Lord of the Flies
Golding’s iconic 1954 novel, now with a new foreword by Lois Lowry, remains one of the greatest books ever written for young adults and an unforgettable classic for readers of any age.
This edition includes a new Suggestions for Further Reading by Jennifer Buehler.
At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate. This far from civilization they can do anything they want. Anything. But as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far removed from reality as the hope of being rescued.
This edition includes a new Suggestions for Further Reading by Jennifer Buehler.
At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate. This far from civilization they can do anything they want. Anything. But as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far removed from reality as the hope of being rescued.
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Community Reviews
What Bookclubbers are saying about this book
✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Lord of the Flies* is a powerful, raw exploration of human nature, society, and fear, with remarkable symbolism and complex characters. M...
This is a good dystopian novel that contemplates the true evil that exist in man; even as children. The irony of placing a person in paradise only to have them destroy it is a lesson that never ceases to be valuable. Human nature at its worst.
Read this to discuss with my thirteen year old son. So glad I did. It is really a commentary on man's sinful and rebellious nature. My son could not totally understand the point of the book especially because he loves fantasy where good overcomes evil.
I am without words. I think the fact that I have more sticky notes with annotations on them in the book than pages should say something about its depth and the characters. Wow. I knew I was going to like this one, but didn't know it would get me this hard.
It was a bit daunting the first time through, but it gets better with every read. The symbolism is remarkable, there's reason to love and hate all significant characters, and the reality of the story told is very raw.
Children are creatures of habit and structure—and, well… animals too. But as children, they are just pale copies of adults, aren’t they? In the end, is there really much difference between what happens on the island and the world beyond it?
They can also be too smart for their age and too savage at the same time. In other words, innocence is far from being the defining trait of youth. No. Instinct is—whether good or bad.
If you manage to make me enjoy an entire book about a group of children—and only boys at that (disclaimer: I hate children, and I’d have thrown myself into the sea if I were stuck on an island with just boys at that age)—then you deserve four stars. No further argument necessary.
It’s not a five-star reread for me. I was hoping more events would unfold on the island, and the psychological tension isn’t always paced well enough to be fully appreciated. I think I was more impressed when I was younger.
Finally, although beautiful and sometimes poetic, the descriptions take up a lot of space, and the balance between atmosphere and action occasionally falters.
Nonetheless, it’s a great book—and a true classic.
They can also be too smart for their age and too savage at the same time. In other words, innocence is far from being the defining trait of youth. No. Instinct is—whether good or bad.
If you manage to make me enjoy an entire book about a group of children—and only boys at that (disclaimer: I hate children, and I’d have thrown myself into the sea if I were stuck on an island with just boys at that age)—then you deserve four stars. No further argument necessary.
It’s not a five-star reread for me. I was hoping more events would unfold on the island, and the psychological tension isn’t always paced well enough to be fully appreciated. I think I was more impressed when I was younger.
Finally, although beautiful and sometimes poetic, the descriptions take up a lot of space, and the balance between atmosphere and action occasionally falters.
Nonetheless, it’s a great book—and a true classic.
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