First published in 1874, “The Mysterious Island” is an adventure novel by Jules Verne and included in his popular science-fiction series
Voyages extraordinaires (1863–1910) as a sequel to his “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1870). “The Mysterious Island” follows the adventures of a group of castaways who use their survivalist savvy to build a functional community on an uncharted island.
Contemporary readers would have found the greatest similarities between Verne’s “Mysterious Island” and DeFoe’s “Robinson Crusoe” (1719), the quintessential castaway story. But today, “The Mysterious Island” will resonate with anyone familiar with the television show
Lost.
A hot-air balloon carrying five passengers and a dog escapes from Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. It is blown off course and deposited near an obscure island. One of the castaways nearly dies after a skirmish with pirates; he is saved by the unexplained appearance of someone after the pirates are unexpectedly routed. The secret helper proves to be none other than the reclusive Captain Nemo (first introduced “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”)…
