Love Island meets Lord of the Fliesin this must-talk-about-it read, as bingeable as the best reality TV.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.
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The Compound: A Novel
Love Island meets Lord of the Fliesin this must-talk-about-it read, as bingeable as the best reality TV.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.
Popular Reviews(2)
Reviewed by Chrissy SalazarThis book was such an interesting read. I really enjoyed my time with it and devoured it within 24 hours. I loved the idea that even as the world continued to decline, people still turned to mindless entertainment, and I appreciated the heightened speed at which this show was produced, with no gap between seasons, since we are already getting multiple seasons per year of some reality shows. I know some felt that the author could have expanded the world-building, but I enjoyed how open she left it, allowing the reader to fill in the blanks based on their existing experience with the world. This was a slow build, but it felt relatively real with all of the different personalities that were spread throughout the group. If you enjoy lit-fic with a slightly thrilling element, I would recommend this book.
Reviewed by Sophie BuddeOverall, I really enjoyed the story — especially getting such a deep look into one contestant’s emotions and thoughts made the reality show setting feel very real. Personally, I found the ending a bit underwhelming, which is why I’m not giving it a full five stars.