In this article we will review Island by Aldous Huxley.
Book Plot
“Island” is a novel by Aldous Huxley, published in 1962. It serves as the author’s final work before his death.
Will Farnaby, a cynical journalist and political huckster, deliberately shipwrecks his boat on the shores of the Kingdom of Pala, an island located between Sumatra and the Andaman Islands.
Pala is an otherwise “forbidden island” that Farnaby infiltrates. His task is to persuade the island’s current queen, the Rani, to sell oil rights to Pala’s untapped oil assets.
Farnaby awakens on the island with a leg injury and encounters a unique culture. Pala combines elements of western science and oriental philosophy, including principles from Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.
During his time on Pala, Farnaby undergoes a transformation. He shifts from a cynical Westerner to someone who embraces the Palanese alternative to the exploitative capitalism prevalent in the West.
“Island” serves as Huxley’s utopian counterpart to his more famous dystopian novel, “Brave New World”. While the plot exists, it primarily serves as a vehicle for exploring conceptual ideas rather than adhering to conventional narrative tension.
The clash between Pala’s harmonious society and Farnaby’s external influences creates thought-provoking reflections on culture, spirituality, and the pursuit of a better world.
Island Rating : 3,86
Also book has 354 pages
Island Review
To begin the review, I want to assert that this work lacks literary value, serving as a vehicle for Huxley’s answer to the question of alternative value systems. Drawing from Eastern religious philosophies, particularly Buddhism and Hinduism, Huxley crafts a thought-provoking utopian novel set on the island of Pala. Despite initial skepticism stemming from Huxley’s previous work, The Doors of Perception, this novel reveals Huxley’s intellectual depth and understanding of spiritual philosophies. While the book may not be purely entertaining, it offers insights into Western man’s dilemmas and insecurities. By delving deeply into the questions at hand, Huxley presents a serious suggestion for consideration, with elements of humor and wit woven throughout. Reminiscent of similar works like Avatar and Dances with Wolves, this book stands as a dying man’s earnest attempt to offer a glimmer of hope to the troubled world.
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