To say that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book would be an understatement. Having not watched reality tv for some time, I was expecting this to just not be my cup of tea. But, it had me pulled in, just like a reality show, from the moment the boys arrived at the compound. By the time it was down to the final 5 I couldn’t out the book down and was on the edge of my seat in anticipation.

Lily - what a character. She’s written in such a way that you don’t like her, but you also can’t dislike her. She knows her faults and never hides that from the reader.

I was left wanting to know more about what is going on outside the compound. But the level of detail provided also makes this book so adaptable to different times and scenarios. A smart choice to help this book stand up to time.

I'm torn on how I feel about this book. My initial thought upon finishing it was "that's it? What is the point?" I was hoping for a little bit more growth on the part of the main character or at least SOMETHING more... I also found the main character a little bland and boring and unremarkable. Giving it a little more time, I'm beginning to think that's the point. The beginning was an interesting look into social dynamics and how groups must work together for a common goal. But the pacing was kind of all over the place. Sometimes it was VERY slow when the housemates were going through their normal day to day stuff. It got a bit bogged down in details for me at times. Then other times, the action ramped up and I was racing through the pages to see what was going to happen. Overall, I didn't really care much about any of the characters, especially the narrator. I think the point is about commercialism and that we never really learn our lesson about that in the end... If you like reality TV, this might be a good book for you.

This was messed up and perf to finish off summer. Big Brother mixed with The Hunger Games mixed with all the existential dread of living in today’s world - also add the overwhelmingness of good ol’ consumer capitalism and you’ve got yourself The Compound.

I really enjoyed this but did have a few qualms. The reality TV show element was smart, and it's clear the author really knows and loves reality TV. It did get a little redundant in the middle with all of the cast's tasks and their relationships with one another. I read this one with my book club, and the discussion made this read worth it for me. I highly recommend reading this with a group!

I absolutely loved the concept of 'Love Island' meets 'The Lord of the Flies.' I, like many others, have become so obsessed that reality tv and this book was the perfect summer read. I really enjoyed a lot of the book but it really lost me in the end. I felt like it was a bit drawn out and then a little unsatisfying ending. but sometimes that is exactly how 'Love Island' feels like for me in the end. The best parts of the book is when everything was so tense between Lily and other cast members, I felt my heart racing with her during the most intense scenes. With the little sprinkled in of the cast members being queer, I wish this would've gone a different route(a sapphic route). It has really made me wish for more reality tv 'Love Island' thriller like books!

Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great novel and a very strong debut! I could not put it down for a second.
It felt like Lord of the Flies meets a fucked up version of Big Brother and I loved it!

I enjoyed The Compound. The story had me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I did not like the main character. I gave it three stars because it did start to get long at the end.
-Psychological
-Suspense
-Romance
-Reality TV
-Big brother/survivor/love island

This story started off slow for me but definitely picked up along the way. Young men and women are chosen to live in The Compound and work together as someone is voted off every day. They need to pair up with a member of the opposite sex and if one ends up alone in bed, they are gone. It all starts off okay as they compete for personal and group prizes. It starts getting nasty as the numbers dwindle down. Lily, our main character, never wants to leave. She is longing for acceptance and being famous. It really shines a light on what a lot of people consider important.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for a copy for review.

So first off, the fact that this author was born in 1998 just like me is mindboggling. A 27 yr old wrote this masterpiece of a social commentary?!

It’s like The Hunger Games meets Love Island.

The picture of the final scene is haunting. An unputdownable reflection on the mundanity of life, the point of life, and the value of love and connection over material items. And the ruthlessness inside most of us. And how icky the red pill men are, and if men and women really need each other. Brawn vs beauty vs brains.

Lily was such an interesting, complex main character. Sometimes you rooted for her and sometimes she shocked you.

I loved it.

Complaints:
—the first chapter was very hard for me to get into as it drops you right in and you’re a bit confused what’s going on
—would’ve loved a bit more of an explanation of what’s actually going on in the outside world and also what the heck happened to andrew. and why do the guys have to journey through the desert to get there but the girls are just magically dropped in? a bit more unpacking would’ve been nice for a resolution

where are my Love island fans?! I loved it so much I couldn't get enough and I could not stop thinking about it main characters are in the middle of the desert deserted in a compound with no resources. Their resources can be gained by completing tasks I could not put it down it highly highly recommend! Thank you so much Net Galley and publisher for this little gem of an ARC!

As someone who doesn't watch reality television, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I would consider it more satirical than dystopian. It's an easier read that gets you thinking about consumption, society, fame, and how generations leave society better or worse for the people who come after them. Thank you, NetGalley, for the copy!

