves the fame and the swag that she could win. The book says a lot of the voyeurism nature of reality shows, and also what people will do for fame and "stuff". I read quickly to see just how far Lily would go to win the show, but the ending really felt abrupt. Not a fan of the ending - I wanted more resolution of what Lily would choose or some redemption that she was not as shallow as she appeared. I wish I had someone to talk to about this book! Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy.

The Compound is the site of a reality television show where the contestants remain in the game only if they wake in the morning next to someone of the opposite sex. The narrator of the novel is Lily, who was ranked by the men as the second most beautiful woman of the ten original female contestants, but who felt that she was one of the least interesting. The rules at the Compound are explicit: (1) residents are forbidden to discuss that the show was in fact a show because it ruined the experience for the viewing audience; (2) residents could not discuss their life outside the compound; and (3) residents could not harm another resident.

A big screen announces Communal Tasks that the residents can agree to perform to win rewards, such as a couch for the living room, wood (the Compound lacked doors), and food supplies. A small screen offers the residents Personal Tasks that, if accomplished, come with personal rewards, such as grooming supplies or clothing. Personal rewards require the resident to thank the donating brand which gives rise to future marketing opportunities. Because residents cannot disclose their Personal Tasks, it is unclear to the other contestants if they were acting on instructions or behaving spontaneously.

Lily initially teams up with Ryan (voted by the women as most handsome man of the nine original male contestants) which she believed would create “great moments of television,” but she has formed an interest in the intellectual Sam. Lily feels safe as long as Ryan wants her, but she is afraid that her lack of interest in a sexual relationship with him may jeopardize her hold on Ryan, a fear that is more fully realized when she learns that he is having sex with Vanessa, the blonde whose body all men desired. Lily knows that she has to hold on to Ryan until the final five when couples no longer matter.

As Lily successfully survives rounds of elimination, she grows closer to the other contestants but, as the stakes get higher, she is forced to weigh her friendships against the drive to win. Rawle, an English teacher in a secondary school in Dublin, has created a negative view of a world that doesn’t seem too far removed from how we are presently living. This debut novel is as addictive as a guilty pleasure binge-watch of “Love Island,” but with the heft of good literature. Thank you Madison Dettlinger at Random House and Net Galley for an advance copy of the perfect beach read.

4.5⭐
Part Love Island, part Black Mirror, The Compound takes place on the set of a hit reality show in a near-future society mired in war and hardship. 10 women and 10 men must pair up to make it through the night, and compete for a series of rewards ranging from basic necessities to increasingly lavish luxuries. How far would you go to win it all?

This book is slow but searing, simmering with tension as it pits human connection against material desires. Beneath the glossy surface of reality TV, the Compound’s residents contend with just how much they're willing to trade for comfort, status, and luxury, exposing the darker threads of desire, performance, and consumerism propping it all up. With love and survival on the line, what does it really mean to win - and at what cost?

Hints of devastation in the outside world create a contrast with the Compound’s curated paradise, where the residents are constantly performing for the cameras and each other. While I wanted to know more about the world beyond the set, there was enough to fill in the blanks, and the vagueness added to the sense of unease and desperation to stay in the Compound. The story starts out light and superficial, but slowly builds unease as it devolves into the darker side of the influencer-consumer culture, leaving you with lingering questions about meaning, desire, and the cost of wanting more.

Thanks to Random House for the advance review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Ms. Rawle for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I was so surprised by this book. Looking at the sunbaked cover and reading the blurb I was sort of expecting a beach read, and throw in the Love Island references? I was expecting competition and drama and soap galore and that was... not at all it.

So this is actually more of a dystopian angle on a reality TV competition; it's implied but not explicitly stated that things outside the compound aren't all that great. Is it a war? Is it a climate disaster? Is it a depression? Is it a combination of problems? Who knows. Suffice to say that these "contestants" are willing to humiliate themselves, to sacrifice their pride and their morals and their ethics, for things, for position, for appearances. I found the comparison to Lord of the Flies a little too apt to be completely honest. I mean, times have changed since William Golding's classic: there are very few deserted islands for civilization to devolve in complete splendid isolation nowadays. Twenty (or, 19, I suppose) men and women purposefully and voluntarily isolated, jockeying for position, for an indeterminate amount of time? That's about as close as we can come at this point.

I really liked Lily. Like most reality TV participants, she's attractive and a bit bland. She could be me, if I were prettier; she could be you. She's competition enough to stay safe for a while, certainly. We don't know too much about Lily personally and I thought that was so appropriate. Reality TV contestants aren't open books either; what you see is NOT who they really are. I would liken them more to actors than regular people. I'm familiar with casting of several shows and the entire premise and plot are scripted 99.9% percent. I mean, there's the odd couple who marry after the Bachelorette, or whatever, but for every one of those there a THOUSAND Kardashians or House Hunters or Survivors. I only read a couple of reviews prior to reading this book because I didn't want any spoilers, but one review I did read said that this book is a commentary on performance culture and I think that is absolutely, one hundred percent accurate. Every action in this book seemed entirely calculated for viewers or potential sponsors. Every interaction seemed thoroughly planned.

