Review by steffan_tastic - The Picture of Dorian Gray

steffan_tastic 's review for:

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

4.5

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Almost none of the characters in this book have an ounce of likeability to them, but I love to hate them. I cried (publicly) after

Basil's confession and subsequent rejection

, and when I finished the book today I sat silently in amazement, for ending (I felt) was so well-executed. It could have used fewer tangents, plus antisemitism and sexism showed the book's age, but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and think that many of the debates and characters within are still relevant in the modern day. Wilde's portrayal of yearning ("worship") is heartbreaking, and its exploration of the theme of vanity and its manifestation in Dorian's character and decisions is shocking and provocative. I also just really love drama, and this book has a lot of it.

Content Warnings