The New Paul and Virginia; Or, Positivism on an Island

"The New Paul and Virginia; Or, Positivism on an Island" by W. H. Mallock is a satirical story from the Victorian era that tackles major changes in society by following Professor Paul Darnley and Virginia St. John as they try to build a perfect, modern world based on science and reason after being shipwrecked on a remote island. Kicked off with a shipwreck and the promise of a new society, the story quickly turns upside down with unexpected encounters, like a tipsy church minister and a ghostly husband. The book humorously questions if a life without faith can truly make people happy, looking at the challenges of human nature and the shaky ground of a world built only on logic.