Although the main character starts out as lazy and not very likeable, his observations of the natives are anthropologically fascinating. Not sure I understood his return to civilization, but the middle part was an interesting adventure. ( )

"So that so far from Evolution being necessarily a strenuous upward progress.. it might become.. a graceless drift towards a dead end."

This is not the Robinson Crusoe knockoff you might think it is, given some of the cover art and the title.
So the first quarter almost felt like an Ealing comedy and i thought it was going to end up as a spoof of Crusoe. However the second quarter goes existentially and socially depressing like something by Orwell or Kafka.
The third quarter is the only one set on Rampole Island, whose natives reminded me strongly of the ones from Peter Jacksons remake of King Kong :) . This might also be the weak link in the narrative. Not on its own but in context of the rest of the story i don't think its as visceral or pointed as it needed to be and ends too abruptly perhaps, but its a minor quibble. The final quarter is set during and after WWI.
It really does feel like four or five different books in different genres, starring the same protagonist. I don't mean that its a mess, Wells just slides from one genre to another with consummate ease.

Perhaps it wouldn't be quite as surprising if this was written by a different author, someone who came to prominence in the 20's but to see an old hand like Wells write something which feels so on the edge for its time is very fun.
An extremely unvictorian novel taking in the social views, the advancements in social science, and the political views of its era.

Its still a little longer than felt necessary but a lot to like. Recommended for patient readers and stoics :) . ( )