I’m conflicted on what to say about The Compound by Aisling Rowle, because while I did enjoy it, it felt like 300 pages of waiting for something to happen. I was instantly drawn to the premise of the story (Big Brother meets Love Island, but in book format) but I think the book has been mis-marketed as “dystopian” which led me to expect something it wasn’t.

Don’t get me wrong, there were lots of compelling elements to the story. It’s unsettling from beginning to end, alluding to a crumbling society kept entertained by reality television while wars rage on somewhere outside the periphery of the story. The reader follows Lily, a contestant on a TV show that’s essentially a really intense version of Big Brother. As her season progresses, tensions rise with the other contestants and things start to get out of hand. The book reads almost exactly like a TV show, which was unique and unlike anything else I’ve read.

Despite being well written, The Compound lacked momentum for me. It felt like a lot of “middle” without enough substance to flesh out the narrative. I kept waiting for a twist or a turn to surprise me and for the author to reveal more about the world outside The Compound, but this never eventuated. While there was conflict between some of the characters on the show, there was no real “big moment” or challenge for the characters. While the author consistently alluded to political and climate instability, this was never properly addressed which left me feeling like there was a lot left unresolved.

My disappointment likely stems from the book not living up to what I was expecting (a dystopian/futuristic narrative) but regardless I still made it to the end and found the story enjoyable overall.

Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

3 ⭐️