In the book they talked about the mall alot. What does it mean?

Rudik - the "mall" referred to the living area of the "family". It was like a small neighborhood of houses/bungalows surrounded by a big fence and only one way to get in/out. Completely private.

In the movie it only "shows" the mall as one house but Sonny's house was in the compound (mall) as well.

Thanks guys. I had some idea. I first thought it was houses all owned by Vito, and his family lived there.

The mall is like a private cul-de-sac. Vito owned all the houses, and like Sophia said, there was only one way in or out.