The Compound is one of those books that gets under your skin without relying on shocking twists or constant action. It starts as a reality TV survival story but quickly becomes something much more unsettling: a commentary on consumerism, voyeurism, and just how easily people adapt to increasingly disturbing situations.

I loved how claustrophobic it felt. The rules are simple enough to understand, but the psychological tension keeps tightening until you’re questioning the motives of every character, including the narrator. No one is particularly likeable, and somehow that makes it even more compelling.

I do wish we’d learned a little more about the world outside the Compound. The glimpses we get were fascinating, and I found myself wanting just a bit more context. The ending also won’t work for everyone, it leaves plenty open to interpretation, but I think that’s part of what makes the story linger long after you’ve finished.

If you’ve ever wondered why people can’t look away from reality TV, The Compound takes that question to its darkest possible conclusion. Equal parts addictive and unsettling, it’s a sharp, clever read that surprised me with how much I enjoyed it.

I was honestly close to DNF this pretty early on. Once I started noticing how repetitive the chapters were, it became hard to stay engaged the same shallow conversations kept happening over and over with very little substance. On top of that, the characters were just insufferable. Especially Lily. I found myself getting increasingly annoyed with her

The premise really had potential. A dystopian Love Island / Survivor mashup sounds like it should be messy, tense, and dramatic, but that’s exactly what was missing. Where was the backstabbing? The manipulation? The actual drama? Even the sexual tension felt nonexistent. Everything played out in a very bland, predictable, and surface-level way.

Overall, the idea was solid, but the execution completely fell flat for me. I wanted so much more than what this book delivered.