The Coral Island the civilising effect of Christianity, 19th-century British imperialism in the South Pacific, and the importance of hierarchy and leadership. It was the inspiration for William Golding's dystopian novel "Lord of the Flies" (1954), which inverted the morality of "The Coral Island"; in Ballantyne's story the children encounter evil, but in "Lord of the Flies" evil is within them. In the early 20th century, the novel was considered a classic for primary school children in the UK, and in the United States it was a staple of high-school suggested reading lists. Modern critics consider the book's worldview to be dated and
Blue Island (novel) bravado and cynicism with historical drama makes for a mostly satisfying mixture." "Publishers Weekly" called it a "spellbinding fable", and wrote that "this is no myth-like "Lord of the Flies". Contemporary history is an ever-present element, as German troops advance, France falls apart, the government evacuates Paris and refugees flood the countryside. ... Raspail ("Who Will Remember the People") narrowly avoids sentimentality in this powerful depiction of an end to innocence and illusion." Blue Island (novel) Blue Island () is a 1988 novel by the French writer Jean Raspail. The narrative is set in Touraine during World War II, where