The author has excellent little tiny gems of insightful social observation throughout, but my favorite was the initial portion where Jacintha laments that if there are only "white boys, [she's] screwed because white boys never go for the Black girl" and then further when Lily observes that Jacintha is pursuing Carlos (who is also Black) as the safest and best option to attract a man and stay safe
(read: remain in the Compound) overnight. The "attractiveness rankings" was also a really poignant scene in which objectification is verbalized and realized and it's SO awkward and squeamish, and yet so believable.

The setting was excellent. I really couldn't say specifically why, but initially I was strongly reminded of a vaguely pre-Mad-Max Australia. The slightly run-down yet still grand compound with its dusty surrounds and giant pool was so easy to visualize I could practically smell it.

Overall this was one of those books that took me by surprise and then lingered. Well done Ms. Rawle, this is one I'll remember.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I quit watching reality TV many years ago when it became apparent that the "reality" was not real. Aisling Rawle drops readers into THE COMPOUND in the first chapter along with the 20 young, beautiful contestants. But this reality show is a little different. Part of the allure of this reality show is that it is not just a contest. The world outside the contest is already harsh, with conditions and challenges far worse than the contestants face on set. It puts a spin on some of the contestants' attitudes. Rawle lays out the compound so well, I could "see" it, smell it, and feel the dirt and dust. Her characters are three-dimensional. The story itself is compelling; you'll cheer for some and hiss the others. The decisions of each raise questions. Is this really worth what they are going through? Overall, this is a 5-star read that my reading circle is going to love.

20 people, ten men, and ten women, are at the compound. They will be tested and watched by millions, with each task giving them something they need and/or want. Who will stay standing the longest, and what will they do to win?

Ok the publisher synopsis for this one made it seem like these people didn’t know they were headed to the compound, which didn’t feel completely accurate while reading. It also mentioned the unrest in the outside world, which you can assume while reading, but again it isn’t really gone into. I do kind of wish we got a bit more about what was happening in the world, but I still really enjoyed this debut! It was a bit Perfect Match meets The Challenge meets The Mole which was so fun to read instead of watch! It was so unique and I loved finding out what everyone got for completing their tasks…give me those diamond studs please! I kind of do want them to make this into a show now because while I loved reading, I would love to watch along as well! I don’t want to say much more because I went into this one pretty blind and I think you should too!

Thank you to @randomhouse for my gifted copy of this book!

This was so bizarre and I was riveted. WHAT. I don’t watch loved island but I vividly remember being excited for Big Brother when it first aired and I was a 10 years old. That was probably what first sparked my interest in human psychology and behavior. I don’t usually care for books with too many characters but I felt like these were all unique enough to keep them straight and I’m still thinking about this book a month later and don’t need a single refresher to come back and write this review. This book was totally bonkers and I want more.

This one felt like The Hunger Games meets Love Island on the surface, but it didn’t fully deliver for me.

I struggled to connect with any of the characters or couples. There wasn’t anyone to root for, which made the high-stakes premise feel a little hollow. I think I would’ve been more invested if we had a clearer understanding of why each character chose to enter the Compound. Their motivations felt vague, which made their decisions harder to care about. If you’re going to open your book by quoting 1984, you’ve got to commit to the dystopian worldbuilding and the social commentary that comes with it. I just wanted more depth behind the spectacle.

Came for the Love Island premise, stayed for the depth. This book wasn’t on my radar, and went into it blind, so I was surprised at how it delivered a highly enjoyable but also thought provoking story. A lot of books try to balance the entertainment factor and cultural examination, but this one was done very successfully as it traversed consumerism, gender roles, race, class, and more, all within a TV show format where the audience and producers are voyeurs to all the drama and manipulate the will of the contestants. It’s also weird, but accessible. Funny but smart. Everything I was looking for in a summer read.

Mild spoiler: I HAVE to know what happened to Andrew when they took him to receive medical care. What did they do to you Andrew?!?

Absolutely will recommend to others, and looking forward to more from this debut author! Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy. It’s out now - opinions are my own.

Obviously I’m gonna read a life-or-death version of Love Island. Give me the beach drama, secret alliances, and flirty tension—but make it deadly. I want stolen kisses and plot twists that could literally kill someone. Trust issues and betrayal? Absolutely. But also sun-kissed chaos and people falling in love while the world burns a little.

Romance + survival stakes = chef’s kiss.

HAPPY PUB DAY TO THIS BOMBSHELL (THE COMPOUND), WHO JUST ENTERED THE VILLA (your favorite bookstore/your local library)✨💛

I had the pleasure of reading and receiving this book and gifted PR Box from @atrandombooks a few months ago and I seriously haven’t stopped thinking about it since!!! The perfect amount of fast paced drama and slow-burn storytelling….CHEF’S KISS😘

The comparisons for this book that I heard previously were "Love Island meets Lord of the Flies" but I believe that undersells this book a little bit. I'm an avid fan of both Love Island and Lord of the Flies, but looking through the lens of a reality dating show to analyze rampant consumerism, capitalism, and our voyeuristic nature was even better than I expected.

