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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
OH MY FUCKING GOD! This is the first classic I loved. I devoured it! It was so good. Damn. Around three days. I only had trouble with chapter 11. This is the first and last time I read it. And I read it because I am nerd. But everything else. Wow. Perfection. I feel so smart. I love my baby girl Sibyl and my baby Basil. They deserved so much better. And James Vane. I hated Dorian and Henry, but they were such interesting characters. I loved reading Henry speak, even tho he said biggest bullshit ever. It was so fascinating. I think it was one-sided gay. Basil loved Dorian. Worshipped him. Not his beauty and youth. Even Dorian said so. But, Dorian friendzoned him every single chapter. Friendship colored with love. I did ship them first few chapters a lot, but I hate Dorian so I stopped. And I loved seeing Dorians downfall. It was fascinating reading about his change, because you can truly feel it. Still, hated him from like chapter 2-3. Maybe he was good before he met Henry, but unfortunately we never seen what he was like before Henry. Only Basil's subjective opinion. 5 stars. Amazing. Need more books like this.
wow.. this book. where do i even begin?? i cried like a baby at the end…
dark
reflective
tense
Incredible book, very atmospheric and makes you think about a lot of things in life. Has typical paragraphs of somewhat "pretentious" philosophical questions and discussions that I barely understand and could do without but my boyfriend would love it.
dark
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In Wilde’s own words, this is a poisonous book. Unfortunately it is also incredibly boring.
Obviously an interesting and very famous idea, although it’s never really explained how it happens, beyond some vague, off the cuff, wish that the portrait should age instead of the self-obsessed Gray, who behaves like a ridiculously overly emotional 13 year old in that scene (and indeed quite a few others). However, that single great idea is drowned in an utterly tedious, and in many ways completely predictable, story.
The main characters are vile beyond description, the initial love interest is vapid, and much of the writing is unreadably florid. Chapter XI in particular is awful - simply a very long and detailed list of all the arty things Gray became fascinated by. From then on I was so bored I skim read just to ensure I picked up the main points of the story without having to read the incredibly dull and overlong descriptions, nor the increasingly irrelevant dialogue. Nothing Lord Henry Wotton ever pontificated about was worth reading anyway (and he pontificates for page after page and chapter after chapter) - the character is a total shit, with deliberately obnoxious and smug opinions on everything and everyone, especially women. He obviously glorifies in corrupting Gray, but the latter is so weak he seems to have no thoughts or ideas of his own anyway. I used to think the “talked about, not talked about” and “price of everything, value of nothing” observations were quite witty and perceptive until discovering into whose mouth Wilde gave them - now they are forever tainted.
It’s a shame James Vane missed his chance to kill Gray, and that the latter never turned on Wotton, a creature who certainly deserves a very long and painful demise.
This book exemplifies why I usually never read the traditional “classics”. They are simply not for me. I fervently wish I’d never opened it. I should have DNF’ed in Chapter XI. I got less than zero pleasure from this book, being thoroughly depressed by it.
I shall give the Classics Book Club a miss when similar “classics” are selected in the future.
Obviously an interesting and very famous idea, although it’s never really explained how it happens, beyond some vague, off the cuff, wish that the portrait should age instead of the self-obsessed Gray, who behaves like a ridiculously overly emotional 13 year old in that scene (and indeed quite a few others). However, that single great idea is drowned in an utterly tedious, and in many ways completely predictable, story.
The main characters are vile beyond description, the initial love interest is vapid, and much of the writing is unreadably florid. Chapter XI in particular is awful - simply a very long and detailed list of all the arty things Gray became fascinated by. From then on I was so bored I skim read just to ensure I picked up the main points of the story without having to read the incredibly dull and overlong descriptions, nor the increasingly irrelevant dialogue. Nothing Lord Henry Wotton ever pontificated about was worth reading anyway (and he pontificates for page after page and chapter after chapter) - the character is a total shit, with deliberately obnoxious and smug opinions on everything and everyone, especially women. He obviously glorifies in corrupting Gray, but the latter is so weak he seems to have no thoughts or ideas of his own anyway. I used to think the “talked about, not talked about” and “price of everything, value of nothing” observations were quite witty and perceptive until discovering into whose mouth Wilde gave them - now they are forever tainted.
It’s a shame James Vane missed his chance to kill Gray, and that the latter never turned on Wotton, a creature who certainly deserves a very long and painful demise.
This book exemplifies why I usually never read the traditional “classics”. They are simply not for me. I fervently wish I’d never opened it. I should have DNF’ed in Chapter XI. I got less than zero pleasure from this book, being thoroughly depressed by it.
I shall give the Classics Book Club a miss when similar “classics” are selected in the future.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was an assigned reading when I was in high school and eventually was taken off the required reading list. I am glad I read this novel on my own (many years later) and it didn't feel like a chore to read. Maybe would have enjoyed this book more with guided lesson plans to understand the themes and motifs but regardless, it is a classic that deserves its recognition.