This research was conducted to describe the types of topics of compliment employed by men and women characters in the novel entitled Hot Summer, the functions of each type of topics of compliment, and also the way of men and women characters respond to the compliment. This research was qualitative study applying descriptive method. This research used a pragmatics approach. The technique of sampling used is purposive sampling. Hence, the data analyzed were all dialogs containing compliments and their responses taken from the novel Hot Summer which was published in 2011.  Based on the data analysis, the results can be concluded as follows: First, there are four types of topics of compliment employed by men and women characters in the novel entitled Hot Summer, namely personal appearance, possession, general ability, and specific-act ability. The distribution of the compliment shows that there are 21 data between male to female compliment, 6 data between female to male compliment, 8 data between female to female, and there is no compliment found between male to male. Second, following Wolfson’s classification of compliment functions, all of the functions of compliment can be found in this research, that is increasing and consolidating solidarity, maintaining rapport, expressing of admiration or approval, expressing positive evaluation, giving encouragement, strengthening other speech act formulas, softening criticism, and modifying sarcasm.
Third, Herbert’s classification of compliment responses is used to analyze the response of compliment employed by men and women characters in the novel Hot Summer. In this case, the compliment responses belong to nine out of twelve Herbert’s theory of compliment responses including appreciation token, comment acceptance, praise upgrade, comment history, return, scale down, disagreement, question, and no acknowledgement. Most of addressees respond to compliments by employing appreciation token.  Based on the results above, it shows that women are complimented more often than men. Moreover, women are more likely to accept the compliments than men. This research is intended to bring contribution to the students in studying speech act of compliment. This research can be used as reference or additional information about the use of compliment expression.