"This smart provocative novel sets up 20 contestants in what feels like the rebellious lovechild of Lord of the Flies and Love Island. "
Well, that was intense! Twenty contestants take part in a desert based reality TV series in which they get voted off one by one. Debut author Aisling Rawle has cleverly constructed a setting that feels recognisable yet just out of reach. Time-wise it isn’t now, but could be just around the corner.
The sense of place is immense, I knew exactly where I was within the compound, which made the surrounding desert feel threatening. Feeling at home in the premise ensured an immediate connection, particularly when introduced to the participants. Right from the start though, small jarring notes began to hit, and tension grew, not only within the group, but also with what was happening on the outside.
A claustrophobic atmosphere hovers over proceedings, greed and violence parade through the pages. The characters are handled beautifully, with the unreality of reality TV balanced against a need for survival. Friendships form, fluctuate, and disappear. Relationships feel flimsy. Rivalries become dangerous.
Brimming with a menacing energy The Compound is a decidedly edgy and absolutely compelling novel.
You wake up in a compound in the middle of the desert, along with nine other women.
| Primary Genre | Dystopian and utopian fiction |
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You wake up in a compound in the middle of the desert, along with nine other women. All of you are young, all beautiful, all keen to escape the grinding poverty, political unrest and environmental catastrophe of the outside world.
The Compound features in the following genres: Liz Robinson's Picks of the Month, Recommendations, Dystopian and utopian fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Thriller and Suspense, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Narrative theme: Social issues, Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Dystopian and utopian fiction
Paperback, Hardback. £15.29, down from the £16.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Compound was written by Aisling Rawle and published by The Borough Press an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
The Compound has 336 pages
£15.29, reduced from £16.99. In Stock.
