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The Compound by S.A. Classification: YA Fiction Genre: Sci-fi Age Level: 13+ “Dad asked me if I wanted to see more of the Compound. We would have to wait fifteen years before it would be safe to go outside. Free Books/ARCs (6) Library and Information Science (3) Middle Grade Books (2) Non-fiction (14) Periodicals (3.
Intriguing read and some food for thought, great for light reading
Ever since an unprovoked dog attack left his face scarred and disfigured, Mason has been introverted and generally overlooked amongst his peers -- at least, until his over-sized shadow falls across a bully at school. Now a sophomore in high school, Mason is fascinated by biology and the endless possibilities its study represents. In order to advance his knowledge in his favorite subject, as well as receive financing for college, Mason plans to apply for a summer program hosted by TroDyn. This is the classic monolith -- the enigmatic local corporate entity that owns everything in the area from manufacturing plants to churches. The only condition on their summer program is that he must work for TroDyn after he graduates from college. His only obstacle is his mother, who works in a nursing home owned by TroDyn. She's dead-set against her son getting tangled up in the corporation. All of these concerns cease to be important when Mason visits his mother at work, where he plays a DVD of his father reading a book. No one is in the room except comatose teenagers -- until the words from the DVD make a mysterious girl wake up.
Choosing The Gardener for some light summer reading
The Compound Sa Bodeen Free Download04 Movie
I'd never heard of S.A. Bodeen before picking up TheGardener.Even so, I had little difficulty in selecting this book. I was given the opportunity to receive an advance copy based solely on the title and genre, and that combination alone seemed appealing. Disclosure: While I did receive the book itself free of charge, no other payment came from anyone affiliated with the book. It came to me through a third-party company, with nothing expected in return except an honest review. I'm free to be as critical or as complimentary as I feel like being.
Upon receiving the book, I had no idea what to expect. In fact, I wondered if it'd be any good at all. This is only the author’s second book and I had never heard of the first, The Compound. However, after the first chapter or two dedicated to setting up the world and introducing the characters, the story took off flying and I didn’t put it down again until I’d reached the end.
The reviewed book, which is well worth the read if you like science fiction that deals with the future potential of technology -- good or bad
The Gardener
Plot and story line in The Gardener
True to form for a young adult book, The Gardenerbegins in a familiar small-town setting, but quickly moves into the eery futuristic setting of the TroDyn compound. While there are no real surprises, there are efforts toward a complex story line that includes Mason's search for answers about the father he never knew. Throw in some light romance and coming-of-age issues amid a wild police chase, and you have a book that's easy to get into and keep turning pages.
While this is an excellent stand-alone book, I will not be surprised to see a sequel or a series stem from this intriguing beginning. Author S.A. Bodeen builds such a complete world in this small-town Oregon setting that it would be a shame to leave it at a single book.This author has published a number of other books since The Gardener's release, and I am quite curious to know if the storytelling is as compelling in those newer books.
There are some organizational issues in The Gardener, mainly revolving around the descriptions. Most are excellent, giving just enough detail to let the reader fill in the blanks and create his or her own unique world with the story. The one glaring, distracting omission is a description of the main character -- other than his large build, we really have no idea what Mason actually looks like until near the end. Other than that, the scant descriptions are actually a benefit, keeping the story from bogging down on trivial details.
Who might enjoy The Gardener?
The Gardener is classified as Young Adult science fiction. It has enough story and substance to make a satisfying weekend read for just about any age over about 12. Younger readers may have some difficulty keeping up with the story, and may find a number of elements frightening. Obviously, this will vary according to each individual, so definitely go for it if it sounds like your kind of book, even if you're younger. Having read this book as an adult who can't read much 'brain candy' fiction, I can tell you that it definitely has the potential to become a favorite book for any age.
Overall this is an excellent book for sci-fi enthusiasts, especially if you like vaguely scientific corporate conspiracy types of books. It hints at an impending apocalyptic-type environment, especially in that the bioengineering experiments were undertaken to head off the dual crises of food shortage and over-population. The story is very easy to follow, so it's a great book for breaks or commutes where you may only have a few minutes at a time to devote to the read. Based on this book, I'm definitely keeping an eye on S.A. Bodeen, and will seek out additional works in the future.
