The Compound By S.A. Bodeen

My favorite book I read this school year is The Compound by S.A. Bodeen. This book is science fiction because in the book there futuristic technology such as cloning. The character (Eli) is born to a famous man named Rex. Rex is a billionaire and owner of a famous tech company. Eli and his siblings go on a camping trip with their father and mother to spend time with each other, but instead they they are told there are nukes heading to America. So instead having a picnic they are now running for their lives. Rex ends up leading them to a secret compound hidden in the forest. While running to the compound Eli’s brother and grandmother get left behind and don’t make it in time so they are locked out. When Eli realizes they didn't he starts to blame himself and hating himself. Their father leads them to their rooms and give them a tour. Every bedroom was exactly the same as it was above the surface, even the smells. As time past Eli hated himself more and more, and more distant from his family. It has been six years since they first arrived to the compound and while Eli was on his computer doing his homework he discovered a wifi signal. Rex told them after they got to the compound “ just so you know there is no wifi. Now Eli is suspicious. The next day as Eli was doing his chores he noticed all the farm animal lying in the ground, and after he got his father he learned they all died because their food got contaminated with poisonous chemicals. As the days past Eli starts to realize his father is getting stranger and stranger, until one day he just collapses on the floor. He was diagnosed with a disease that infects wheat. The next week Eli finds the exit to the compound and plans to escape with his family to get away from his father. Rex learns of the plan and tries to prevent them from leaving but fails. As Eli was helping the last kid his father grabbed his ankle and started to twist it but Eli escaped. When they left the bunker their father climbed out and a helicopter landed next to them and Rex got on and they left. Eli and his family then went home.

This book is very interesting because the book is told from Eli’s point of view In The Compound you witness Eli’s courageous act to save his family from their crazy father. The Compound contains many misfortunate and bizarre events such as all their farm animals dieing, attempted cannibalism, an infectious disease, and a shortage of UV light bulbs. I would recommend this book to to 6-8th graders because the book can get confusing at times and the story is a little weird, for example the cannibalism part. Overall the book is amazing and there's sequel called Fallout.

Evan Sutherland Spicer

Periods 8-9