What a gem! The Compound is wonderfully written and filled with compelling characters. While the main storyline may seem basic at its core (simply a story of a group of contestants competing in their stay in “the compound”), there’s an undercurrent of suspense. The story serves as a nice thought-provoking “what if” and is really a strong story that would delight all readers.

Tried to get into this one, but I didn’t love it.
Thanks NetGalley, Random House, and Aisling for letting me read before its release.

This book was a wild, unforgettable ride—equal parts thrilling, unsettling, and thought-provoking. Imagine a dystopian reality show where emotional stakes run high and every twist leaves you questioning the characters' motives—and your own instincts. It’s a genre-blending story with hints of Lord of the Flies and Yellowjackets, but filtered through the lens of modern reality TV drama. The author crafts a world full of tension and emotional depth, where each character—whether lovable or deeply flawed—adds something meaningful to the story. The narrative unfolds in three parts, each more intense than the last, with long, immersive chapters that explore what happens when people are pushed to their limits. As a debut, it’s bold and ambitious, keeping me hooked and guessing until the final page.

Wow, "The Compound" by Aisling Rawle was an absolute ride! Seriously, I devoured this book in like, 24 hours. If you're a fan of reality TV, especially "Love Island," "Big Brother," or even "Survivor," you are going to eat this up. It's got that perfect blend of dystopian vibes with all the drama and twists of a reality show.

From page one, you're just thrown right into "The Compound" with Lily and the other contestants, and it's so much fun learning how this bizarre show works as you go. Rawle does such a great job of building the tension and keeping you hooked. There were so many shocking and unexpected turns that I literally couldn't put it down because I had to know what was going to happen next. It definitely felt like I was right there with the characters, navigating all the weirdness.

Lily, our narrator, is pretty aggravating at times, but that just made her feel even more real. All the characters felt incredibly authentic, which is a huge plus for a story like this. And let me tell you, the social commentary in this book is chefs kiss. It really makes you think about late-stage capitalism, how we justify violence (both physical and economic), and the dark side of entertainment. It's kind of like "Black Mirror" meets "Love Island" – can it get any more dystopian? Apparently, yes!

My only minor gripes were that with so many characters, it was a little hard to keep track of everyone at times. Also, while the ending was good, I was hoping for just a little bit more closure. And I really wish we had more world-building on the outside world, because it would have made some of the characters' desperation even more understandable. Plus, what was up with that maze? It felt like an ominous detail that never quite got its moment.

But honestly, those are minor things. This book was such a unique and compelling read. It’s definitely a perfect summer read to devour by the pool. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who loves reality TV, dystopian fiction, or just a really thought-provoking and fast-paced story. Aisling Rawle has written something really special here, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the unique concepts and premise of the story. It reminded me of a mix between big brother, love Island/bachelor in Paradise. The book kept my interest the whole entire time, which was wonderful! One thing that did not work so well for me. There were a lot of characters which at times was hard to keep track of for me. I also felt the ending fell a little short while it was still really good, I was hoping for a little bit more to end the story! Overall, I highly recommend this read.

what a unique book! Rawle creates a fully fleshed out reality show in which young singles live at a compound together - kind of a mix of love island and big brother with a little survivor thrown in, and of course I ATE IT UP. it seems to take place in a bit of a vague alternate or near future timeline and there are some unhinged twists and turns. I liked how we jump right into the show from page one and learn how it functions as we go, instead of Rawle giving a ton of exposition to explain it. I had so much fun with this one!

4.5 ⭐️ the way I DEVOURED this book in 24 hours omg. This truly was a dystopian love island vibe and I ATE it right up. I felt transported into this world and can’t wait to recommend this to everyone as a perfect summer read.

Perfect for fans of white lotus, love island, and survivor!

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

The Compound is such a fascinating story, releasing it during Love Island season is such a great move too. I loved the dystopian vibe of this story and the generally aggravating narrator, Lily. Every character felt real and the storyline was compelling basically from page one. I highly recommend to anyone who loves reality tv or dystopian books!

The Compound is a first-person account of Lily’s experience on a reality TV series in which 20 contestants compete for the chance to live an unbothered life in the compound and endless material rewards in exchange for [redacted].

The book is an in-depth chronicle of Lily’s time on the show. I found each new turn of events shocking and unexpected, which made the book compulsively readable. The reader is limited to knowing whatever it is that Lily knows and experiences, and so the compound remains mostly mysterious due to this. It really felt as though anything could happen next.

There is little world building on the state of things outside the compound. There are references to wars and short life expectancies, which are motivators for contestants to be on the show, but the author does not give much attention to it. I felt that this left me wanting a bit more so that I could better understand some of the desperation characters were going experiencing to get here. Without knowing fully how bad the outside was, it doesn’t make sense for some people to be there.

