This was very interesting and thought provoking. I didnt think initially I would get as much out of it as I had but it made me think, from the physical power of men, the power of social media and consumerism, how shows like love island can bring you in. It was very thoughtful.

The narration really suited it and I did like the point of view and how things were drop fed.

A sharp and haunting look behind the glossy facade of reality TV, exploring the psychological cost of performance and visibility. Lily the protagonist, may come across as passive on the surface, but her quietness feels intentional, a survival mechanism in a world where spectacle is currency. Her inner voice hints at greater trauma but it’s never explicitly revealed, which is what happens on these type of shows. I truly understood her actions. I don’t know what that says about me!
The characters became hard to keep a track of until the 2nd part, which is again, what happens on these shows! One character who really stood out to me was Jacinda., the only WOC in the show (and one of the few black people to ever have been on the show). This is crazy because presumably the book is set in the future, and yet the racial status quo has not changed. The quiet commentary on race and perception, was so painfully accurate. I just wish the book had gone deeper into her story. What was there was powerful, but it felt like only the surface was scratched.

The house, the cast dynamics, and the slow-building tension made for a gripping and often uncomfortable read.

I’m giving this four stars only because I was left wanting more insight into the outside world and the role of the producers. There is so much potential there, and I truly hope a sequel is on the horizon.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

The Compound started out really well - as said elsewhere this is based around the Love Island / reality TV shows / Big brother culture of absorbing people’s lives for viewing pleasure and highlights the consumerism and facile nature that has become accepted norms in society in general and puts a magnifying glass to them. Then ramps up that tension by adding some unsavoury characters, a bit of danger and a loosely dystopian world as a backdrop.

Its a great premise and starts out full of promise but then it slows right down, at this point I was no longer absorbed and started questioning what was happening from The Producers standpoint, what was happening in the world in general and then… the book just ended. I was taken completely by surprise by the ending - I still can’t decide if it was just that the author was really unsure on how to end the book or if it was an incredibly clever ending.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Subversive, darkly entertaining reality show that clearly has a twisted audience. Like us.

I'm very much not a fan of reality TV, but I also very much enjoyed Ben Elton's book Dead Famous, set in a similar Big Brother house, when things get dark. I like dark. I like reality contestants finding fame and material goods to be far from the dream they think it is. Bit cruel, but we all get our pleasure where we can.

This is for those who enjoy a bit of schadenfreude though. Where the young, buxom and beautiful find more than they anticipated as they strive for Gucci, sparkly things and everlasting celebrity.

The selling point really was the 'Lord of the Flies' connection. The whole premise is MESSED UP. This Big Brother-style house appears to be in the desert. And in the midst of a slightly dystopic world that has ecological and social issues a small step away from our own but not too very far. Female contestants are waiting, ten of them in this house, with very little in it. Waiting the arrival of ten males. Who have to walk in through the desert to join them. Each night a man and woman must share a bed, and if one person does not have a sleeping partner they will be eliminated.

Pretty twisted. Contestants can also do solo tasks to win prizes (dressing gowns, jewellery, sweets) for themselves, or group tasks with everyone to win food, building materials.

There are lots of names to remember, but fortunately lots of people disappear quite quickly from the house. We are sharing the narrative of one female participant, Lily, who admits she's not the most intelligent, she is probably the 2nd most beautiful, and definitely the most determined to win ALL the shiny things and stay in the house as long as she can as winner (making you wonder about life on the outside).

There's some romantic tension from the first between several characters, who cannot reveal anything about their lives outside the TV show, and the start of the tug towards anarchy and backstabbing as numbers dwindle and clearly favourites are emerging.

Vicariously, I was loving seeing some vapid people (though admittedly not all of them are this) challenged, ridiculed, exposed. I was waiting with bated breath for the William Golding reference to come into its own. And yes... it does get more brutal, more primal.

Quite a graphic depiction of what mankind might do for trinkets and renown. We never see behind the 4th wall, though the show's producers are clearly watching at all times and interacting secretly with the household, it is very sinister, as injuries and ill-will begin to build.

Hugely entertaining for those, especially, who aren't fans of this genre of TV show. Very much enjoyed it as an audiobook.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

What an experience this book was
I haven’t read anything quite like this before
I really enjoyed the setting and the style of it feeling like a reality tv series
However saying that i feel at times when you are so absorbed with the characters that you forgot they were even on a game show until the axing of a player
I particularly enjoyed the punishments and rewards element this definitely gave me some nostalgia from big brother
I really enjoyed this read and will definitely recommend to others

ARC Rating: 4.5 🌟 Holy hell, could not stop listening to this. The audiobook was fab. And the narrator did such a good voice for Lily.

The Compound is an absolutely chilling dystopian thriller. It's the Lord of the Flies meets Love Island.

