Oh my gosh. I had never read this book in school growing up, so I wanted to read it now, since it's considered a classic. It gripped me until the end, which I wasn't expecting. I can't say I loved it, but it was a good social commentary for sure.

The first three quarters of the book were to be expected; a story about what a group of young boys would do if they were stranded on an island by themselves. The last quarter, however, shocked me. I anticipated something awful based on the title and what I've already heard about the book, but I don't think anybody can prepare themselves for this. Golding masterfully draws his readers in and forms relationships between the reader and the characters.

In the modern world of tragic events, I think we've numbed ourselves a bit to protect us from the horror, but you will still be horrified at the events that take place in this book when the rules of society fall apart.

If you didn't read this book in high school, I would recommend picking it up now -- just for the sake of reading it once.