There are some details that never got their time on the page. Mainly the maze. It was an ominous element, but played a very minor role.

Nice debut. I would be interested in reading more from this author. Thanks to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

The Compound sounded like a book I was going to really enjoy. I like watching reality television. Big Brother was the one that got me hooked on reality tv and this book sounded like a perfect way to spend the day at the beach reading.
I found the characters interesting as much as we were told about them outside of the game show. I found myself wanting to know more about them before they got to the compound. I felt like it was Big Brother on steroids mixed with other shows. I stuck with the book to the end but I am not sure I would read this one again.
Thank you NetGalley, Aisling Rawle and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of the book The Compound.
This is my personal review.

Slow burn, social commentary, reality show brain rot, and a little bit of thrill. This is THE summer read for those who love Love Island, The Hunger Games, and Black Mirror. The concept is wild, but fresh, and just like any reality TV show you'll either love the characters or hate them but of course you're going to keep reading because you need to know what happens.

This was such a fun read. I really loved the plot. As someone who watches Love Island, reading this truly felt like watching a new season of the show. I would highly recommend this if you want a fast paced read!

I don’t watch a lot of reality TV (except anything real-estate related), but I do find the concept fascinating. One of my favorite things about these types of shows are the wildly different personalities that clash on screen, creating the drama we all cringe at but can’t turn away from. Which brings me to The Compound by Aisling Rawle. I initially thought the story started off on the slower side, until I realized Rawle was using a unique narrative structure to mirror that of a reality TV show. Slowly unveiling new characters, the curious setting, and strange tasks each contestant is faced with to win personal items and eventually, survive. Little is known about the outside world, but hints are dropped which caught my attention. Specifically the mention of increased suicide rates by former contestants who are banished from the compound. By the time I reached the midpoint the story took a sharp dark turn and I was completely hooked.

It highlighted some dark truths about society and reality TV as entertainment that disturbed me. How destructive and obsessive consumerism has become. How low some people will stoop to be liked and gain certain comforts, and how meaningless it all is in comparison to living outside the compound in the real world. There were a few scenes that emphasized these points, including Lily, poolside, calling her mother after months of being apart. It was the first time she had spoken to another person outside the compound and I expected her mother to be happy to hear from her. Instead she didn’t have much interest in the show and made general chit-chat before they eventually hung up, calling attention to their strained relationship and Lily’s general isolation in life. It was, perhaps, one of the sad reveals behind her motives for joining the show. In another scene, Lily listening to a voicemail from a contestant who had left, Sam, updating her on his life outside the compound, including sailing his boat around the world and trying to find joy in the day to day. I hoped she would learn from her experiences inside, and run toward a less materialistic future, maybe with Sam. The ending left me feeling curious but hopeful, and deeply disturbed.

For readers watch reality TV shows, are interested in the dark side of entertainment, and who enjoy stories about flawed characters.

Aisling Rawle's The Compound draws from the addictiveness of reality tv through the experience of Lily. She is one of twenty contestants competing to be the only one left living in a desert compound under mass surveillance. Much like the shows that inspired it, the concept and rewards are more promising than the journey.

Lily and her co-contestants just wake up one morning under constrained circumstances in a desert compound. They have just clothes and shelter, the men must journey through the desert to reach them. Once they arrive, the contestants pair off in coed relationships, at least 'sharing' a bed overnight. If not, they are disqualified. Throughout their days they are challenged with group tasks for collective prizes, like food, a large couch, etc.. or individual challenges that reward them with personal care products, jewelry, etc. By collaborating they can improve life in the compound for all, but like in Survivor and other shows, ultimately only one person can win, and there are the machinations of who actually loves who, hiding of pasts or skills. What social capitol is worth anything, the muscular brutes, the vapid pretty people and the take charge all vying for something.

There are hints that this near future world is not doing well, with a multi-decade war and regular fires effecting the environment. But instead, we see it through Lily, who freely admits to being poor at math, pretty, uninterested and trapped in a unending retail hell. It's also a slow build, you know the competition will be the driving force of the narrative and the little quirks of personality and minor disagreements building to emotional climaxes and the brutality of decision for victory.

Much like Lily we never move beyond an obsession with the compound.

Recommended to readers of reality tv, simple concept fiction, pop culture satires.

