The Compound

What would happen if your self-made billionaire father was obsessed with nuclear war? Eli Yanakakas finds the answer to this question in a tense, page-turner by S.A. Bodeen. Fifteen-year-old Eli has spent the past six years living in “the compound” with his parents and his two sisters. On his ninth birthday the family fled to underground safety ton escape impending nuclear attack, only part of the family, Eli’s twin Eddy and his grandmother, didn’t make it. Eli is haunted by his guilt about Eddy not making it to the compound. He is also disturbed by his growing sense that his father, Rex, is lying about the world outside. The father’s activities and plans, including the Supplements, begin to lead the reader to believe that the father may not just be lying, he may be insane. Does Rex Yanakakas have ulterior motives for brining his family to the compound or is he actually saving them from a horrible death from radiation? If he is, in fact, insane, can Eli save his family?

Bodeen’s detailed description of this alternate world is mesmerizing. The characters are fully developed and become more likeable as we get to know them. Some content maybe a bit shocking for younger readers, but the novel is recommended for grades 7 and up. It should appeal to both boys and girls. The Compound would be a great choice for any reader who loves thrillers.