The Picture of Dorian Gray and Other Writings

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The Picture of Dorian Gray and Other Writings

by Oscar Wilde, Richard Ellmann (Introduction)

4.09 of 5 stars 4.09 · rating details · 2,566 ratings · 181 reviews

Flamboyant and controversial, Oscar Wilde was a dazzling personality, a master of wit, and a dramatic genius whose sparkling comedies contain some of the most brilliant dialogue ever written for the English stage. Here in one volume are his immensely popular novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray; his last literary work, “The Ballad of Reading Gaol,” a product of his own prison...more

Paperback, 565 pages

Published December 1st 1982 by Bantam Books (first published 1898)

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May 15, 2009 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone name Basil

Recommended to Donna by: Mr. Whedbee and Myhien

I once knew a woman who was the modern day equivalence of Dorian Gray. When I met her, she was nearing her 53rd birthday but didn't look a day older than 35. She was the splitting image of a brunette Grace Kelly. Beautiful was, if even possible, the only word I can use to describe her. From afar or in passing, she looked as if she is the nicest person to ever walk the earth. She looked regal, striking, and sympathetic. But to my surprise, she was nothing like the princess. Her angelic face hid t...more I once knew a woman who was the modern day equivalence of Dorian Gray. When I met her, she was nearing her 53rd birthday but didn't look a day older than 35. She was the splitting image of a brunette Grace Kelly. Beautiful was, if even possible, the only word I can use to describe her. From afar or in passing, she looked as if she is the nicest person to ever walk the earth. She looked regal, striking, and sympathetic. But to my surprise, she was nothing like the princess. Her angelic face hid the unfalttering person that was trapped inside her deceitful shell. There was nothing beautiful about her. She was discourteous, bad-mannered, and for a lack of better word, ugly.

As the years came and went, she bagan to dread the inevitable. Fine lines formed between her eyebrows. And when the creases found their way at the corners of her mouth, she forever ceased to smile. Then one day, Mrs. Beverly Hills, that's what I'll call her for the rest of this review, sold her soul to the devil. At $25,000, the devil - who happens to be a well known plastic surgeon - sculpted the perfect 25 year old on Mrs. Beverly Hills. In addition to the Botox and collagen injections that pricked her still youthful face, the devil threw in the perkiest pair of breasts I've ever seen on a middle-aged woman.

It's been 10 years since I first met Mrs. Beverly Hills. She bumped into me some months ago inside an ice cream shop. Mrs. Beverly Hills, who by now would've been 63, looked like a totally different person. The angelic features that once graced her face gave way to a creepy, surprised look. Her rotten attitude, however, never wavered. She is as discourteous and bad-mannered as before. And she was a little more careworn.

There are three lessons I got out of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Here they are:

1. EVERYONE GROWS OLD, EVENTUALLY. We dread it and anxiously wait for it. We grow old. I, too, will grow old. Wrinkles and arthritis will be my companions long after the end of my umpteenth love affair. I cringe at the thought that one day, I will never be as agile and as youthful as I was when I was younger. But that is life.

2. TRUE BEAUTY IS INTERNAL: External beauty is only temporary with a shelf-life lasting, at the most, 10 years. Internal beauty, however, is eternal and blinding. Trust me, nobody notices that mole on your chin.

3. KARMA IS A CRUEL BITCH: 'nuff said.

*It's 1:30 in the morning and I'm too tired to think of what to write next. I think I'll end my review here.(less)

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Apr 03, 2012 Madeleine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: what-he-brought-to-the-bearriage, our-libeary, mmxii, maybe-it-s-time-to-live

Sometimes, a book and I cross paths with a serendipitous sense of timing. It's a magical, sublime thing when that happens because I love being dazzled with literary perfection and achingly personal relevance while pretending like my life really is a grand-scale movie script where things actually make sense in a deus ex machina sort of way. I like it when life validates every overly romantic notion I have about getting lost in a mighty good story.

And then I sometimes stumble upon a dud of a readi...more Sometimes, a book and I cross paths with a serendipitous sense of timing. It's a magical, sublime thing when that happens because I love being dazzled with literary perfection and achingly personal relevance while pretending like my life really is a grand-scale movie script where things actually make sense in a deus ex machina sort of way. I like it when life validates every overly romantic notion I have about getting lost in a mighty good story.

