Compound

The Gemini Letters #3

by Madison Klophaus

Men must fall for their children to rise.
But not all children are born to lead.

Following the events of PictureHouse, Amelia and Dallas have been provided refuge at the Vanderbilt's second home in California, where Amelia's brother, Callaghan, has been forced to live in hiding following his failed treatments at PictureHouse. However, their reunion is far from comfortable. With Governor Creel in critical condition, Xaver must assume his father's position as interim Governor of Michigan, leaving both Michigan and California in disarray. His sole motivation is to capture Dallas and thus prove himself worthy of the title to the other governors as well as the people of Michigan. Cyrus, on the other hand, has secrets he must confront while Amelia develops a plan to protect not only Dallas from the new governor's grasp, but also the life of someone Xaver is unaware of.

Compound is the final book in the Gemini Letters trilogy.

409 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 2023

About the author

Madison Klophaus is an author and an artist. She grew up in Texas and attended the University of Texas at Arlington where she received a BFA in Drawing. The Gemini Letters, the first in her debut trilogy, was released in the fall of 2020. PictureHouse and Compound followed in 2021 and 2023. Her story, Second Born, was a semifinalist in the 2021 DriftWood Press short story competition. Madison is currently writing historical fantasy, though she also dabbles in science and dystopian fiction, which spurred her to begin writing. She is now working on Among Gods and Men, the prequel to The Gemini Letters trilogy, which is set to be released in the summer of 2026. Follow Madison on Instagram or Facebook for all the updates.

Reviews

[Rebekah Tate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welp, Madison Klophaus, you’ve done it again. This ending broke me a little. I’m not sure if I like it to be honest because I’m so torn about it, BUT I understand it, and it was beautifully written. Compound was a WILD ride, several shockers, but also several moments of wonder - a thought-provoking end to this trilogy. Dallas and his internal suffering all throughout was difficult. There were some times I got lost in the story, but I think I was reading too quickly (to find out what happened, especially near the end😢). I continue to enjoy the split POV, and I liked what Klophaus does with some of the overlapping POVs, which I haven’t seen in any books lately. I just finished this book, 7 minutes ago, so I’m still processing to be honest, and I feel like I will be processing for a while.

It’s an interesting feeling to have a final ending with these characters when I’ve been on the whole journey with them from The Gemini Letters to now. Not ready for these friends to go, but I’m ready for their worlds to be more at peace. That ending still has me reeling. So many thoughts, so much love for these books, these characters, and this author!

I can’t wait for the next thing from Klophaus - Among Gods and Men!!

[Abby Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, it's hard to find the words to put into this review after having fallen so deeply in love with each of the characters over the course of the series as a whole. There are so many twists and turns in the final installment of The Gemini Letters, and as a result, I was always on my toes throughout Compound. I literally couldn't put the book down! One of my favourite things about Compound is that I feel like I am physically in each and every scene. Klophaus paints such a vivid picture throughout the whole novel that you can't help but feel as if you're actively living each moment. From action scenes to love scenes to heartbreak and depictions of mental health battles, this book will absolutely pull you in and leave you wanting more.

To say more about the plot without spoiling it - the ending was not a fairy-tale perfect ending. It was hard, more real, and significantly more relatable than the way many series in this genre tend to end. It keeps you guessing and by the time it is all over, you find yourself feeling the emotions that Amelia was feeling, the new reality for Dallas, and the conflicting ideas that must be running through Cyrus's head.

Another thing that I really loved about this book is that I felt like it was Dallas's book. In the first book, I felt like that was Amelia's time to shine. Book two introduced Cyrus and was the love story for him and Amelia. By the time you get to book three, it's nice to see the series come full circle to give Dallas the time to shine! His emotions, his self-sacrificing-to-a-fault, his love for Amelia, and more details that you'll have to experience by reading - man!! I just can't get enough of it!

Honestly, I wish I could live in the world of this series just to see the fallout and after-math of the choices, actions, and events of this thrilling finale!

I can't wait to read whatever this incredible author releases next!

[Rebecca Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s over and I’m sad 😭 Amelia drove me nuts with the decisions she makes and she seemed like a real person because of it. I feel like if someone were to read my life choices someone would probably feel the same way lol! The ending was gut-wrenching to read. These characters did the best they knew to do with the cards they were dealt and just like in real life, things sometimes don’t turn out how you hope they will. Incredible how a futuristic fictional world can feel real through the things these characters faced. Prepare yourself for tears, friends.😭