This story was wild, just the absolute decay and depravity of humanity.

Its a dark take on over consumption and the masks we wear.

The ending was abrupt but maybe that lent in to the story?

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK Audio & Aisling Rawle for sending this eARC for review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed The Compound. I liked the way it blended elements of reality TV, like Love Island, with the darker themes reminiscent of Lord of the Flies. I initially thought the story would go in a different direction, but I found it fascinating to see how far people would go for fame and how the public is willing to put contestants through extreme situations for entertainment. The pacing slowed down a bit around the 60% mark, but overall, I found it an engaging and thought-provoking read/listen.

Upon beginning this book I could immediately see why it is attracting so much attention. It doesn't so much pull you in as drag you in, you are plunged into the story and frantic to find out what is going on. The voice of the narrator is incredibly well drawn, leaving the reader unsure of her motives and the book leaves the reader questioning what they would do in a similar situation. Unfortunately however I didn't think the second half of the novel lived up to the first , it lacked suspense and the ending, for me, fell flat. I can see it being hugely popular though and the narration was very effective

This was really good i really enjoyed it and the narrator was great! I did think it took a little while to get into anything interesting and for the most part it was very heavy on the reality tv and not enough of the nitty gritty (based off of what i had seen advertised and therefore expected). I really enjoyed the last 30% it was pretty brutal and intense, I didn’t know what was going to happen and was really satisfied by the ending (the whole bit with Tom— the way that ended was horrific but felt a long-time coming for sure, so I’m glad she committed to it). I think the vaguely dystopian world could’ve been discussed a little more to add context to why she wanted to stay so badly, but it’s just as well, I’d believe the same motivations if you told me it was set in the current state of the world. I do think the detail would’ve added some necessary context to why the TV show was a thing in a first place, also how it was possible to get the gifts in half a second no matter how obscure.
I think the first 2/3 could’ve either been chopped down to make more space for the final five or we could’ve gotten a little bit more of the friendships because I wasn’t fully convinced any of them liked each other (although I do appreciate that that was maybe the point).
I really loved the ending, that it was hopeful and full circle (i was rooting for them so hard!!) && I really did enjoy Lily’s journey- I don’t know if I can say I liked her but she was a very interesting character and her arc was fascinating I really really enjoyed being in her head!!

Overall,, I really enjoyed it especially considering I don’t usually read this sort of thing!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK Audio, and Aisling Rawle for the audiobook copy.

What a weird, addictive book. I couldn’t stop listening. I wanted to know everything, even though I felt a bit disturbed. It’s definitely one of the most unique books I’ve read in a while, I don’t think I’ve read anything like it before.

I find reality TV like Love Island so ridiculous, they give me secondhand embarrassment, and I just can’t watch them. This book gave me the same vibe: fake relationships, materialism, and public humiliation all wrapped up in a glossy package. It’s wild to see what people will do for things that bring them maybe a minute of pleasure.

I absolutely loved the book and will be checking my local bookstore for a physical copy.

The narration was good, Lucy Boynton did a great job as Lily. I’d give the narration a 4/5.

Side note: The cover by The Borough Press is so much better than the Random House one. Honestly, if I’d seen the RH version in a store, I probably wouldn’t have given it a second glance.

Congratulations Aisling on your new book and wish you success.

This book is perfect for fans of reality TV and thriller reads! A dark take on a reality dating style TV show this a modern book sure to capture you instantly and I enjoyed every single moment.

Now, I did listen to this an audio read and so I want to focus on that first! I found the audio narration to be super easy to listen to and Lucy Boynton did so well brining our FMC to life. Because of how many characters there were I did struggle at times to keep up and picture these characters as indicus's and I felt as though having at least one more narrator would have been effective. However, Lucy has such a clear voice and it was became more clear when she was shifting the voice of a character and portraying emotions as the book progressed. I felt her voice fitted our FMC very well sounding both youthful and full of life experience, she felt relatable and it truly did feel as though we were in the head of the character. I understood her vulnerability, doubts and feelings. I listened to this at both 2x and 2.5x and I found it easy to follow along and everything was still clear.

The book itself was truly captivating. listening to this book I felt as isolated as the characters. I could pick up on their confusion and desperation so well and both the writing and narration flowed so well and worked incredibly well together that it was easy to get through within the day. This was a darker take on the reality dating style tv shows. The focus on overconsumption was relevant and important and is sure to spark conversation amongst readers. There were such a diverse mix of characters I found it easy to both like and really dislike certain characters and I couldn't predict what was going to happen from one chapter to the next.

I can honestly say I haven't read a book like this before and as a fan of reality TV and thriller book this was perfect and I loved the Sci-Fi element also thrown in. This was current and thrilling and genuinely kept you so invested you could not put it down.

