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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
A fascinating tale of corruption and moral decay, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an engaging account of a man's fall into depravity.
Dorian Gray - a most beautiful chap that is adored by everyone, so magnetic and charming that it is almost supernatural. Recently he has been the subject of the painter Basil Hallward, who, like everyone else, is utterly devoted to him. One day when waiting in Basil's studio, he meets a friend of his named Lord Henry Wotton (or 'Harry'), who perhaps can be described as an eccentric man with a curious philosophy centering around pleasure. He talks to Dorian while Basil paints the titular Picture of Dorian Gray, and he shakes and interests him completely. So begins Dorian's friendship with Lord Henry, and his fall... and the portrait? Why, Basil considers it his finest work. Indeed, it was his finest, and upon seeing it Dorian himself became jealous, for it would always remain fair while he would wither with age - he even wished that their places were exchanged. Basil had gifted it to Dorian. What about it though? Why, is it mere fancy, or does it indeed morph?
The book was an immense pleasure to read - save for a certain chapter that was filled with unnecessary descriptions, I honestly skipped most of that. I had the luxury of being almost entirely unaware of what this book is about, and that made the experience so much better. Even if I had been spoiled, well, Oscar Wilde writes so well that I doubt any of the twists would have hit less harder (in any noticeable manner, at least). Also, this book is fundamentally about Dorian's descent into depravity, and if you are someone who's bothered by that, be assured that the book only hints at his sins in most vague terms, so go on and read this book without any reservations.
The characters - do I need to state how well-written they are? Can I state how well-written they are? Basil was my favourite, naturally, as he seems to be the only 'normal' person in the story. Dorian's fall was fascinating to read, but I was indifferent to him at the beginning and disliked him more and more as the book progressed. Lord Henry - I think he is the villain of the story, the corrupter that causes Dorian's downfall, and he reminded me of Palpatine. And Sibyl! I will speak no more of her to avoid spoilers.
One last thing that caught my attention - the dialogue. You know of those fancy quotes that show up from time-to-time in books? Practically every character's speech is thoroughly filled with them in this book. An astonishing surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
Overall, a highly recommended classic, especially for those interested in seeing a young man being corrupted into a hedonistic monster.
Dorian Gray - a most beautiful chap that is adored by everyone, so magnetic and charming that it is almost supernatural. Recently he has been the subject of the painter Basil Hallward, who, like everyone else, is utterly devoted to him. One day when waiting in Basil's studio, he meets a friend of his named Lord Henry Wotton (or 'Harry'), who perhaps can be described as an eccentric man with a curious philosophy centering around pleasure. He talks to Dorian while Basil paints the titular Picture of Dorian Gray, and he shakes and interests him completely. So begins Dorian's friendship with Lord Henry, and his fall... and the portrait? Why, Basil considers it his finest work. Indeed, it was his finest, and upon seeing it Dorian himself became jealous, for it would always remain fair while he would wither with age - he even wished that their places were exchanged. Basil had gifted it to Dorian. What about it though? Why, is it mere fancy, or does it indeed morph?
The book was an immense pleasure to read - save for a certain chapter that was filled with unnecessary descriptions, I honestly skipped most of that. I had the luxury of being almost entirely unaware of what this book is about, and that made the experience so much better. Even if I had been spoiled, well, Oscar Wilde writes so well that I doubt any of the twists would have hit less harder (in any noticeable manner, at least). Also, this book is fundamentally about Dorian's descent into depravity, and if you are someone who's bothered by that, be assured that the book only hints at his sins in most vague terms, so go on and read this book without any reservations.
The characters - do I need to state how well-written they are? Can I state how well-written they are? Basil was my favourite, naturally, as he seems to be the only 'normal' person in the story. Dorian's fall was fascinating to read, but I was indifferent to him at the beginning and disliked him more and more as the book progressed. Lord Henry - I think he is the villain of the story, the corrupter that causes Dorian's downfall, and he reminded me of Palpatine. And Sibyl! I will speak no more of her to avoid spoilers.
One last thing that caught my attention - the dialogue. You know of those fancy quotes that show up from time-to-time in books? Practically every character's speech is thoroughly filled with them in this book. An astonishing surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
Overall, a highly recommended classic, especially for those interested in seeing a young man being corrupted into a hedonistic monster.
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
re-read still hits the same and I will never stop recommending this book to everyone
dark
reflective
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
Si fuera yo, nunca habría mirado el retrato en plan... rip dorian pero soy diferente
A literary classic for good reason. I had suspicion all along for how it would end but enjoyed Dorian's suffering to that point. Wilde wrote well to make his character utterly deplorable and impossible to relate to. His vanity and selfishness throughout the book paint the picture that is his visage until his anticipated end.
I would rather die than have a single conversation with lord henry