And then I sometimes stumble upon a dud of a reading experience. There are countless factors at play when that happens: I pick up a book right before I hit a reading slump; something starts off with oodles of promise only to peter out into disappointment; I realize that I'm simply not in the mood for a novel I've already started and insist on plowing through it anyway; life keeps encroaching on my reading time; my expectations and the book's reality are not even close to being in sync. Sometimes, there's a combination of things telling me that I'd probably like a story much more had I picked it up at any other time than the one I chose.

My long-overdue first tango with Oscar Wilde happened at a time when I was juggling an especially busy time at work while also moving into my first house. I thought that this would be a tasty treat to savor between proofreading marathons and hauling everything that my husband and I have amassed during the past five years across this state's biggest county (the fact that our move coincided with the Great Excedrin Recall of 2012 didn't help matters, but that's an entirely different set of complaints). It shouldn't have taken me nearly a month to plod through 200 pages but I also should've been able to take that as an indication to maaaaaybe try again some other time.

Wilde was a brilliant writer, let's get that straight right now. For all the things about this tale that left me lukewarm, the quality of the writing is BY FAR its best feature. Wilde had a hell of a knack for doling out some of the most biting, wittiest aphorisms I've ever encountered in any medium. He could turn some truly lovely phrases, which is how I was able to stomach an entire chapter about the protagonist's fleeting but fashionable obsessions with things like perfumes and jewels and Roman Catholicism. But Wilde struck me as a much more adept writer than storyteller; while I make no secret of my preference for good writing over an engaging plot, there are certainly going to be some exceptions. I can only read so much about endless dinner parties that essentially serve as vehicles for droll back-and-forths between characters who clearly can't get enough of hearing themselves talk and talk and talk and talk.

It's the starting and stopping of the plot that killed me. I needed more doing and less pontificating. The characters were always exclaiming and crying out and ejaculating over their responses to each other instead of taking action. I get that a lot of their ideas and oh-so-clever observations about general humanity and specific morality were worth talking about, sure. And there was enough symbolism and expertly executed literary elements to shake a really big stick at, which was neat.

But I guess being a modern-day reader coming to a fin-de-siècle novel is bound to create some problems, especially when I'm approaching the book with a load of faulty expectations about what it'll offer me. The Lovecraftian flavor of the novel's beginning and the turbo-gothic tale I was expecting did a great disservice to what I'm sure I would have been a much more palatable reading experience had I only gotten the timing a little better.

Maybe I'll try this again at a less chaotic time. Or maybe I'll cozy up to one of the plays in this collection. Because.... seriously. The writing. It is so good.(less)

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Madeleine Rachel: Oh, aye. I'm never sure how to balance the "I wanted to love this and didn't actually hate it BUT" with the "here's why I didn't enjoy this as...more Rachel: Oh, aye. I'm never sure how to balance the "I wanted to love this and didn't actually hate it BUT" with the "here's why I didn't enjoy this as much as I should have" without sounding insincere and crazy, especially when my work computer was conspiring against me and ate the first version of my review. What is it with life not knowing when to butt out to let us live as we'd like all the time? If I can't be a pleasure robot (ha, I like that!), I'd at least like to have an android that won't feel burdened by handling all the things I don't want to do.

Thank you so much! I'm very much over dealing with the move, which technically has been going on since early autumn, but I don't think I'll tire of being all OMG!HOMEOWNERSHIP YAY!!!!1!11! for a long long loooooong time.

Moira: What? I couldn't hear you over this sudden onset of pancake lust. Mmmmmm, breakfast nosh pit....

I felt like such an ass every time I started getting all "OH MY GOD I DON'T CARE" with these characters because I just read "Middlemarch" and loved it, even if a significant portion of the book's 800+ pages was gossip and small-town chatter and gossip and characters taking themselves way too seriously and gossip and gossip and gossip.

I'm just happy that my own inability to enjoy "Dorian Gray" properly hasn't turned me off of Wilde. I really loved his writing and am amped about trying it again when I'm in a calmer place. I'll definitely look into the writings that you've mentioned -- thanks for that! I didn't even think about seeking out his letters. And it's good to know that maybe this wasn't the best introduction to Wilde.

