I found The Compound to be compulsively readable and I finished this book in a matter of hours. All I knew going into this book is that it is a dystopian Love Island and I loved discovering the story and following along with our main character, Lily. She is a flawed young twenty something year old who wants so badly to be the winner of the competition.

Being a character driven reader I do think I loved this story more than a plot driven reader because most of the story hinges on the characters and their relationships and motivations. But one of the reasons I couldn't put this book down was because of all the game elements in the story. There are smaller challenges for each contestant but there are also the big group ones that vary from light hearted to brutal. As the story progresses we get to understand more of the world but also the rules and expectations of the competition. I enjoyed how Rawle cleverly balanced slowly teasing out the world the characters live in with the tension of the competition along with the insidious atmosphere that hung over everything.

My only criticism of the story is that I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. I understand the idea of the ending but I felt like it was lacking something. Overall though I think this is the best thriller that I've read this year and I'm excited to see what Rawle writes in the future.

This one had me in a chokehold! I am an occasional watcher of some reality TV, including The Bachelor. So, I know the kind of way it can draw you in and hook you in to wanting to know what is going on.
The Compound is a book that drew me right in, and I really didn't want to put it down. It was a steady draw of plot and character building that kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. While we don't get a lot of information about when this is set, we do get some vague information about wars and fires occuring outside of the compound. The dreary life that Lily, or MC seems to lead is nothing she is eager to return to. While we get to know all of these participants and how the show works, we also discover the dark side of what can happen when people are pitted against each other and the show's producers manipulate the situation for ratings.
This was a ride, and I really liked it! The ending was not 100% my favorite, but the whole book made me think about human nature and what we will or will not do for money and 'stuff'.

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for the advanced copy!

This is a thrilling beach read that is perfect for fans of Big Brother and the Hunger Games. It will keep you guessing until the very end.

This was such an addictive novel.

We follow Lily, a contestant on a dating show called "The Compound." The rules are simple; complete communal tasks to gain rewards for the house, complete individual tasks to gain personal rewards, and make sure you're sharing a bed each night with someone of the opposite sex or you're banished from The Compound! However, as the competition intensifies, it becomes clear that the producers have no problem pushing the contestants to the brink of what they can handle...

I couldn't put this book down. I'm picky about the thrillers I read; I don't like a recycled plot that we've seen a million times, I want something new and engaging and this hit the mark. It's fun and ultimately digs deeper than I was expecting. It critiques capitalism and our obsession with material things. What more could I ask for in a book about a messed up reality competition?

I really enjoyed this one and I loved going into this one blind. I don't watch a lot of reality television shows so I went into this with zero expectations.

If you're looking for a summer read with a bit more substance this is it. It's kind of a combo of The Lord of the Flies, Love Island (I have watched a few seasons), and tiny bit of The Hunger Games.

This has a bit of everything, some romance, some drama, and some sacrifice.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for access to an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

i was a little late to the party on this but the comps this has to a dystopian love island are bang on. eighteen single people find themselves in the compound, forced to couple up to stay on the show that is being live streamed to viewers at home while a nameless war rages on the outside. the premise is obviously great - really slick and the worldbuilding of the tv show is fascinating. contestants have to compete in group tasks in order to win necessities which introduces really interesting lord of the flies esque group dynamics, as well as complete personal challenges, largely motivated by their own greed, like in the case of the protagonist lily. the premise carries the story though - and aside from some commentary on consumerism, there's not much more in the way of interesting character work to really stick with me.

This is one of those books I’ll be thinking about for a while, it kind of reminded me of I Know Have Never Known Men in some ways. This book went a lot deeper than I thought it would. The characters interesting, the setting easy to visualize, the writing was easy to read, and it left me thinking.

4 stars. A critical view of our attitudes towards consumption and lack of survival skills as global warming and democratic tensions run high. Lily is a beautiful, vapid 18 year old who believes her life will be effortlessly changed by winning the TV show, The Compound. She joins a team of other couples trying to outwit and outlast each other. As the days pass, you can feel the other contestants begin to question their realities and begin to ask the question: What is my sanity worth? The ending was predictable, as we humans are, but in a well written and thoughtful conclusion. A brilliant debut. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC.

Wow! Think Love Island meets Survivor and Big Brother but way darker and more disturbing. This isn’t just reality TV chaos; it’s a sinister, dystopian spiral with Lord of the Flies energy. If you have strong feelings (love or hate) about reality shows and enjoy unsettling social experiments, this one will get under your skin in the best way. This book twisted, addictive and scarily plausible. I’d love to get a second season, oops I mean a sequel, of The Conpound!!!
4.5 stars if Good Reads gave half stars.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book. I had a hard time staying focused on who was who or where the story was going. There just wasn't enough to keep my interest. I was not the right audience for this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am not into watching reality shows. Like at all. The idea of being “stuck” in a house with a bunch of people sounds like hell to me. It gives me so much anxiety to think about being in those confrontational situations. And this book exactly that. This was horrifyingly addicting. And I screamed at the ending. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting at then end but it was nicely done. I paired the ebook with the audiobook and I’m glad I did. This book did not loose my attention once. I am definitely getting a physical copy for my shelf.