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Hi its Taylor again.....yes that really helped me. Thanks SO much. I hope this helped anyone else that is doing a book report on this book .
Hi. My daughter is doing a report and can't seem to find the climax in the story. I hope you can help . Thanks so muc. :)
Do you know what the theme in the story is ? Or the conflict ?
Do you know what the theme in the story is ? Or the conflict ?
I am doing a report on this book and I do not know where the setting is located . Can you help me figure out the state its located in .
Thanks for your help .
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Preview — The Compound by S.A. Bodeen
(The Compound #1)
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.
For Eli, no amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day.
As problems with...more
Published April 29th 2008 by Feiwel and Friends
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Caleb Georgecause its so predictable
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Rating details
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Sep 01, 2012
Danielle rated it
it was amazing · review of another edition
Shelves: young-adult, the-best-books-i-ve-ever-read, too-short-for-its-own-good, the-apocalypse-is-coming, best-of-2012, my-library
Holy BALLS batman.
25 stars!!!
This just MIGHT be the best book I have ever read. At lest the best book i have read in 5 years, beating out 'The Hunger Games' i'm not even lying here.
This book kept me enthralled to the point i lost all track of time, time did not exist for me for a few hours. I read this one straight from page 1 - 245, non-stop. The storyline was interesting and the author did such a good job of pacing in this book! The book is quite a quick read with being less than 300 pages,...more
A very slow start and a whiny unappealling character made this a difficult read for me. Eli changes a bit too abruptly to a caring individual and the entire premise was a stretch. A reader who hangs on through the first 2/3 of the book will eventually be caught up in the tension and want to see if the family survives.
Jul 06, 2015Lindsey Lynn (thepagemistress) rated it really liked it · review of another edition
4.5 Stars!
First, let me start off by saying I read this in one sitting. Could not put it down!
Summary:
This is a story about Eli and his family who are very well off. No wait, lets face it they're loaded! Eli's father is one of the most influential people in the world and has been preparing for a nuclear war. Then, the worst happens and they are forced into the underground compound that his father built to protect his family. They have been down there for 6 years, but then things don't add up. Qu...more
Eli has lived in the Compound for six years now. His billionaire/genius father built the Compound as a safe haven for his family in the event of a nuclear war. The old world, the family likes to refer to, no longer exists. And neither do Eli’s twin brother, Eddy, and his grandmother, which is Eli’s fault. After six years the food is depleting rapidly and so is the family’s demeanor. Eli’s father sporadic behavior and secrets are also becoming a concern. Eli begins to discover things that simply...more
Dec 20, 2017Alice Cai rated it it was amazing
5*
This book is so much fun. The main character Eli has to live 15 years underground in a compound because of radiation from a nuclear explosion outside. Once underground mysteries begin to unravel. The first mysterious thing mentioned was 'The yellow door'. Wtf is behind the yellow door? From there on it gets more and more crazy.
The biggest problem with this book is the logic behind everything is really really bad. I only rate based on entertainment so it didn't really matter to me, but if this...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Sep 20, 2010
Lyndsey rated it
really liked it Shelves: reviewed-2010, reviewed-4-stars, audiobooks, about-dystopia-or-utopia, about-twins
Almost every single paragraph in this book seemed to introduce some strange new intriguing information. It was somewhat predictable but also felt like anything could happened, especially when it came to the father in the story. It really seemed like he was capable of unspeakable horrors.
The story was very original. It actually made me think of the underground vaults in the game Fallout. And there is a scene in the book with a hatch and someone banging on it and yelling Nooooo. That made me laugh...more
The Compound is such an amazing book. I really love books about people hiding out or being trapped within places like towers etc. When I began to read The Compound I thought it would resemble The Host by Stephenie Meyer only, without the aliens. But nope, The Compound is nothing like The Host.
I loved the descriptions of The Compound. S.A. Bodeen described scenes so well. It was almost like I was in The Compound with Eli and his family.