As for the Excedrin recall.... my besieged-by-headaches brainmeat, she rages. Because principle makes me refuse to shell out nearly $100 for seven prescription pills, it was my OTC anti-migraine candy, too. No one seems to know when it's coming back (I very nearly cried in public when my pharmacist told me as much); fortunately, Target's generic stuff has been a gift from all of the gods. That doesn't mean I wasn't overjoyed beyond all rational thought when I discovered my forgotten at-work stash of extra-strength Excedrin, though. I've got my fingers crossed that some of my remaining 14 pills are plagued with accidental opiates as a consolation prize.(less)
Apr 05, 2012 11:39am

Moira Russell Madeleine wrote: "Moira: What? I couldn't hear you over this sudden onset of pancake lust. Mmmmmm, breakfast nosh pit....

PANCAKES BB

I felt like such a...more
Apr 05, 2012 01:12pm

May 31, 2012 Bridgett added it

This is the type of story that catches you off guard. There is a huge turn. You don't expect anything. You have big hopes in the beginning and then they slowly start to deteriorate as the story progresses. This is the type of story that I would recommend for someone who is slightly melancholic. It is a solemn read. There is much sadness. It causes you to search into the depths of your soul as the main character does. The narrator is third-person but has a deep look into the mind of the main char...more This is the type of story that catches you off guard. There is a huge turn. You don't expect anything. You have big hopes in the beginning and then they slowly start to deteriorate as the story progresses. This is the type of story that I would recommend for someone who is slightly melancholic. It is a solemn read. There is much sadness. It causes you to search into the depths of your soul as the main character does. The narrator is third-person but has a deep look into the mind of the main character and others as well. This book contains an immense amount of conflicting concepts and world views. This is the main thing that interested me in reading this book. There is one character that has a great affect on another. His affect changes the entire course of the story. It is interesting to see the way one person can so deeply influence another who is so innocent. It is like an experiment except using the soul of a human. The opinions expressed in this story challenge the reader to think deeply about what he/she believes compared to what is presented in the story. This book did that for me. It really caused me to reflect on the influence that others have on me and the destruction of my own soul and my need for a Savior. This story is a clear view of the sins and secrets of the soul and its overpowering pain over a life that seems to have everything one can want from this world. It highlights human's desire for youth and everlasting life ending in death. You see a loss of power over ones passions and actions. The destruction deep down inside of you causes you to do horrendous things to protect yourself. You are alone. I also see a difference between the inner and outer life. What may look beautiful on the outside is really a deep dark sinful secret creeping in your subconscious eventually destroying you. There is no control when one tries to atone for his sins on his own. None. In conclusion, this story is not just entertainment and fiction, it is a challenge and forces oneself to realize his sins are a force that must be reckoned with
- Bridgett Cockrell (less)

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Oct 02, 2009 Davis Aujourd'hui rated it 5 of 5 stars

So you want to remain eternally young? This book will tell you an engrossing moralistic tale that paints the picture of where the deadly sin of vanity can take you. It will take you into a descent into a hell full of shadows where the light will never touch you.

This is a classic dark tale of intrigue. It is filled with the depths to which the human condition can sink. It is a page turner, but it may leave you feeling empty at the end. That is what it did for me. Nevertheless, it is a haunting bo...more

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Jul 23, 2008 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Julia by: English class, because I wasn't there to raed it

Shelves: school-books, short-stories, 2008

Wow Oscar Wilde!! I always vaguely knew of this classic, but not the fine details of the story. Completely intricately written. I admit, I got a little bored reading it, especially the nine chapters or whatever about jewels and stuff. Altogether, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and was satisfied upon completing the novel.

Anyway I felt obligated to read this, because when my English class did it, I was not in the country. Maybe I missed a big point by not having literary discussion on it.

What al...more

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Feb 16, 2009 barbie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: classic

The literary content of the book was awesome. very introspective. the whole book is about dorian gray finding out how horrible of a person he is. the reason i give this book a three is because I found it quite boring. there really was never a story. My husband loves this book and thinks it is genius. I on the other hand am glad I read it but, it just had too many chapters where it just talks about how dorian gray like jewelry or music. It was just all over the place and didn't keep me intirgued...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Clara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Initially, I did not want to read this book, and I opted to read Sense and Sensibility instead since I was more familiar with Jane Austen. But earlier in the year, my best friend told me great tales about this classic, so I decided to give it a shot.

“Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be- in other ages, perhaps.”

Oscar Wilde based his three main protagonists from the three different depictions of himself. As one explores his life,...more Initially, I did not want to read this book, and I opted to read Sense and Sensibility instead since I was more familiar with Jane Austen. But earlier in the year, my best friend told me great tales about this classic, so I decided to give it a shot.

“Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be- in other ages, perhaps.”

Oscar Wilde based his three main protagonists from the three different depictions of himself. As one explores his life, an individual can certainly see the relation between the characters and the author himself.

Oscar Wilde is widely known as a playwright with The Picture of Dorian Gray as his only novel. Wilde valued aestheticism greatly and was often present not only in his literary works, but also his social life. He was also an open homosexual, and called homosexuality a norm.

The book starts off with an introduction to not only the story, but the author's life as well. With the information in mind, I knew I was in for a ride. After the interesting introduction, we proceed with the first chapter where the three main protagonists are introduced. Namely, Basil Hallward-- a talented painter, Lord Henry Wotton--who may be best described as a dandy, and Dorian Gray-- a stunning young man with pure innocence.

Basil paints a picture of Dorian, who he refuses to tell Lord Henry about. Lord Henry immediately shows his interest in the model and claims it to be Basil's best work yet, even telling Basil that he should exhibit it. Hesitation clouds Basil's mind as he tries to explain the nature of his relationship with Dorian and why he absolutely cannot have this painting exhibited. Inevitably, Basil snaps and tells his curious friend, and Lord Henry meets Dorian Gray afterwards.

Dorian is immediately enthralled by Lord Henry's radical concepts and begins to live life the Lord Henry way. As his approach to life changes, his gorgeous picture slowly deteriorates.

Several cynical ideas were discussed in the book and without shame. Some of these include homosexuality, suicide, substance abuse, and even murder. The topic of external beauty and eternal youth also plays an important role in the story's development. Some people can't take this hard blow, but for the open-minded and opinionated, it's rather engaging. But mind you, the text will change a person drastically, either for the good, or the bad. The doses of homosexuality intrigued me and had me wondering what happened between the lines. The thoughts presented were so rattling that I had to drop the book and just think about my life for three straight days, what I've done, whether my life is worth living, and how my life should be lived. I actually thought of prettifying myself, in exchange for intelligence, money, or even emotion. Reading the book took me to a dark place, but it didn't hinder me from enjoying it nonetheless.

Despite having dark ideas, I really appreciated Basil's uncertainty and vulnerability when it came to his relationship with Dorian. Throughout the story, I found myself agreeing with Lord Henry, despite the morbid vibe his principles give off. No matter how harsh, or deniable, what he speaks is the truth, and must be accepted one way or another. But Dorian. His life began to spiral down the moment he met Lord Henry, and his thoughts have caused me to reevaluate myself countless times as I read the book. These characters crumble, corrupt and sin, and that's the most riveting thing about them. They're human. They have flaws, they make mistakes, they're multifaceted, they're imperfect, and that makes them incredibly real as characters. Every aspect of their humanity is believable and sometimes, one forgets they are fiction.

Overall, it's a good read, and I definitely recommend it to open-minded freethinkers who welcome almost any topic under the sun. The new ideas will definitely change a person's perception of the world.

(less)

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Aug 21, 2009 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my favorite books of all time. I don't know how many times I've read it but I get lost in the language each time. The copy I have is a tiny little black hardcover that my high school English teacher gave to me. It's an old library copy with those slippery thin pages that just feels good to hold. Just talking about this makes me want to read it again!

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Mar 04, 2013 Erik Simon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Was long overdue to reread this one, and I walk away with three thoughts:

1. I wonder if, after writing the first two or so chapters, Wilde thought there might be no chance in hell he could keep up that level of wit and perfection for another two hundred pages. If so, he needn't have feared. He did.

2. Sometimes, when books are so heavily idea-based, the ideas can take over, chasing away all filaments of humanity, charm, blood, and muscle (i.e., see: Huxley, Alduous or Golding, William). That didn...more

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Sep 11, 2011 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is creepy. Not the plays in the back- they're funny- but the Dorian Gray story, I was not prepared for its utter creepiness. I loved it.