As someone who’s been hooked on reality TV since Big Brother first hit our screens, The Compound shot straight to the top of my NetGalley wish list—and it did not disappoint. Aisling Rawle has crafted a disturbingly plausible social experiment thriller that taps into the voyeurism, chaos and ethical grey areas of modern entertainment.

Five women wake up in a grim, stripped-back compound in the desert—no creature comforts, just a list of tasks they must complete to earn basic necessities. Tensions rise before the full cast even assembles, and once the boys arrive, things really start to heat up. From simmering rivalries to shocking twists, I was completely gripped. The atmosphere slowly builds from competitive reality show to Lord of the Flies-style breakdown, and it had me questioning just how far people—and producers—will go in the name of entertainment.

The audiobook narrator was fantastic, effortlessly switching between characters and making every interaction feel raw, real, and immediate. Each personality was distinct and believable, and I found myself drawn deeply into the escalating drama.

#Netgalley

I’d seen some reviews of The Compound floating around and when I realised the premise was Love Island meets Lord of The Flies, I was immediately in. I love when pop culture references intersect, especially when there’s a creepy, dystopian vibe. The Compound did not disappoint.

Lily, our narrator, wakes up in a large house in the desert where she meets nine other young, equally beautiful women. They’re waiting for their ten male counterparts to show up so the games can begin. They’re filmed around the clock; major Big Brother vibes, and similarly to that show, they also have to compete in tasks to win food, personal items, and stuff for the house.
A contestant is forced to leave if they wake up alone in bed, without a partner, and the other housemates can unanimously vote people out too.
The goal is to stay until the end to win all the prizes and get the chance to live in the compound alone, for as long as you want. The tasks they are made do become increasingly more humiliating and animosity grows in the house, but Lily is so determined to avoid going back to her old life, she’ll do almost anything to be the last person standing.

The vibes are ominous from the beginning and I genuinely found it hard to put this one down, I was so eager to find out what was going to happen next.

There’s several references made to the outside world and the “wars” that have been ongoing for years; I loved that vague sense of dystopia and it made perfect sense that Lily would want to stay where she was, in spite of some truly terrible people in the compound with her.
The book is really a character study of her too, and the corruptive influence of consumerism.

This is a major page-turner, and an ideal summer book, if like me, you enjoy a propulsive read with a slightly creepy vibe.
Even more impressively; this is a debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what Aisling Rawle writes next.

With many thanks @harpercollinsuk @harpercollinsire for my early copy. The Compound is available to buy now. All opinions are my own, as always.

I genuinely cannot tell if this is satire or serious. Which is concerning for a book pitching itself as a contemporary Lord of the Flies. Who knew that Love Island would inadvertently lay the groundwork for a entire genre of dystopian novels?

There was something deeply shallow about this entire book and while I get that that was supposed to be the point, it didn't feel like a shallowness constructed on purpose. Characters are bland and two-dimensional, frequently morphing into one another. People would get banished and I would just think 'who the fuck is that?'. There were moments that I did enjoy during this book, when tensions were high and the action was genuinely really interesting. But I think my issue with 'The Compound' is the same reason I don't watch Love Island - things are being constructed to seem far more significant and important than they actually are.

Also - essential context was missing. The author writes with an air of detachment to her protagonist that means I don't feel the depth of what's happening 'on the outside' and why they're here. It sort of feels like this was an early draft and with more time and development, the novel could've been much more tightly written and sharper in its execution.

I just wanted it to be over. The narration was fine.

The Compound
By Aisling Rawle

What am I doing reading a book about a reality TV show when I swore off that form of "entertainment" 20 years ago.? "Big Brother," and "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here"; the voyeurism, the manipulation, the exploitation of people's vulnerabilities for ratings, the lengths some people will go to for notice, ugh. It exposes so much about the candidates and so much about what viewers want to see and will tolerate, nay demand. So of course I had to read this.

Rawle drops us straight into the confusion of the first moments in the Compound, as each character wakes and they meet their companions/rivals. It is laced with anticipation and tension. It soon becomes clear that the producers are willing to push the envelope; the rewards are many and vary from basic to extravagant, but the punishments are severe. As expected, the candidates form alliances and cliques, but everyone is playing the long game.

The book takes about 10% to set up, getting to know the competitors and the basic state of the compound, but then it's off to the races with the dynamics and strategy. There's nothing much that I would call dystopian or speculative. All the behaviour is exactly what goes on in reality TV shows, humans in a race to the bottom being manipulated by other awful humans. But yet there is a "Lord of the Flies" atmosphere throughout, and a distinct sense of impending doom.