Another thing I loved about The Compound is that it is highly...more
This book makes me a little happy. Why? Because it gives me hope that someday, even I will be able to call myself a published writer.
But mostly, this book just makes me sad. I can sum it up in two words: squandered. potential.
I assume the author wrote this during National Novel Writing Month, because it reads like a 2nd or 3rd NaNoWriMo draft. The first 5 chapters are decent - gripping, even. I started getting anxious about the time Eli ventures into Eddy's room and retrieves a certain electro...more
Apr 27, 2008Monica Edinger rated it liked it
Neat premise and a fun read. Literally a page-turner!
Mar 11, 2011Nicole rated it it was ok · review of another edition
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Sep 16, 2016Andrew D rated it really liked it
Eli was born into a very wealthy family with his dad's name known worldwide. But his life changes in an instance when a nuclear war started, he had to flee from his RV vacation trip and head to THE COMPOUND. Eli has lived in the THE COMPOUND for six years now and is anxious to hurry up the fifteen years that he has to stay there. Therefore Eli does some snooping around and ends up in his dead brother's room. He realizes that there is a laptop in the room, when he opens the laptop he looks at the...more
Mar 11, 2008
Laurie added it
Shelves: wmslibrary
All for Kids said, 'What a book! I was swept along by this story of a wealthy family who must spend the next 15 years in a bunker to escape a nuclear war, a war no one knew was coming. The grandmother and one of the twins are left outside, there is no contact with the world, and the family thinks their dad is going crazy. Kind of creepy but if you like survival stories, you’ll like this. Available May 2008, ages 12 and up.'
Interesting and quite creepy, so some kids will like it. I was annoyed by...more
Oct 10, 2016Chloe M rated it it was amazing
I read the Compound by S.A. Bodeen.It is about a boy named Eli and how his family survives a nuclear attack by retreating into a bunker five feet underground called the Compound. Even though they live in a luxurious bunker, nothing can make up for the fact that Eli has lost his grandma and twin brother. He has no connection to the outside world until one day when he goes into his brother's room and finds a computer! This book makes you feel like you are in the Compound with them and you are faci...more
May 26, 2010Sam rated it it was ok
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Jun 28, 2009Elizabeth K. rated it it was amazing
I can't decide if this is brilliant, or what. YA novel about a family that flees to an underground bunker after a nuclear attack. The book opens with 15 year old Eli reflecting back on how they got there, and remembering his twin brother, who didn't make it in before the door was sealed. It's a little bit like On the Beach meets Flowers in the Attic. It' has insanity, deceit, dwindling supplies, and a weird salacious vibe that is even creepier because it's never addressed directly in the text. T...more
Jul 01, 2011
Wendy Darling rated it
liked it Shelves: dystopian-post-apocalyptic-utopian, young-adult, male-pov, survival, annoying-main-characters, asian, tough-subjects, read-2013
Some good stuff in this one, but the characters are pretty one-dimensional and things got a little too crazy without fully committing to it. Also very easy to guess all the plot twists.
I may pick up the next one....sometime.
Dec 31, 2011Kim rated it it was ok
Well this book is indeed VERY STRANGE. Still trying to wrapping my brain around it.
Oct 16, 2017Milana Waller rated it liked it · review of another edition
The Compound Sa Bodeen Free Download04 Download
I find the writing in Booden’s books rather strange.. like she’s in her own little world sometimes that readers can’t quite grasp. I think the idea is good but executed in a weird way.. was the dad good or bad? I never could tell. I got the part where he was insane but was he good? I am not sure!
Nov 26, 2008Karin rated it it was amazing
Eli has been living with his parents in The Compound for six years. The Compound is an elaborate nuclear bomb shelter his father spent an enormous amount of money to build in order to keep his family safe from nuclear fallout. The plan is to stay underground for fifteen years until the radiation danger has passed.