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Jan 16, 2011 Mary McCoy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Found the play on words to be delightfully fun and admire Oscar Wilde for his talent! Using an online anagram generator, the twenty-two letters in the book title becomes: Example#1 I, a cad, to preferring youth! Example#2 A cad referring, "Youth… I opt..." Example#3 A Cad Referring Pith to You. This last one may be an example of a paradoxical epigram. Or, is the title to be read as "the picture of" meaning the embodiment of a specified state or emotion and the name Dorian to translate into the D...more

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Jun 03, 2010 Marilag rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: drama, historical, horror, plays, short-stories, suspense, 2010-reads

It's interesting when you read a book again with fresh eyes. It must have been years and years that I'd read The Picture of Dorian Gray (probably when I was a first or second year in high school), and when I opened the book again, half of a set of notes fell out. So I took those random page numbers and comments in mind, and I read the story again.

Of course I already knew the story and the plot (from the recent movie with a fantabulous Colin Firth as Lord Henry Wotton and from mild recollections...more

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Apr 29, 2010 Diane rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm really not sure why a lot of people have not read this. It truly is a work that can only be appreciated when read and reread. This is my second time reading through the pages that Wilde weaves with this epigrams and curious cascading delight for words. Each sentence is as interesting and beautiful as the last as he speaks of sin conveyed in the most interesting of manners.

Truly, Dorian is a fall from grace. A Lucifer that could have looked upon what he would become if he had the choice. Perh...more

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Apr 16, 2010 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Jane Austen fans; classics fans; thought-provoking over entertaining

I'd only seen Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest; his other works are really very different, but I enjoyed them. They all have at least one character with very witty dialogue. I'm not entirely sure what to think of The Picture of Dorian Gray; there was a lot of symbolism, and some of the book made me uncomfortable (one of the characters is very good at expounding a "do what feels good" philosophy), but I think the message was a moral one. I'd love to hear if anyone else has read this a...more

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Oct 29, 2009 Anita rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

Ok, so I have to put a disclaimer on this book. I reccommended this book for our church book club, after reading it as a very naive 15 year old. I remember liking the idea of a picture that got ugly with sin and time rather than the person, and thought it would be a good pick for an October (Halloween) book club. Obviously at 15 I missed a lot of the more mature themes of the novel. Having said that, I would reccommend that if you want to read this book, read the novel first then go through and...more

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Oct 16, 2009 Mariam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: decent-books, must-read-to-live

Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray (and Other Writings)
New York: Bantam Books, 1982
487 pgs. $4.95
0-553-21096-3

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, a delightfully fascinating novel, has immediately enrooted and heavily stressed themes such as the dangers of vanity and pride. The protagonist of the novel is Dorian Gray, a youthful, passionate, beautiful, and terribly vain aristocrat who lives in the nineteenth century. Dorian is an attractive character that many characters in the novel ma...more Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray (and Other Writings)
New York: Bantam Books, 1982
487 pgs. $4.95
0-553-21096-3

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, a delightfully fascinating novel, has immediately enrooted and heavily stressed themes such as the dangers of vanity and pride. The protagonist of the novel is Dorian Gray, a youthful, passionate, beautiful, and terribly vain aristocrat who lives in the nineteenth century. Dorian is an attractive character that many characters in the novel marvel at and adore. But Dorian's vanity conquers his life early, and drives Dorian to create a way to see the evil of his soul that is belied by his beauty. The mind-stretching novel The Picture of Dorian Gray challenges the thinking abilities of the brain with its mature pieces of philosophy, intelligent humor, and unique plot.

One would call Dorian Gray beautiful, not handsome, with his "finely-curved scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes, his crisp gold hair. All the candour of youth was still there, as well as all youth's passionate purity. One felt that he had kept himself unspotted from the world". Dorian Gray would often pose for portraits done artist and friend Basil Hallward. Lord Henry, a great philosopher, thinker, and friend of Basil's, discusses the treasure of youth with Dorian. After Basil finishes Dorian's portrait, Dorian wishes that his youth would be forever present like the portrait's beauty. The fateful wish that Dorian utters is, at that moment, granted to his utter shock. When Dorian Gray falls in love and then loses interest, his now rejected lover commits suicide, then he discovers for the first time that his portrait has morphed from a previously handsome physical features to cruel and chilling features. He later finds out that with each immoral act (or sin) he commits, his portrait pictures his marred soul with hideous features.

