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Concrete Island
J.G. Ballard Book Review

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Plot Summary of Concrete Island
"One day in April, 1973, 35-year-old architect Robert Maitland races home from a conference and a few nights with his mistress, but his Jaguar crashes through a highway barrier and into a large island between freeways. The vehicle is not drivable, and Maitland is unable to escape the island during the several days no one is apt to miss him. He tries to flag down traffic, scrambles for food and shelter, even tries to burn his Jaguar to create a signal flare. Eventually, he finds he is not alone, and the plot turns into a cross between Robinson Crusoe and Sartre's No Exit. Unlike his earlier sci-fi series, this short Ballard novel is entirely plausible, if no less bizarre. Another story that would make a gripping film...."
David Loftus, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Concrete Island
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - depressed
Time/era of story - 1960's-1970's
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Exploring into the wild Yes
kind of story - struggle to get home
Wisdom from homeless/bum? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - business executive
Age: - 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality - British
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - unemployed
Eccentric/Smart/Dumb: Yes
Eccentric: - mentally ill - dumb
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Intelligence - Retarded
Physique - bulging muscles

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
City? Yes
City: - London - dirty, grimy (like New York)

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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