Lord of the Flies- Review

Debut book of William Gerald Golding (1954), in Lord of the Flies, British pupils are stranded on a tropical island. In an attempt to recreate the culture they left behind, they elect Ralph how leader, with intellectual skills Piggy as counselor. But Jack wants to lead, too, and one-by-one, he lures the boys from civility and reason to the savage survivalism of primeval hunters. This novel gives us a glimpse of the savagery that underlies even the most civilized human beings.
Second half of it in one sitting this afternoon. Incredible story; the bleak futility of trying to maintain dignity and order among wild, hopeless savagery is heartbreaking. Will stay with me for a long time.
It has contradictions with a cast of unique characters that are given enough back story that you feel for them when they start to meet their grisly demise one by one (and I really do mean grisly).