A group of boys crash land on an island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. All of these boys seem to be between the ages of 6-12, and they do not know what they are supposed to do without adults to guide them. Luckily, Ralph uses a conch shell to bring all the boys on the island to a central location, and he helps them formulate a plan. First things first, they need to make a fire to attract any passing planes or boats. Secondly, they need to find food and shelter. However, one boy named Jack wants to be able to hunt for pigs with his men, and slowly the boys start to turn surviving on an island into a game. First the game begins with hunting for a beast, but it ends with hunting for men.
I had to read this book for a summer project, but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. Throughout the novel, each boy had a certain personality that was expressed through all of his actions. This allowed me to look at young boys that I see on a day to day basis, and be able to see them in the novel. I noticed how this novel really delves into the discussion of whether evil is rooted in the heart of man, or whether it is created by age or by one’s surroundings. Even though this novel was used as an anti-World War II novel, it can still be applicable today.
This book could be classified as horror in the past, but now I found it more as an interesting adventure story rather than horror. So even if you dislike horror novels, I would still advise for you to read this novel, as it is pretty tame. If you enjoy adventure novels, definitely read this. If you want to read a book that talks about the real human brain and how it might work, this is also the novel for you.
Overall Rating: 5/5
