Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies, which I first read as a teenager, affected me very differently this time. I found the descent of the group of stranded schoolboys from civility into savagery exciting back then, whereas this time, I found it terrifyingly prescient and couldn't help but read it as a powerful political allegory for today's world.
What struck me most was the fate of the youngest boys—the so-called "littluns"—whose vulnerability and suffering lingered with me long after I finished the book.
Golding’s novel is much more than just a story of survival. The story serves as a reminder of how fragile civilisation can be and how quickly it can be lost when moral structures collapse.
This is not a comfortable read, but I think it is a necessary one. A shocking, brutal depiction of the 'dark heart of humanity'. A must-read. Jennifer 9/10

I first read 'Lord of the Flies' about 20 years ago as an adult. I wasn't in the top set in English, so I didn't do O level English Lit. so I never studied it at school.
I listened to the audio book read by Martin Jarvis, who also voiced the 'Just William' and prepared for a Whizzo experience. The boys arrive on the island by accident, the aftermath of a war that may have destroyed the adult world.
Filled with good intentions, the boys vote Ralph, their democratic leader. Obviously, the wheels fall off pretty quickly, and the descent into savagery is graphically described.
Golding's simple allegory echoes across time. Right and wrong, good and evil, and the darkness of human beings is explored.
This time around, the book resonated differently for me. The way the boys destroy the island seems to reflect the damage humans inflict on the earth. Jack, the loud populist leader with his bully boy henchmen, can't fail to be recognised in the current world. Golding's messages about society still ring true today.
Ralph weeping at the end over lost children and lost innocence can fail to move the reader. It's a classic for a reason. Linda. Solid 10 for me.👌