This book is a MASTERPIECE and I am desperate for it to be officially released so that I can talk about it with more people! Just like reality TV itself, this book is SUCH a rich text with so much to say about late-stage capitalism, forms of violence both subtle and overt, and the way economic instability warps sex and relationships beyond recognition. I was also really impressed with how well thought-out and genuinely compelling the format of the TV show is--I found that aspect of it very similar to The Hunger Games, in that I immediately understood why people in this world would watch this show, how and why contestants are incentivized to act the way they do, and how the show as a cultural institution fits into the political and social climate described in the book. Similarly, what we learn about past seasons/contestants feels thorough and realistic without ever being excessive. Reading this book felt intensely claustrophobic in the best way, and I think the building tension was executed really well. If you’ve ever watched Bachelor in Paradise/Love Island and thought “can this get any more dystopian?,” this one’s for you.

The Compound uses a very brisk, factual writing style that I thought was really effective and fit the plot/protagonist well. In a lot of ways, the narrative voice reminded me of Emma Cline's The Guest (another personal favorite) where there’s clearly a lot of trauma/fear hidden right under the surface of the narrative, informing everything but (mostly) not being explicitly addressed, and everything feels very claustrophobic as a result. This sense of being trapped in The Compound with Lily and her fellow contestants and the slow escalation of violence is done SO well—in my notes at the 35% mark, I wrote "very little bad stuff has happened so far, but I’m terrified."

I also really loved how little we learn about the producers (and even less about the network/execs behind the show) and how easy it was to forget about them and their motivations. The book focuses so heavily on the mechanics of the show and the actions of the people onscreen, and because of that it's easy to focus on judging what we're shown and forget entirely about the context it's all occurring in and that the contestants' choices are heavily driven by the producers, which mirrors the way the show’s viewers would experience watching the show

I also thought the casually dystopian nature of the world the book is set in was really interesting—there are horrific wars going on and Lily's mom is hoarding food back home, but there are also still influencers and reality TV, and Lily's full-time job before going on the show was selling makeup at a department store. The section where she worries about being sent home and thinks about the dull and demeaning realities of her everyday life was SUCH a gut punch—it really effectively makes the point that in a lot of ways, trying to survive under capitalism is more degrading and depressing than even the stupidest games and tasks on this reality TV show. There are lots of thought-provoking moments throughout The Compound like this, and it touches on a huge range of related issues—the depiction/treatment of Black people on majority-white reality TV shows (and to a lesser extent, bi people on straight dating shows), how far people will go when they’re desperate for an “easier” life and the extent to which we justify or ignore physical violence vs. economic violence, the way men in poor/violent situations often transfer their frustration at their circumstances to women, and so much more.

I could talk about The Compound all day (and as I said, I can't wait to get to do that when the book is released). Aisling Rawle has written something very special here.

This was quite the ride. I have never read anything like this and thought the premise was beyond creative. It was Love Island meets Panic Room? I do wish we knew more about the troubles of the outside world that were driving the characters to want to prolong their stay in the house. The way the house is in disarray when they arrive (and leave) was such an interesting aspect to me, as you picture the house being this pristine mansion such as we see on reality TV. The tension brewed so so well in this book and while I had absolutely no idea where this was going to go, I was absolutely hooked on finding out and felt like I was right there alongside the characters tip toeing through the property. Really cool read.

The Compound is exactly what you'd expect from a summer thriller: there's intrigue, scandal, and a bit of dystopia. What starts off as a decent mystery descends into absolute chaos as the plot keeps taking unexpected turn after unexpected turn. If you're ok suspending belief, this is a fun read. But it may be a bit too outlandish for more serious readers of the genre.

The Compound was one that I was most looking forward to reading this year - it had everything I could ask for out of a premise: a reality competition show, a set location, a diverse cast of characters, and an air of mystery…but it never ended up going anywhere beyond an initial great concept. I unfortunately found this to be one-note, with very little plot movement, and I found myself pushing my way through it to see what would come of everything, but there was nothing there for me to grasp at in the end and I left feeling like I watched a boring handful of Big Brother and Bachelor In Paradise episodes. I can absolutely understand the appeal it could have to a lot of readers, but unfortunately it didn’t do it for me. I would, however, be very interested in any future works from this author!

The Compound is a fascinating look at human nature. Reality TV books are hard to do right without being gimmicky or cheesy but I feel this one nailed it. It was, of course, far fetched but it was well developed and creative. The characters are still enigmas to me. I did not get a good read on any of them outside of Jacintha, Sam and kind of Becca. It could be a take on how situations like that can change you as a person but it didn’t completely translate for me. Oddly enough our main character Lily was the one I left the novel most confused about. I wish the ending had a bit more meat to it. People changed at the flip of a switch seemingly and then the book was over. I am not one who needs a super tidy ending but it did miss the mark for me a bit

LOVED this book! Its right up alley! I think its a perfect summer read, to read by the pool in one sitting!