Wow, I loved this novel so much! It's one of those ones where a lot happens...but also it doesn't. We have a lot of characters, but not much development, but I didn't care. I do feel the Love Island meets Lord of the Flies is 100% accurate, but that's not all it is. It's also fairly literary, but not in an intimidating way, and it has some great ruminations on society and the way things are progressing (set in near-future). It's both slow and fast paced without being frustratingly so, and I enjoyed every minute! If it at all sounds like something you'd enjoy, definitely try it!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Man how I devoured this. Pop culture and reality TV fans are going to love this one. It reads like your favorite reality show and is the epitome of “just one more chapter.”

In The Compound you’ll confront themes like consumerism, sexism, pop culture, voyeurism, relationships, survival, with a dash of “something bad is happening out there” and horror/thriller. Each chapter really feels like popping popcorn, and the premise gets more and more unsettling as the story continues.

Nice debut, highly recommend.

Conceptually I anticipated I’d like this but the writing was so awful I had to check to see if it was translated. It sounds like AI wrote it.

This was hard for me to wrap my head around, but in a great way! The first half was fun and carefree. The second half turned a bit sinister as the characters became more intense. The main character is not one that I would typically read. She is not the strong, smart, underdog. I found that to be a bit hard to swallow for me. It was refreshing in a way. I was hooked from the beginning and thoroughly enjoyed this book!

The Compound is eerie, smart, and totally absorbing. The author builds tension slowly but effectively. By the time things really start unraveling, I couldn’t put it down. I lost a lot of sleep the last few days! It’s got a quiet, dystopian vibe that kind of reminded me of Never Let Me Go. Some parts dragged a bit early on, but the payoff was worth it. Definitely recommend if you like moody, psychological stories that make you think.

Strangely addictive... thought-provoking... unique. The reality show concept drew me in, and the sinister feeling and need to know what happens kept me hooked throughout. Read this in one sitting and could NOT put it down. Aisling Rawle's de but novel is a Literary Fiction but reads a bit like a Thriller in places which I loved! I've never read something quite like it before, and days later I can't stop thinking about it. This book is released on June 24th 2025 and I've already preordered a copy for myself as well as my besties! Can't wait to see what the author comes up with next!

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this from NetGalley. This review is honest, unbiased, and completely my own.

Thank you so much @randomhouse and @netgalley for inviting me to read this book. I wasn’t sure that this would be my kind of book, but I ran to my kindle after reading @what_is_nelly_reading enthusiastic review of it.

Pub date: June 24,2025

I was absolutely consumed by this book. From the first page to the very last. On the second night I stayed up until midnight reading. Midnight isn’t very late for many, but for this mother of two young kids, it’s an absurd hour. No regrets.

I would describe this as Bachelor In Paradise meets The Hunger Games: a reality tv show that takes place in the middle of the desert, miles away from the horrors of their dystopian world. In the compound the tasks are more unhinged and the rewards more lavish and odd than anything we’re used to on our reality tv shows.

You don’t need to be familiar with or even like reality tv shows to get into this book, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. I used to watch “The Bachelor/ette” and “Bachelor in Paradise” shows, and, although I eventually quit watching these shows, I can easily admit that they were fascinating. Of course they are. They’re televised sociology experiments and we are social beings attuned to studying each other.

Rawlings doesn’t just give us a propulsive beach read (not that there’s anything wrong with a beach read) but dug a little deeper with her characters, inviting us to dissect our own society’s relationship to reality tv and social media.

Two caveats to consider: 1. Not many likable characters and 2. The horrors of life outside the compound are kept vague, which could disappoint a reader who’s *only* looking for a dystopian story. If you’re still on board, then I urge you to get yourself a copy!

I wasn’t sure if this was going to be a quick fluff read but was pleasantly surprised it turned out to be more. The premise was interesting- contestants dropped into a compound to begin a reality show. While I found the main character unlikable and somewhat pathetic at times, I found I couldn’t stop reading. If this was a reality show I’d want to watch.

Choosing not to review as it felt like this was mis-genred for me. A great story with tension and interest for the right reader, but didn't deliver on the dystopian/sci-fi/fantasy angle I'd hoped for. Giving 3 stars because I think the writing and concept are probably good but the description didn't match my reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars rounded up.

This was a wild book. I was hooked on it right away from page one! Once I started I didn’t want to put the book down! I had to see what happened next.

It read exactly like a reality tv show. I could see it playing out right in front of my eyes as if I were watching it on a television screen. I thought the author did an amazing job in that regard.

I’ve read a couple of books that say it’s like a reality tv show, but doesn’t actually deliver those vibes. This one served what was promised!

