The Compound: A GMA Book Club Pick
A Novel
by Aisling Rawle
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Jun 24 2025 | Archive Date Jul 27 2025
Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Random House
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Description
Nothing to lose. Everything to gain. Winner takes all.
“Every bit as addictive as your favorite guilty pleasure binge-watch, but with all the substance of a literary classic.”—Oprah Daily
“It’s fun to watch hot people do psychotic things in this novel. . . . Smart and provocative [and] so damn addictive.”—The New York Times Book Review
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, THE NEW YORKER, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, OPRAH DAILY, THE GLOBE AND MAIL, CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Lily—a bored, beautiful twenty-something—wakes up on a remote desert compound, alongside nineteen other contestants competing on a massively popular reality show. To win, she must outlast her housemates to stay in the Compound the longest, while competing in challenges for luxury rewards like champagne and lipstick, plus communal necessities to outfit their new home, like food, appliances, and a front door.
Cameras are catching all her angles, good and bad, but Lily has no desire to leave: why would she, when the world outside is falling apart? As the competition intensifies, intimacy between the players deepens, and it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between desire and desperation. When the unseen producers raise the stakes, forcing contestants into upsetting, even dangerous situations, the line between playing the game and surviving it begins to blur. If Lily makes it to the end, she’ll receive prizes beyond her wildest dreams—but what will she have to do to win?
Addictive and prescient, The Compound is an explosive debut from a major new voice in fiction and will linger in your mind long after the game ends.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780593977279 |
| PRICE | $29.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 304 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 940 members
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 1200449
I absolutely loved The Compound. What an original concept — it felt like a twisted reality show dropped straight into a dystopian nightmare. The blend of voyeurism, survival, and social commentary made it impossible to look away.
It’s sharp, unsettling, and completely addictive. The premise alone hooked me, but the execution is what really made it stand out. Such a smart, inventive take on fame, competition, and human nature.
If you love reality-TV drama with a dark dystopian edge, this one delivers.
Caileen K, Media/Journalist
Love Island-esque plot point? Sign me up.
For the first ~50 pages, I was like, "Wow Love Island should take some notes." Then things got a little weird, then dark, then post apocalyptic.
This would be a perfect book club read for discussions around entertainment, climate, war, exploitation, reality tv, and (of course) the horrors of being a woman in the midst of it all.
I loved it and someone should make a movie. I'd also take a sequel or companion book about whatever was gong on outside of the house.
Cynthia C, Reviewer
Equal parts bizarre and funny, The Compound combines reality TV and a vaguely dystopian world in such a unique way. I could not put this down. It really captures the nuance of reality TV tropes and archetypes without feeling stereotypical or overdone. It's funny and fast paced while also holding up a mirror to our obsession with reality competitions.
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