Eli has had the hardest time adjusting to life in The Compound. In his six years there he has steadily distanced himself from everyone in the family. He maintains a strict schedule of e...more
Apr 04, 2013Wyatt Packard rated it liked it
The Compound by S.A. Bodeen is a nice dose of originality in the often cluttered genre of YA fiction. Eli has been in the compound for six years and in that time has learned to hate it, and himself. When they entered the compound, believing there was a nuclear war, Eli was separated from his twin brother. After years in the compound Eli hates himself for Eddy being left outside and believes that Eddy, along with the rest of the world, were destroyed. Eli and his sisters cope with their entrapmen...more
Jun 14, 2012Kandise rated it liked it
My spider senses were tingling from the beginning, that sensation that I knew too well (oh you know, occupational hazard and all) began when Eli's father looked at him, void of emotion, after he learned that his other son didn't make it to the compound in time and says 'Well at least I have one of you' While the rest of the family is wiping snot an tears from their faces. WHAT?!
So Eli and his family have concealed themselves in an underground mansion with all of the luxuries of living at home a...more
The way that Eli was portrayed in the story really drew me in. He went from being an innocent child to a lonely teen afraid of socializing with his own family. He didn’t even want to be touched by another person. It made me feel sympathetic and made me get involved at many points throughout the book. The worst part of the book, and this is really picky, is that there was no direct lead in to a sequel. I would really love it if the author wrote a sequel just because I loved it that much. I know i...more
This is a rather interesting take on the post-apocalyptic novel. Eli has lived in an underground compound for six years with his family. His very wealthy father built the compound in case of a nuclear attack. Six years ago on a camping trip their worst nightmare happened and the whole family was hustled in, save for Eli's twin, Eddy, and their Gram who had gone to get medication for an allergy attack that Eddy was suffering. The compound is well stocked for almost any eventuality; tons of food,...more
The book was really fun. It started with a really impactful introduction. It was suspenseful and had many exciting moments, that makes you beg to read more. This book had a vast amount of genres, including fiction, mystery and much more. Some reasons why this adventurous book lost a star, was because the summary/blurb on the back of the book is quite misleading. Plus, the book was overly dramatic like in those cringe action movies with weird lines. But the book was a topic of my interest. The bo...more
Nov 02, 2009
Nancy rated it
liked it Shelves: post-apocalyptic-fiction, october-2009, guys-read, dystopian-fiction, young-adult-fiction
The country suffers a nuclear attack when Eli and his family are on a camping trip. Fortunately, they have been prepared for this, and their father leads them to a huge, well-constructed, and well-stocked bunker where they can survive for at least fifteen years--the soonest he considers safe for the family to leave. Unfortunately, Eli's twin, Eddy, their grandmother, and their dog, Cocoa, don't make it in time.
The story starts in the sixth year of their confinement, and things have been going wr...more
Dare I say it? This book is great for anyone who is interested in going nowhere fast. I didn't dislike the book, I just felt it dragged.
The reader moves through the story seeing everything through a young boy's eyes. He feels he's lost things that are precious to him. He sees his parent as crazy. Hmmm, original? Ok, it's realistic and easy to identify with, readers will like that about the book.
I can't say too much without giving the story away, all I can say is that the title is accurate.
S.A....more
THE COMPOUND is an interesting but not life-changing “action” read. Bodeen’s descriptions of the extent of the compound is fantastic and almost makes you okay with the idea of living in one place for 15 years…until she begins to describe the personality alterations inflicted on the family members from all those years of confinement. So the world-building is fantastic, but Eli is a bit difficult to get behind as a protagonist. He is admittedly selfish, sullen, and a giant pain in the you-know-wha...more
The Gardener Sa Bodeen
Eli and the rest of his family has made it out the compound , they have been in there for 6 years. Eli's father didn't make it out the compound in time. Eli hears a loud noise and sees helicopters coming there way. The helicopters finally land 100 yards away as a boy runs out the helicopter. Eli doesn't know who it is, the boy walks up to him and smells that greasy beef jerky smell and is now facing his twin. Eli and his family are now saved...
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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Also writes as Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen.
Stephanie is the award-winning author of the Elizabeti's Doll series of picture books, as well as several others. Her young adult novels include the award-winning The Compound and The Raft, and her next YA The Detour releases October 2015. The first two volumes of her middle grade series, Shipwreck Island and Lost, are available now.
The Compound(2 books)
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