Books

Book:  The Compound by Aisling Rawle                        

For those of you who love reality dating shows, Aisling Rawle has written a debut novel that you will not be able to set down.  Set in a dystopian future, the dating show offers luxury food, dwelling, furniture, and champagne and liquor to its contestants, as well as a possibility for the winner to have money, security and fame, but not without humiliation, danger and potentially bodily harm.

This fast paced and easy read finds Lily, a beautiful twenty something, waking up alone in remote desert compound where the cameras run 24 hours a day, catching all that transpires – good and bad.  She is competing against other players, who like her, are seeking to leave their lives where society is falling apart and food, luxury items, even housing, are difficult to find.  As the book takes us deeper into this world, the producers of the show continue to up the stakes, forcing Lily and the other contestants into difficult, upsetting and often dangerous situations with no one to intervene.  As Lily finds herself in a contest against the menacing body-builder, Tom, we are often frightened for her physical safety as he and others start to become psychologically affected by what is real and what isn’t.

This thought-provoking book will make you reflect on these shows and the long term damage that some contestants experience as producers seek to increase ratings, even at the expense of their participants.