Reviews

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

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char_ennen's review against another edition

4.0

not my top choice for an everyday read but i really enjoyed this book especially once i got about halfway through and felt like the pace accelerated in a new way

rchl8's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

random_spider's review against another edition

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dark informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Oooooohh...pretty boy isn't so pretty inside 😍

------Stat Score------

Plot/Content: 5/10
Characters/POVs: 8/10
Prose/Style: 7/10
Themes/Messages: 9/10
Enjoyability/Impact: 6/10

OVERALL RATING: 7/10 (Good)

"By the way, Dorian," he said after a pause, "'what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose' — how does the quotation run? — 'his own soul'?"

Synopsis and/or Premise:
Dorian Gray is having his portrait being painted, but he made a wish that his face stayed youthful and perfect while the painting absorbs all the rough consequences of life. What follows is a tale of corruption, abuse, and the weight of one's sins.

The Good and The Bad:
It would be an understatement to say that the titular painting was one of the best parts of the book. Such a multidimensional plot device. Filling the senses with enigma and intrigue (for both characters and readers alike), the painting was beautifully creepy on a perfect amount. I think everybody knows already that it acted sort of a mirror 🪞 for the protagonist, but still I can't help but commend how thought provoking the concept was. It represented inner beauty vs. outer beauty and was emblematic of how our actions defines who we are. I can't believe a painting could be this powerful...but then, many real-life examples are alike in effect. And did you know that the eerie piece of art was the reason why I picked this book in the first place?

My unexpected delight from the book was the characters, particularly Dorian Gray 🤵. But let's start first on the other two major characters: Basil and Henry. Basil, my poor guy, being a victim of his own creation. He felt realistic portraying an artist's life after the creation of his/her Magnum Opus. Henry, with all his influence and opinions, is an unassuming villain that gets on my nerves the more he appears. Legit though, he doesn't realize how dangerous/damaging he is (esp. for the protagonist) by using his high societal status to spread cynical critiques on various topics. I wouldn't call him the antagonist though, since at its core the book was all about a man fighting his own demons. Dorian Gray was crafted to be interesting. Starting from a 'blank canvas' he was promptly introduced to the concept of hedonism. And as the plot progressed, the readers had to uneasily endure his fall, mentally and morally. Yes, it's undeniable that he committed some heinous acts, yet I personally cannot help but to feel pity for him. WHAT A TRUE FLAWED PROTAGONIST.

To anyone looking for a worthy classic to read, I think it's safe to recommend this one. Heck, many even rated it 5 ⭐ in Goodreads. I think it's because the book dived into timeless topics that were most human in essence. For most of the reading part, I felt indifferent about the book 😶. It wasn't like a 'WOW' but it wasn't also offensively unreadable. It's basically like other classics — perfectly imperfect literature who stood against the test of time due to their innate significance. After finishing, I finally understood why people loved it, especially after all the parts started to click into one cohesive unit. It's like a rough drink: Tough at first, but the more you savor it the more it reveals the complexity of its substance. Now I'm pretty confident that this book will only get better upon rereads.

This book was almost a 4 ⭐ — almost. Now, here are the reasons that kept me from rating it higher. All of these were rooted to the idea that this novel is better than the sum of its parts. A compliment...but I still can't ignore its problematic individual portions.

1. Bit too flowery 💐 - This was more of my taste, but I think the book was overusing its fancy proses. It was like reading a self-indulgent book drowned on its own pompousness. I get some people preferred it, but I rather be moved by a balanced combination of wordsmith, plot, and character.

2. POV inconsistencies 🧿 - This thing peeved me throughout. For the most part the book utilized a third person omniscient POV. The issue was that it had this tendency to just abandon the 'established' POV to be this another narrator that addresses directly to readers (at least that's what I understood, correct me if I'm wrong.) The switch up confuses me every time, and made the whole plot less gripping.

3. Straying 🔃 - I'm gonna be blunt on this one. The plot, occasionally, was unfocused. The story detoured frequently to add some quotes and assessment/insights of various topics during its era. It's just intrusive. Granted, some of them is still relevant, but it's just annoying that this book can't commit to the narrative fully. There was even a point in the middle where the story completely stops for pages on end.

Final Thoughts:
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is an 1890 classic about the corruption of a handsome man, with a splash of fantastical element through the painting itself. This might be strange to say (considering my rating) but this was one of the best classics I've read. It was both a reflection and criticism of the English high-class society during its era. But importantly, the themes tied to its characters will forever be relevant for any type of readers.

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Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph

abbyk505's review against another edition

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3.0

this was the first classic i ever read/finished, so now that i've celebrated that, lets get into the review: it had a very intriguing and interesting plot line, especially for a classic! im not sure i understood all the deeper meaning/symbolism/fancy writing stuff, but i for sure got the message. the gay subtext (lets be honest: just text) was v fun!!