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Lord of the Flies cover art

Lord of the Flies

By: William Golding
Narrated by: Martin Jarvis
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Summary

Skilfully exploring the tension between individuality and conformity, the desire for civilisation versus the lust for power, it is unsurprising that William Golding's debut novel went on to become such a triumph. 

A plane crashes on a desert island, and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assembles on the beach and waits to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. As the boys’ delicate sense of order fades, so their childish dreams are transformed into something more primitive and their behaviour starts to take on a murderous, savage significance.

©1954 William Golding (P)2012 Faber Audio

What listeners say about Lord of the Flies

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Not a single word wasted.

Being uneducated and semi-literate, Lord of The Flies has been one of the many books floating around in the ether that was unlikely for me ever to read. It turns out that my nephew, who is also my ward along with his four siblings, must study it for his Junior Certificate state examinations in Ireland. So I got the audiobook. I'm sure, like many people, I have had a vague idea of what it was about. I didn't realise that it was so modern, what with aeroplanes and televisions etc. What impressed me was the simplicity in the style of writing. I'm sure that this book is not abridgeable, unlike Victor Hugo and even my dear sweet Charles Dickens, and in truth William Golding has not wasted a single word. As to Martin Jarvis, here is an actor who can really bring a book to life, he reads beautifully and interprets characters brilliantly. I would highly recommend this audiobook.

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76 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

There's a reason it's a classic

A very well told story of descent into savagery. This is one of those "I really should read" books, which I am very glad I did.
Every part of this story is etched into my mind by the author's descriptive artistry brought to life by Martin Jarvis' exceptional story telling. I can still see Piggy quite clearly when I recollect the book, along with the pig trails in the jungle and the boys camp next to the shallow rock pool.
If you have any desire to read this book then I doubt it will be a disappointment.

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

lord of the flies

I read this book when I was 11 and enjoyed it then so I thought that it would be nice to give it another try and I must say it was just as enjoyable this time round, I found that I just had to keep reading until I had finished it. A great read, sad and funny.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Atmospheric

This reading suits perfectly the dramatic story that unfolds. The pace at which the story is told does justice to the powerful atmosphere that Golding creates. I played the death scenes to class while they were studying it and it made the story all the most accessible to them.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Sadly a true depiction of mankind

Golding shows through the behaviour of the children in the book what happens in a lawless society and how quickly it descends into anarchy. Sadly I think this is a pretty accurate description of how mankind will behave and unfortunately the reactions of many people in our current Coronavirus situation, has done nothing to dissaude me of that!

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

a bit sad..

I've always put off reading this, expecting it to be full of evil savagery.... but loved it! Most of it.... Martin Jarvis was the perfect narrator. I just didn't like the sad bits but then I guess, that was kind of the whole point of the story.... mans inhumanity to man.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

I absolutely hated it

Had it not been for my mild OCD that prompts me to finish the books I have started reading, I would never have finished this book. This isn’t a book about the darkness within us, it is about plain savagery, violence and moral degradation. I am glad I never read as a child and I am sorry I listened to it as an adult. The scenes of violence (including animals) are very detailed and extremely unpleasant. The whole story made me feel sick.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

I really enjoyed this book it gripped me throughout. The reader was fantastic and there was very little that didnt add to the story.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant narrator for such a powerful book

I haven't read this for years although it's one that stays with you. As an adult revisiting it there's an added layer of nuance I think as you truly understand the last few lines.

The reader was superb and I really enjoyed this.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent narration

Martin Jarvis did a very good job here, bringing the characters to life. A pleasure to listen to.

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8 people found this helpful