Author: William Golding
Publisher: Perigee Trade
Source: Bought
Goodreads Summary:
William Golding's classic tale about a group of English schoolboys who are plane-wrecked on a deserted island is just as chilling and relevant today as when it was first published in 1954. At first, the stranded boys cooperate, attempting to gather food, make shelters, and maintain signal fires. Overseeing their efforts are Ralph, "the boy with fair hair," and Piggy, Ralph's chubby, wisdom-dispensing sidekick whose thick spectacles come in handy for lighting fires. Although Ralph tries to impose order and delegate responsibility, there are many in their number who would rather swim, play, or hunt the island's wild pig population. Soon Ralph's rules are being ignored or challenged outright. His fiercest antagonist is Jack, the redheaded leader of the pig hunters, who manages to lure away many of the boys to join his band of painted savages. The situation deteriorates as the trappings of civilization continue to fall away, until Ralph discovers that instead of being hunters, he and Piggy have become the hunted: "He forgot his words, his hunger and thirst, and became fear; hopeless fear on flying feet." Golding's gripping novel explores the boundary between human reason and animal instinct, all on the brutal playing field of adolescent competition.
My Thoughts:
I'm aware that this book is a classic and is very popular but it just didn't do it for me. Maybe I am too much of an optimist but I really can't see a group of boys turning into killing machines that quickly just because they are trapped on an island. Fighting, of course; stabbing and attacking, not so much. Like I said, maybe I just think to highly of people, but this book just seemed so unrealistic to me that it lost all of the chilling effect that it is supposed to evoke. However, it was a fun read and I really liked the ending.
Rating: 2.5/5
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