The Compound: A GMA Book Club Pick

A Novel

De: Aisling Rawle

Narrado por: Lucy Boynton

GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK

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

“Every bit as addictive as your favorite guilty pleasure binge-watch, but with all the substance of a literary classic.”—Oprah Daily

“It’s fun to watch hot people do psychotic things in this novel. . . . Smart and provocative [and] so damn addictive.”—The New York Times Book Review

ONE THE BOOKS OF THE SUMMER: The New York Times, Vulture, Time, Harper’s Bazaar, Good Housekeeping, Forbes, Betches, Publishers Weekly

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.

©2025 Aisling Rawle (P)2025 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“A disorienting view of a world that doesn’t seem too far removed from how we are already living—trapped between the desire for connection and the impulse to only look out for ourselves.”—Vulture

“It’s fun to watch hot people do psychotic things in this novel. . . . Smart and provocative [and] so damn addictive . . . The Compound joins a budding genre of fiction that uses disturbing televised competitions to critique our social norms, including Chain-Gang All-Stars and The Hunger Games. . . . Thrilling and haunting.”—The New York Times Book Review

“An Animal Farm for our age of relentless materialism.”—The New York Times

Dystopian Love Island? Uh yes please lol

Think…Love Island but for survival. Still not the best description but the book was good! I love how in survival situations the ish hits the fan quickly. This book has that and more. Def give it a shot. I enjoyed it.

Thought-Provoking & Unique Reality Concept

Liked the writing style, the story arc, the character development, the details. Wanted to know more about Lilly's personal life and the world she was fleeing. Still, really enjoyed this one and suspect it'll stick with my thoughts for a while.

My brain can’t handle this book

What did I just listen to? The audio was brilliant. The story was… disturbing. It was like a real reality show train wreck that I couldn’t look away from. Screaming at the “tv” people, loving to hate them. I don’t know what ending would have made me happier but that was… unsettling.

Not your mama’s Survivor

Self centered 20 something’s compete for prizes and prestige by betraying each other and performing tasks. Seems innocent, but quickly turns dark. This book proves that money and things do no make a rich life.

I kept waiting

I kept waiting for something deeper to happen; would we learn about what’s happening outside? About the producers? About the main characters?
Nothing. Waste of time

"Page turner!!!"

Very Love Island/Hunger Games. I get bored very easily, and this had me transfixed from beginning to end!

Best Work of Fiction for 2025 So Far

Fiction is subjective, but this book was amazing!
It’s overwhelming at first as you’re introduced to a lot of characters in the beginning but the story comes together quickly. The characters are well-written and the story hooks you very quickly and keeps you engaged until the end. Blends dystopian fiction and satire seamlessly.

Difficult to follow the audio

While the story sounded like it would be an interesting concept; the narrator was hard to follow. She was loud at times; but more often than not she was too quiet. I have read many books narrated by English narrators ; and loved them. This was difficult at times. Maybe better read .

Dystopian Love Island

Amazing story and keeps you interested from the start. Alot left to the imagination for back story.

Fairly entertaining, but overhyped.

Unlikeable un relatable and shallow main character/narrator. Elevated vocabulary was not a fit for the voice of the character. Ending fell flat. Talented writer though. So much potential there.