“Teresa dribbled past me, switching hands as I’d taught her.”

From S. A. Bodeen’s The Compound.

For the past six years, Eli has been living with his family in an underground compound since the world above became unlivable after the nuclear incident that forced them into hiding.  Eli’s father, Rex, took his fortune and built the compound with enough room, amenities, and possibilities, and resources to keep the family safe for the fifteen years he estimated it would take to make the rest of the world safe again.  Despite being safe and having a rather cushy nuclear shelter, Eli is consumed with sadness over his grandmother and twin, Eddy, who were unfortunately left behind when the family fled to the shelter.  As an option that Rex devised for another source of meat in the future, Eli’s mother, Clea, has had three children while in the compound, with another on the way, and these supplement siblings are kept separate from the rest of the family.  Eli eventually comes to value the supplements as siblings in need of protection from Rex’s future plans for them.  However, when Eli discovers Rex’s connected-to-the-internet computer and that Rex has been lying to them about everything, he attacks his father, knocking him unconscious.  Gathering his mother and all his siblings, Eli races to find a way to unlock the door before Rex awakens and traps them in the compound forever.

Bodeen’s post-apocalyptic young adult novel is full of suspense and thrilling developments that will keep readers captivated.  The character development is solid, but some elements of the story will be intense for some readers before the story brings everything together.  The Compound is an interesting read that will keep readers of all ages on the edge of their seat until the final page.