Wow! As I was reading this book, I felt like I was experiencing what the characters were going through. I can't even begin to imagine how much I would be willing to do in order to survive on a reality TV show where surviving means everything.

I really enjoyed The Compound by Aisling Rawle, and I hope it finds a wide audience among fans of shows like Love Island. Essentially, it is a dating show set within a warring world.

The story diverges from traditional Love Island formats, as the contestants must earn basic furniture and food for the house by completing tasks. These tasks can be innocuous or salacious, often designed to further a character arc.

What I appreciated most about this book was the main character’s self-awareness as she continually assessed her position within the game and in the eyes of the audience. She considered how attractive she appeared, how useful she was, and how her actions might impact her chances. It demonstrated strong gameplay strategy.

This book is incredibly readable, and I definitely recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and random house for the arc!

Love Island X Hunger Games? Imagine that.

This was such a cool concept. I really enjoyed it! However, I will say, if you watched this past season of Love Island USA, you’re going to think this is very PG. 🤣

Already published, so go read!

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my honest review!

#booksonaburger #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #arc #TheCompound

The Compound was a gripping read from start to finish! As someone who doesn't typically watch reality tv, I found this to be incredibly entertaining and had trouble putting it down. Mixing the romance and challenge aspects of reality tv with our late-capitalism desires for heavy consumerism was so unique and had me thinking quite a bit about my own consumer habits while reading. What a brilliant and timely first novel from Aisling Rawle; this would be a super fun recommendation for my book club, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing for the arc.

I’m always a sucker for books about reality TV shows, but THE COMPOUND didn’t deliver for me, unfortunately. About halfway through I realized that this book wasn’t for me, so I skimmed the last half to see how it wrapped up.

The problem, I think, is that I’ve read quite a few books in this little niche, and I liked them better. There wasn’t a ton of character development, and I didn’t like the main character, Lily. I saw a lot of promise in the different challenges, but I was looking for a bit of a lighter read, and this was pretty dark. I guess the comparison with Lord of the Flies should have clued me in, because that book scarred me.

I do think this book will appeal to those who are in the mood for something a little disturbing that brings up a few topics to ponder about consumerism and human nature. It made me wonder when the book is supposed to be set, and the clues about the outside world were few. Maybe more of that would have helped me enjoy the story more.

Thank you to Random House Publishing for the chance to read an early digital copy of THE COMPOUND in exchange for my honest feedback.

A reality show set at a desert compound in a post-apocalyptic world. I was expecting more thrill here, but it's definitely more of a slow burn with social commentary. My biggest problem was the writing style. I just find it really simplistic in a bad way. Maybe it would have been more enjoyable if I didn't expect it to be more of a thriller.

The Compound is essentially Love Island mixed with the Lord of the Flies- or so they tell me. I haven't watched Love Island. I haven't read the Lord of the Flies. But don't come at me= I've read lots of other things and watched plenty of trash tv at the gym, so I certainly get the references for both. What this really is - is not quite that. It's an imagining of what it would take for someone to hate the real world enough to disappear into a fictional televised "house" where every moment is shown to the avid viewers in search of literal physical possessions. Things turn a bit more twisted when the producers create conflict not just emotionally, but physically- nobody is allowed to die, but there is hunger, thirst, introduction of some really horrible people, and of course the underlying threat of violence. What makes this book work is that the narrator is, frankly, not all that bright. She really is a consumerist who wants to escape it all and earn pretty diamond earrings to take back home with her to her dead-end job. Her very blankness is what allows us to see the structure of the compound for what it is - the evils of capitalism, played large. There's even an Orwell quote at the start to put the reader in the right frame of mind. I didn't love this, but I'm definitely going to be thinking about it for a while. Four stars.

As a recovering Bachelor Nation fan, this book hit on all points for me. I found it highly entertaining and satirical.

We follow dating/reality show contestants as they try to be the last man/woman standing, while surviving in a compound in the desert. Rewards are distributed based on challenges completed, so definitely different than traditional dating and reality shows, which added an edge.

I found Rawle's writing humorous and devilish. Completely enjoyed this bizarre novel!

*The Compound* hooks readers with its reality show premise, then smartly pivots to deliver sharp commentary on gender dynamics and consumer culture. It’s gripping and provocative, especially for fans of shows like *Love Island*, offering the same voyeuristic thrill with more substance. While Lily, the protagonist, initially draws sympathy, her lack of growth and the flat ending left the story feeling unfinished. Still, it’s a compelling read with plenty to unpack. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC which I read in exchange for my honest review.