Elizabeth Waterhouse

The Island of Anarchy Elizabeth Waterhouse

An early (1887) tale of a futuristic Utopia gone wrong. Set in the late 20th Century, 100 years after it was written, The Island of Anarchy tells the story of unwanted Europeans (Socialists, Anglican clergy, Russian noblemen, idealistic students) forced into exile on a beautiful volcanic island recently risen from the South Sea. Designed as a Utopia, the fate of the inhabitants is far from happy as new waves of exiles join them, bringing their own ideas of how to build their new society. This short but fascinating tale examines the role of authority and control in a society of free-thinkers, and questions how long a perfect society can actually exist.