The Compound [Paperback]

S.A. Bodeen (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 1, 2009

Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they’ve become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day. As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary—and their sanity—Eli can’t help but wonder if he’d rather take his chances outside. Eli’s father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe—really?

 

The Compound is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Bodeen, acclaimed as the writer of such picture books as Elizabeti's Doll, turns out a high-wire act of a first novel, a thriller that exerts an ever-tighter grip on readers. Eli, the 15-year-old son of a billionaire techno-preneur, has spent the last six years with his family in the massive underground shelter his father has built, knowing that nuclear war has destroyed the world he knows—and killed his grandmother and his twin brother, who couldn't reach the compound in time. With nine years to go before the air outside will be safe to breathe again, the food supply shows signs of running out, but Eli's father has a solution—provided they jettison all morals and ethics. Repulsed and already suspicious, Eli begins investigating his father's claims, and sets up a family death match against a man who grows increasingly irrational and sinister but no less powerful. As far-fetched as the premise may be, Bodeen keeps Eli's actions true to life and uses clues planted fairly and in plain sight. The audience will feel the pressure closing in on them as they, like the characters, race through hairpin turns in the plot toward a breathless climax. Ages 12-up. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—In a burst of panic about a nuclear attack, nine-year-old Eli, his sisters, and his parents move into an underground bunker built by Eli's billionaire father. It's an enormous complex, with rooms similar to those in the family's Seattle mansion. Only his grandmother and twin brother don't make it in. The first six years of the planned 15 have been fairly routine, but now some food has spoiled, and certain things just don't seem right, or even possible. Eli is starting to have doubts about his father's motives, explanations, and sanity. Readers might find the first third of the novel to be slow as a lot of time is spent developing Eli's character as a spoiled, self-centered child. There is considerable foreshadowing, and astute readers will likely figure out the ending. As the years pass, Eli is full of teen angst and anger that develops into a realization of what he must do in order to help his family survive. The novel becomes full of tension and suspense and turns into a true edge-of-the-seat thriller. There are numerous social issues addressed that could lead to great classroom discussions.—Dylan Thomarie, Johnstown High School, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Square Fish; Reprint edition (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312578601
• ISBN-13: 978-0312578602
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #165,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Eerie Secrets January 28, 2010

By P. Brown

Format:Paperback

I absolutely was amazed by this book. Being a librarian that's obsessed with books, I couldn't help picking this book up in the store. The cover alone got me hooked. It was well paced and packed with amazing things. The story revolving around Eli. His family is dysfunctional, living in a compound under the ground after the world went kaboom.

When the story starts out he's pretty self absorbed, but as the plot starts to thicken he isn't so absorbed and starts to wonder about a few things that are going on. One of which is their food supply is starting to run low. His mother is pregnant, his sister isn't as much of a pain as he thinks, and his father is a complete... nutcase?!

This story was so intriguing that I found myself reading till all hours of the night. I loved it! It was an exceptional story about possibilities that sometimes we ignore. I hope to add this to our library collection.

I can't wait till her next book comes out... The Gardener...

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Premise, Less Than Great Execution April 26, 2010

By yotababy

Format:Paperback

I thought the premise for this book was FANTASTIC--such a creepy, fascinating idea for a story! Sadly, the book itself didn't make anywhere near as big an impression on me as the idea of it did. I felt like things moved along a little too quickly to feel realistic, and the characters were inconsistent and...just not quite believable. Several plot points were sloppy and didn't really make sense. And it seemed like every conflict or hurdle was overcome way too easily. It had the potential to be super dark, super suspenseful, utterly riveting, but in the end it just kind of falls flat. Maybe if it was twice as long and everything was fleshed out much more than it is?

Still an entertaining read, just...disappointing, because it could have been SO much better. :(

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Glad I read it :) December 27, 2008

By J. Terry

Format:Hardcover

The way I judge if a book is good or not is whether or not I can tolerate putting it down for more than half an hour. When I started reading this book, I didn't like putting it down, and it went with me everywhere I went. I had a guess of how the ending would turn out, but that just made me want to read it more to see if I was right or not. I found myself ranting at my friends every time there was a plot twist. I loved this book :)