“We are not proposing to conquer the island, but to defend ourselves.” — Jules Verne, The Mysterious Island
Part I: Dropped from the Clouds
During the American Civil War, five Union prisoners—engineer Cyrus Harding, journalist Gideon Spilett, sailor Pencroff, his protégé Harbert, and servant Neb—escape Richmond in a balloon. A violent storm strands them on an uncharted Pacific island. They name it Lincoln Island and begin surviving using Harding’s ingenuity.
Part II: Abandoned
The castaways explore the island, finding resources like iron ore and coal. They build a shelter (Granite House), craft tools, and domesticate an orangutan named Jup. Mysterious events occur, such as Harbert’s rescue from a dugong and an unseen hand providing quinine when he falls ill.
Part III: The Secret of the Island
A message leads them to rescue castaway Ayrton (from Verne’s In Search of the Castaways). Pirates attack, but an unseen force destroys their ship. The group discovers Captain Nemo, dying in his submarine Nautilus. He reveals he aided them and explains the island’s volcanic instability.
Final Catastrophe and Rescue
The volcano erupts, destroying Lincoln Island. The survivors, stranded on a reef, are rescued by the ship Duncan—sent by Nemo before his death. They return to America, using Nemo’s wealth to rebuild their lives.
Key Ideas
- Human ingenuity and cooperation in survival
- The intersection of science and adventure
- Mystery and unseen benevolence
- Exploration of isolation and resilience
- Legacy of Captain Nemo’s ideals
Who should read this book?
- Fans of classic adventure and survival stories
- Readers interested in 19th-century scientific optimism
- Those who enjoy mysteries with gradual revelations