This book had me hooked from beginning to end! I normally stick to general fiction, so this was my first type reading a dystopian novel and I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it. I really enjoyed the story and couldn’t wait to see how it unfolded. I will definitely be checking out more dystopian novels in the near future. 4/5 stars! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Compound by Aisling Rawle was my first read by this author, and it left a lasting impression with its chilling blend of dystopian suspense and psychological insight. Set in a remote desert facility, the novel begins with ten young women waking in a luxurious yet decaying compound, unaware of how they arrived. As they piece together their situation, it becomes clear they’re contestants in a twisted reality show one governed by strict rules, constant surveillance, and the looming threat of banishment. Rawle’s world-building is immersive and unsettling, turning the familiar tropes of reality TV into a disturbing reflection of late-stage capitalism and the commodification of human relationships2.

The arrival of nine exhausted men shifts the dynamic dramatically, forcing the women to pair off or risk elimination. What follows is a tense, emotionally charged game of survival, manipulation, and shifting alliances. Rawle excels at portraying the psychological toll of constant competition and artificial intimacy, especially through the protagonist Lily, whose transformation from naive participant to hardened survivor is both heartbreaking and thought-provoking. Her relationship with Sam, a fellow contestant who represents genuine connection, adds emotional depth to the story and underscores the cost of winning in a system designed to isolate and exploit.

As a debut, The Compound is remarkably assured Rawle’s prose is sharp, her pacing relentless, and her themes resonate with eerie relevance. The compound itself feels like a character: seductive, cruel, and meticulously engineered to test the limits of human endurance. For a first-time reader of Rawle’s work, I found the novel both gripping and intellectually provocative. It’s a story that entertains while forcing you to confront uncomfortable truths about power, performance, and the price of survival. I’ll definitely be watching for what she writes next.

Loved this book!! Such an interesting topic--I was hooked and couldn't stop reading! I had heard so much about this one and glad I got to read it!

Thank you NetGalley and Aisling Rawle!

now what was the point of all that 🤨

thank you netgalley and random house for the digital arc...sorry i am once again writing a negative review.

let's start with the positives. i read this while recovering from having my wisdom teeth out, so i appreciated having something plotty that would keep me distracted. that is the end of my positives.

maybe i needed to be on stronger drugs, but i did not understand what this book was trying to do. its commentary felt so surface-level and underbaked, and the characters were so flat that i seriously wondered if the author had ever watched a fun season of reality tv. admittedly i am biased to survivor and survivor alone, but even i can understand that a successful season of reality tv is dependent upon an entertaining cast to make good tv. and yet these characters, and the narrator specifically, are so dull, so bland, so boring. i would not watch this show.

and i just have to say, love island meets lord of the flies my ass. at least each of those entities has some entertainment value. i spent the majority of this book waiting for something (anything!) exciting to happen. aside from a few moments of borderline horror moments, i was so bored.

and that ending...if no one else will say it, i will: someone needed to die. i'm sorry! but is that not the turning point in lord of the flies, when an essential character dies? (lowkey afraid to spoil a classic novel, but i have no problem spoiling this relatively new release because i don't think people should read it hehe)

tldr, major case of overpromise and underdeliver

“The Compound” was wild, unique, fun, and surprisingly poignant. The best way I can describe without giving anything away is that it is like “The Hunger Games” meets Love Island. I loved to hate the characters and was on the edge of my seat at every twist and turn. I am very excited to see what Aisling Rawle writes next!

Firstly thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to have a digital arc copy of this book and for allowing me to write this review.

The compound by Aisling Rawle follows 20 contestants on a reality tv show who have been relocated to a compound. Here they must follow out group and personal task to gain societal needs and wants. As the show progresses further they must vote out people in order to make it down to one person, the winner.

The concept of this book was so intriguing to me. I had very high hopes going in and was expecting a drama felt high stakes ride as I read along. Unfortunately this book was a bit bland to me. I was interested at the start when as a reader you got to learn about the setting and rules of the reality show. But after all of that was explained the entire middle was very melancholy and just quite frankly boring. Nothing was drawing me back anymore to make me want to pick up this book. Although I will say the end did pick up and gave me that high stakes intensity I was hoping for all along, by this point it just felt out of place.

I would say maybe 20 % of this book had good twists and entertaining plot and the other 80 % was just following bland unlikable characters do basically nothing.

Sadly a bit of a let down but I am happy I finished this book finally and get to share my thoughts.

I kept hearing about this book and once I saw that it was like Love Island and Lord of the Flies I was sold. I'd say that's a pretty accurate description of The Compound. I was worried because at first some of the characters were forgettable, but ultimately it ended up not mattering. The story was different and exciting, I couldn't put it down. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC!

such a unique concept!! i definitely see the love island comparison but didn’t love the way this was executed.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. I knew this one would be a quick, easy read and I was correct. The writing is fine, it reads more like YA than adult fiction, but that didn't detract too much from the story. I actually thought it would get darker than it did, but it does raise a lot of interesting questions about societal values.