It had an eerie feel to it; the situations they were put in were so creepy. There was a sinister feel throughout the whole entire book. I know they agreed to the terms, but it was so inhumane at times. There is no way this would ever be a show that could actually air in real life.

Some of it made me mad to read, but that is unfortunately the truth with a lot of reality tv shows. Like people of color/black people getting voted off first or early, or only caring about how skinny and beautiful someone is, or women waiting on a man’s hand and foot. Not that it made the book bad, but if that sort of thing really upsets you I wouldn’t read it.

Unfortunately there was what I would call animal cruelty. I know they need to eat but it goes into detail describing how they killed ducks for food and there was a scene where fish were needlessly killed. That really made me sick and upset. It at the very least didn’t need to be described like it was.

By the end of it I really didn’t like Lily. Most of the people in there weren’t good people. Which was the point, but it was hard to root for anyone. But reality tv is for unlikeable people!

I didn’t care for the relationships because I knew they wouldn’t go anywhere. I was mainly intrigued on how everything would play out.

The fact that the author is younger than me and wrote something this good is mind blowing! The ending was a little abrupt but honestly I didn’t mind where it ended! Sure it would have been nice to see some of the aftermath, but we don’t get that as viewers since we are not the people on the show. I think it would ruin the “tv show magic” because the audience wouldn’t get to see stuff like that, so it’s kind of the point that we don’t either.

If you love reality tv like I do, you will throughly enjoy this I can guarantee!

I posted this review on GoodReads on 6/13/25 and will post it on Amazon on the release date! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7114668450

This book is described as The Lord of the Flies meets Love Island, and I would throw in Animal Farm too. In a slightly distopian future, a group of beautiful young 20-somethings compete for prizes and relationships in front of cameras for a viewing audience. The reality tv elements of completing tasks for things needed for survival made me think of the Hunger Games. None of the characters, including the main female lead Lily, are particularly likable, and most of them end up performing tasks that are demeaning or downright mean. Overall, I enjoyed this addictive read and think it would make a great vacation book. The pacing seemed a little uneven and some of the actions were too over the top, but I quickly read this book. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to pause for some thought about today's consumerism and voyeurism while breezing through a guilty pleasure summer read.

Wanted to love this soooo bad. Got this just as Love Island was starting and thought this would be the perfect pairing. It moved a little slow for me and I could never find a good rhythm with it. I ended up DNFing around the 50% mark but I just wasn't itching to pick it up. I would love to know how it ends though. Better than most reality-show like books I've read. With the right reader they will love this.

I received an invitation to this E-Arc and felt a bit cautious, even after really liking the summary. However, it blew me away, and I will accept no slander—well, I will, but I won’t listen. I know there are some things that could have been tweaked, but they do not change my feelings for the novel.

There is a bit of uncertainty at the beginning, as we are not privy to what happened before the compound, their lives, and how they came to be there. We are left to figure out who these people are and how far they are willing to go. Being in Lily's point of view was perfection; I wouldn’t change anything about her. She felt so normal and realistic, even framed as shallow, beautiful, and dumb. I didn't agree with that characterization there is much more to her than that. In the second half of the book, you can see how unhappy she is with her life and how much she is struggling. We gradually learn more about the dystopian world they inhabit, particularly how they perceive rewards and life in the compound. My favorite parts were witnessing Lily being underestimated, fighting with everything she has to stay in the game. You can even see moments when she forgets she is in a game, so immersed is she in her environment.

I absolutely demolished this book! I couldn't put it down and stayed up late to finish it. It was a perfect read for me, convincing me to pick up anything else this author publishes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing I received a ARC for an honest review !

Reading "The Compound" was a bit like watching a television reality competition show but a lot darker. It's a mix between 'Big Brother' and 'Love Island' and 'Hunger Games.' The challenges were sometimes troubling and often brought out the worst in people. It was an engaging read and would likely really be enjoyed by those who like reality shows. The characters are interesting, if a bit one-dimensional. The world outside is perhaps even darker than the remote reality environment created in The Compound but we never fully learn about it.. I found the ending a bit troubling and unsatisfying but I think others will be more enthusiastic about this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

The Compound is the setting of a reality show in which 20 twenty-something’s live together in the middle of a desert. The players complete group tasks for group rewards like tools, furniture, and food. Individual tasks yield personal rewards which grow in value as the game proceeds. A twist is that everyone needs to find a bedmate in order to stay in the game. Like many other reality shows, players can be banished by a vote. Though the premise sounded much like Big Brother or Survivor, Rawle has incorporated several twists including the desert location which increase the danger in the game. I found this to be engaging and engrossing. Lily is the central character. She works as a makeup assistant in a department store so she has no desire to return to the outside world. She plays the game well. One of the characters is a true villain. Not much is known about most of the others but despite this I had trouble putting this one down. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a page turner for me! Since I'm not really a fan of reality TV, I wasn't sure if I would appreciate this one but kept hearing about it, so I gave it a try. I got hooked fast and mostly flew through it- except for a bit in the middle where I got tired of their daily life. I did not like the abrupt ending, but I know it had to be that way to keep the focus on what happens at the compound.