I was completely surprised by this debut, which gripped me from the start. A group of men and women come together in a desert compound in the near future and seek to be the winner of a TV reality competition (think Big Brother and Love Island). This is the perfect summer read that you won't be able to put down. The author subtly comments on gender dynamics, consumerism, and the pressures of living in a capitalistic society. Fun and fresh!

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and author Aisling Rawle for advanced copy for honest review.

Happy Pub Day! Think Survivor meets Big Brother. A group of strangers must survive in the desert to be the last one standing. They answer fun questions and do challenges to get perks and prizes. But there is also a chance you’ll get voted out. When most of the cast get ‘friendly’ and catch feelings, that’s when voting people out can be an easy choice or not. Fun read, liked the characters, recommend, 4 stars!

I wanted to like this book. It seemed like a great combination of locked room mystery and reality tv drama but I just couldn't connect with the characters and I really didn't care what happened to them. The atmosphere was cool and I kept thinking something would happen but ultimately I didn't understand the characters motivations or again, why I should care what happened to any of these people.

The Compound takes a familiar set-up and blends it with speculative fiction. Think Love Island x Lord of the Flies, wrapped in a dark satire of society's obsession with material goods and manufactured spectacle. 20 contestants are kept in a remote, hyper-produced compound under constant surveillance for an invisible audience. They are forced to pair up, compete in (bizarre) challenges, and turn on each other. It's an uncanny valley version of the reality shows we all watch feverishly.

The narrator / MC, Lily, is unlikable but her self-awareness makes her a good guide through the fake glamour and warped version of reality. I cared less about the characters, though, than the sharp commentary on consumerism and reality TV culture. The ending felt a little rushed and unsatisfying, but overall this was a smart, subversive summer read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the e-ARC!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLSKK2Rsqpe/The Compound by Aisling Rawle is a conundrum. There is a 5 star book trying to break free from this 3 star book. It's got a great premise, it's got perfectly unlikable characters in the best way, it's got moments of perfect execution but in the end Rawle fails to keep the train on the tracks and delivers a book that was good but is hurt by the fact that it very clearly could've been great.

from the blurb "You wake up in a compound in the middle of the desert, along with nine other women. All of you are young, all beautiful, all keen to escape the grinding poverty, political unrest and environmental catastrophe of the outside world. You realise that cameras are tracking your every move, broadcasting to millions of reality TV fans.

Soon, ten men will arrive on foot – if they all survive the journey.What will you have to do to win?"

Touted as Lord of the Flies meets Love Island - I can definitively say that the Love Island UK vibes are on full display and Rawle captures the ridiculousness and the dark underbelly perfectly. The dystopian near future setting falters and the runs into continuity issues that distract from the narrative - which honestly should've been addressed by the editor(s).

I liked the book and I will likely read Rawle's next effort because the pieces are there and the potential is so very high. I would just temper expectations a bit. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. #TheCompound #NetGalley #bookstagram

Lily wakes up in a compound in the middle of the desert along with nine other beautiful young women. Cameras are tracking their every move, broadcasting to millions of reality TV fans. Soon ten men will arrive on foot – if they all survive the journey. Residents of the compound must complete tasks, some communal and some personal, to win rewards, always with the prospect of banishment looming large.

Although I probably read the synopsis at some point, I had it in my brain that this was a story about a cult. Instead, it's a story about contestants on a reality tv show, a Survivor-like program, who are placed in a compound in the middle of the desert. I'm not a fan of this type of tv program but, after about the first 25%, I really enjoyed the book and became quite immersed in the story, wondering who was going to make it to the end. There are quite a few characters, most of them pretty superficial and the story is told solely from Lily's point of view, always with a vague sense of menace in the background. Although it's not explicitly stated, I got the feeling the story takes place in the future after a war of some type. I was expecting a more dramatic ending but it was okay. Very impressive for a debut novel and a high 4-star rating.

Thanks to Random House Publishing for inviting me to read an advance copy of this debut novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: June 24, 2025

Very interesting concept, love island meets the hunger games. I found myself getting pulled into the story right away and finished the book in one sitting. I found myself wondering why people would go on this show in the first place, and if it would work in real life, but reality television is crazy. A different and kind of intense summer read!

Ten men and ten women wake up in a compound in the middle of the desert. They have agreed to sign up for a reality show with only a few rules and no set end date. They will complete to win fantastic prizes and also basic resources that they need for their survival.

This books was a wild ride. I am a pretty big reality tv fan and this was a truly fascinating and at time harrowing take on the reality tv world. It is also incredibly difficult to describe. Our lead character Lily is not your average FMC. She is aloof and very concerned with her image. To begin with she is seriously lacking in survival skills. The pacing is all over the place and I think that is intentional. There are some very eerie and terrifying moments in the book. I found myself so curious about what was happening in the outside world if this is something people were willingly signing up for. This was my first Aisling Rawle book but it will not be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.