Quick Synopsis

Tune in to the hottest reality show of the summer, set in a near-future world both terrifying… and eerily familiar.

Publisher’s Synopsis

Nothing to lose. Everything to gain. Winner takes all.

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.

Book Review

The Compound is a novel about one young woman’s experience on a reality show in a dystopian future. To remain on the show, you must couple up with another player until only a few couples are remaining. Along the way, you can gain material awards both personally and on a compound-level to improve your circumstances. Of course, hidden producers also control the challenges and awards. 

The Compound is an addictive novel that is hard to put down. I would compare it to watching a crash, hoping it will not happen, but being unable to look away regardless. It is ultimately a story about performance culture, materialism, and late-stage capitalism. The Compound is perfect for our current moment and reminding yourself what is actually important in a world that constantly tries to convince you possessions matter most. 

After finishing The Compound, I found it difficult to figure out exactly how I felt. I binged this book like it was my new favorite television show. But I could not help thinking back on it all the ways it could have been better. I absolutely loved the concept, but the execution needed improved in order to bring home stinging social commentary. Rawle included themes about material, capitalism, and choosing things over people. She also made statements about influencers – those with no actual skills but are pretty to look at – and the performance culture created by social media. However, no salient point was made. It was a bit of commentary that felt without conclusion or takeaway. The only clear point of The Compound was the importance of realizing people’s value before it is too late.

Although this makes for a weaker narrative, it means The Compound is a great pick for a book club discussion, since Rawle does not extrapolate or explain the story’s moral or what should be taken away. For example, parts of the novel felt like Rawle was trying to make a statement about gender roles but she failed to fully deliver her thesis. 

For a debut novel, I think The Compound was somewhat strong but could have also been improved with deeper characterization. The characters are not particularly multifaceted, despite the fact that they are the central plot. In addition, I found the writing to be a bit on the juvenile side, which can likely be attributed to the author’s job as a high school teacher. Finally, I think to call the novel dystopian is almost a misnomer. The story vaguely discussed the world outside the show, such as wars, but there was no clear world building.

Overall, The Compound is an entertaining novel that will make you think about today’s culture. While highly readable, the story has unclear takeaways and intent. I do still recommend it. Aisling Rawle has a lot of potential, and I am looking forward to what she comes out with next.