The characters themselves varied greatly, and though I often got irritated with Lily's voice, her passivity allowed us to see the other contestants more clearly. Lily herself is unapologetically there for the prizes. She is materialism and influencer life. She has no other depth to her, and though she sometimes get uncomfortable when her goal is revealed, she otherwise doesn't care.

I was worried about the dystopia/sci-fi feels, but they are so low key with small mentions of a "war" and references to "what's the point" of long term thoughts, that I didn't really notice it at all. It really is kept to life on the compound not the "real world."

I would suggest this as a book club book. There are many parts I wanted to discuss as I was reading.

Overall, this is a great summer read that leaves you with a lot to mull over. It won't be a favorite of the year for me, but I don't think I'll forget it any time soon.

There are some trigger warnings for violence, blood, confinement, vomit, physical abuse, cursing, etc.

What a ride!!! This is one of those reads that grabs you immediately— such a unique storyline and a play on the dark side of reality tv and what people will do for fame and fortune. For fans of Love Island and Survivor— each chapter had my heart racing and I truly didn’t know where it was headed. I do wish we got a little bit of a better ending but I really appreciated the underlining message of this book—it really makes you think about what is important in life. Definitely recommend for a summer read by the pool/beach!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! :)

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC!

Big Brother is one of my favorite shows for the past few years, so when I saw this book description I was so excited. And it did not let down! Other reality TV based books I've read have just had a bit of the reality show mixed with a mystery or thriller. This whole book is the reality show though, which is great for those of us who love some trash TV.

I loved the dystopian setting of this book and how unique the TV show was. The characters were entertaining and real, definitely not your normal heros. The rules and the game were very entertaining. There were a lot of twists I didn't see coming.

This definitely is a social commentary on overconsumption, Fame, fortune, and what's really a good life. Are you really a winner if you aren't with the ones you love?

In the end though I was there was a bit more closure, it felt like it ended abruptly but I guess that's the point. Its my reason for pulling down the rating a little because I loved every part of the book.

If you love reality TV, read this! Its great!

I’m not sure about this one. This is a dystopian book in the setting of a reality TV show. 20 people are sent to a compound in the desert to participate in challenges and maintain the compound until there is only one left standing. When challenges are completed the people get either personal rewards or rewards to make their lives easier on the compound. With all reality shows, there is camaraderie, coupling, and back stabbing.

There are some serious undertones to this book. It looks at over consumerism and the thought that if we have more possessions it makes us worth more in the eyes of others. Can possessions take the place of human interaction?

This isn’t my typical genre and I don’t really think this book was for me. But, if you find yourself interested in the themes above, give it a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

<i>Love Island</i> meets <i>Survivor</i> meets <i>Animal Farm</i>

In this reality tv inspired story, we follow a group of women who discover their quest for love isn't the only thing they need to focus on while the cameras roll. Their own safety and survival will be threatened. Everything will be televised, there is no such thing as privacy. Everything has a price, and anyone's morals can be bought.

The world may be falling apart, better make sure the hidden cameras capture your best side... there's prizes on the line

The ten women in the titular compound will have to ask themselves how far they're willing to go to remain on screen. The chance at escaping poverty may have brought them to this set, yet what they risk is so much greater—their very lives. A satire of our collective obsession with trashy reality tv and commentary on how society craves distraction as the world falls apart. Shiny baubles become more attainable goals than surviving, as they're the more realistic option.

The protagonist Lily is an incredibly passive character. Yet rather than being a detriment to the story, her self-awareness of this fact just further relays how detached one can become from life when constantly watched and scrutinized. Things happen to her, and she may briefly mention her own thoughts or feelings on the matter, however these are rarely voiced or acted on.

The little snippets of her past provided for gifts at the producers' whims do offer a glimpse into the life of a sad, mean girl capable of things far worse than one might initially expect. She has the potential to snap—becoming someone utterly unhinged—yet elects to do nothing and coast vaguely through life instead.

The narrative style isn't quite my cup of tea: wry, direct thoughts and word for word explanations of events transpiring. The intent for such a voice makes sense however in a world where sentiments of 'this might as well happen' barely cast a thin veneer over the horrors of reality. If one thinks too deeply about what's occurring they'll go mad; or in this case ruin the show and distraction for folks back home.