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A review by gery26
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a well known classic and rightfully deserves the title of classic. The concept of the novel is very cool and something that leaves the reader reeling with thoughts and emotions. Wilde shows the opposite of character development which is very cool to read about, since we are in an age of media where character development and redemption are shoved down our throats. It was just nice to read a character that started off decently slowly becoming corrupted by the people around him.
That being said though the book was quite slow at parts and some of the dialogue and the arguments characters posed felt repetitive. There is also a very noticeable class divide within the novel, and the members of the upper class therefore feel quite pretentious. My main problem with the novel was with the pacing it felt all over the place and there wasn't this smooth forward momentum; it felt like a jerky bus ride at best.
What I did like about the novel is how Wilde raises the question: is purity even possible? The characters join Dorian on his tumultuous journey wondering if purity even exists and what that would look like. Is it fair to say that only children are capable of being completely pure? These are some of the questions that arose for me and lead me to an introspection of my own morals and values.
Overall, I would recommend the book if you are getting into the classics and if you want to question your own perception about purity. It's also the perfect book to read during fall/winter when the days are a bit darker and we too experience that somber mood Wilde creates throughout the novel.
That being said though the book was quite slow at parts and some of the dialogue and the arguments characters posed felt repetitive. There is also a very noticeable class divide within the novel, and the members of the upper class therefore feel quite pretentious. My main problem with the novel was with the pacing it felt all over the place and there wasn't this smooth forward momentum; it felt like a jerky bus ride at best.
What I did like about the novel is how Wilde raises the question: is purity even possible? The characters join Dorian on his tumultuous journey wondering if purity even exists and what that would look like. Is it fair to say that only children are capable of being completely pure? These are some of the questions that arose for me and lead me to an introspection of my own morals and values.
Overall, I would recommend the book if you are getting into the classics and if you want to question your own perception about purity. It's also the perfect book to read during fall/winter when the days are a bit darker and we too experience that somber mood Wilde creates throughout the novel.