There's not much narrative in this history, as it reads more like a chronological catalogue of all the works that fall under the author's definition of "Utopia", which according to him is a narrative that tries to show a realistic way towards crafting a better society. The introduction and conclusion are where his voice shines the most, while in-between, he serves more as a tour guide towards the history of what utopian literature has been, throughout the millennia.

While there isn't a very strong emotional narrative here to hook the reader throughout, the book more than makes up for it with a comprehensive, if shallow, look at an idea that's popped up again and again over the centuries, which is impressive in terms of scope alone.