I highly recommend this on audio, the narrator is an inspired choice. She delivers a level, non judgemental, low drama narrative which allows the horror to speak for itself.

I enjoyed the commentary it provides on materialism, aestheticism, exhibitionism and how low some are willing to go.

This should appeal to anyone who enjoys forced proximity reality TV, and could be validating to those who hate it. It is human nature at it's most base.

Publication date: 3rd July 2025
Thanks to #Netgalley and #HarperCollinsAudio for providing an Advanced Listening Copy for review purposes.

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

The Compound
Aisling Rawle

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This story kicks off with a bang and grips you from the first few pages - then it never lets up for the duration and I was completely hooked until the last page.

Right from the start we get the sense of something not quite right with the compound and it put me on edge straight away.

Although the whole premise sounded very Love Island at first, there were definite darker undertones rumbling away and it soon becomes obvious just how messed up this whole "programme" would become.

Only after finishing, did I notice the tags - Love Island meets Lord Of The Flies and omg if this isn't just the perfect description of this.
A group of people all trying to stay in the game, but with ever increasing consequences and more and more rivalry as the days go by.

I loved all the tasks and the way the show tempted each of the contestants with items - but it really does go to show that happiness is definitely not built only on having "stuff" around you.

The contestants were amazing - some with similar goals and some much more guarded.
Following through purely Lily's pov meant that as the story unfolded, we were just as much playing a guessing game than the rest of them at times - wondering who was honest and truthful and which of them were just playing the game.

The setting was utterly brutal and I was completely immersed - especially reading this on the hottest day of the year so far!
I felt every second of the stifling heat and glare of the sun along with the rest of them.

The ending leaves us hanging a little and I'm interested to know whether there could be a sequel to this book - either new contestants, or maybe following our current group on the outside?

Either way, I absolutely loved this read - my first from this author - I'll definitely be grabbing and cannot wait for their next release too!



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

The Compound by Aisling Rawle is the story of a group of men and women who participate in a reality TV show set on a compound in the middle of the desert.

All are participating in the show for different reasons and are forbidden from revealing personal details about themselves to one another. The one thing that is clear is that banishment from the house can come in a number of forms, including being voted out, losing a challenge and by not sharing a bed with someone at sunrise. Loyalties are tested, bonds are formed and broken, and no one quite knows who they can trust.

I quite enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator was fantastic. The characters were well-written, and just like a real reality TV show, the longer that people remained on the show, the better that the reader gets to know them. The story was unique and that I’ve never read a book written from the perspective of a participant on this type of show..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read LOTF but I get the gist, personally for me the dystopian vibes gave me strong I Who Have Never Known Men x And Then There Were None meets a villa/house themed reality show. My ears haven’t stopped ringing since the audiobook ended and I can’t quite believe what I’ve just finished listening to! I am shooketh to my very core!

Lucy Boynton was the perfect choice of narrator, I’m surprised I’ve not listened to something else narrated by her before. She’s an auto-listen audiobook narrator for me as of now. 5 stars.

A cracking debut from Aisling Rowe, I can’t wait to see what comes next. In the meantime I’m excited for more people to read/listen to this so I can talk it through and I will be rereading this before the summer is through! 5 stars.

Thank you so much to The Borough Press, HarperCollins UK Audio, Aisling Rowe and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC before the audiobook drops on Thursday, 3rd July 2025!

One the surface it seems like all those shows like Love Island or other reality tv but from the start, it is a creepy dystopian feel with the house starting in shambles and the contestants have to do tasks to get things like a front door (because there are wild dogs and other animals that might come looking for a meal), a fridge, or even get water turned back on (which is quite serious because this takes place in the middle of a desert). And then the contestants themselves. From the viewpoint of Lily, you get to see the others and how they change to become more vicious (sometimes because of tasks) in order to be the last one standing and "win" the show (which means they can ask for anything and get it and be able to keep it after they leave the house). You definitely don't see the injuries they get on our reality shows, but there are parallels and I will say that after I finished this audiobook, it made me think about how easily this could become reality. It was a good story though and I enjoyed listening to it.

Lucy Boynton, the narrator did a good job in bringing this world, both bleak yet filled with the shallow trappings of consumerism and made Lily and her dreams and determination to win at any length. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this audiobook.

The Compound is a thought-provoking psychological thriller. A group of influencers are taken into this compound and streamed 24/7 like reality TV. We mostly follow Lily interacting with everyone first the women and then the men, and seeing the consequences of what's happening to them and their interactions. This is vaguely dystopian and the comparison to lord of the flies are on point.

The events that happen here and the issues that the characters have to deal with are not very far from those of our current society and shows like Big Brother.

I overall enjoyed the book, and the dark take on reality TV but what I liked more were the issues that are explored underneath the surface like happiness, power and consumerism.