After the mortifying experience Sybil's suicide, Dorian Gray decides to live morally in order to keep his portrait beautiful and innocent. But negative influences change Dorian's morals. For example, Lord Henry argues with Dorian that it was not Dorian's fault that Sybil Vane is dead. Another time, Lord Henry gives a book to Dorian that changes his morals and manipulates him to live a life of "sin and hedonism" (this book is suspected to be written the novel À Rebours written by French novelist Joris-Karl Huysman’s). Vanity, weakness, and self-denial are what allow Dorian to willingly surrender to evil, and causing his portrait to gain a repulsive appearance. Eventually, either he or the portrait must go.

In the novel, there are hardly any clues of what the turnout of the story will be, so readers will be kept in deep suspense and apprehension. The only way to fully accept and reach the ending of this story is to read this captivating novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.(less)

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Sep 16, 2009 Peter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oscar Wilde is easy to read and quite entertaining. This collection starts with The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is a fairly short novel. It's quite good, although rambling at times. I've only ever read Wilde's plays before, so it was strange to read his signature silly dialogue in a mostly serious novel. It was good, and worth the short read. This collection also included several of Wilde's plays: Landy Windermere's Fan, which was okay; An Ideal Husband, which is decent, and The Importance of...more

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Apr 02, 2009 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Picture of Dorian Gray actually caught my eye when I was searching Goodreads looking for an outside reading book. It had generally high ratings and good reviews, so it seemed attractive. The only thing that gave me doubts was the genre of the book, which I researched, gothic horror fiction, but I’m open to new things.

The Picture of Dorian Gray starts off with an artist, by the name of Basil Hallward, painting a picture of an incredibly wealthy and handsome man, Dorian Gray. Lord Henry Wott...more The Picture of Dorian Gray actually caught my eye when I was searching Goodreads looking for an outside reading book. It had generally high ratings and good reviews, so it seemed attractive. The only thing that gave me doubts was the genre of the book, which I researched, gothic horror fiction, but I’m open to new things.

The Picture of Dorian Gray starts off with an artist, by the name of Basil Hallward, painting a picture of an incredibly wealthy and handsome man, Dorian Gray. Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Dorian, corrupts Dorian as he warns him of his fading beauty. Soon Dorian Gray sees his picture and wishes that the picture would age instead of him, much like selling his soul for eternal life. He soon begins hedonist type of quest as pleasure seems to be the only thing to live for. When the picture ages for the first time, due to causing the death of a former lover, Dorian is hesitant in participating in more wrongdoings, but it soon begins to consume him. He forgets his true friends and character, such as Basil, and eventually kills him leading to his own death. His guilt soon catches up with his as he struggles to repent for his sins, trying to renew his portrait back to its original form. But he has already gone too deep in his hole to climb or be pulled out and he eventually gives up when realizing that there is no way to repair the portrait.

The theme of this novel is that beauty is not true beauty. Dorian was easily convinced to believing that he must live his life to its fullest before his beauty disappeared. This led to his unending quest to receive as much pleasure as he could for himself rather than others. All his relationships deteriorate and he forgets what was truly important to him until he can’t get it back.

Oscar Wilde did an amazing job in creating long descriptions which fit with the plot and overall setting of the novel. Most, if not all, his descriptions are filled with darkness and lurking evil, as if he was describing Dracula’s castle. This gave me a sense of flow in the book because everything connects and somewhat freaked me out. The only thing which really bored me was the long drawn-out monologues of some of the characters.

I would recommend this book to everyone, especially if they’re goth-like and because it is just a really interesting novel. Although I can’t exactly relate to it, it is very interesting and shined some light on a topic which I never really paid much attention to. It is definitely one of those books that stick out because of its very unique plot.(less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Jane Petermeier rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just to be clear I read The Picture of Dorian Gray, but I did not read the "other writings". I rather enjoyed the whole story which centers around Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray falls prey to narcissism and makes a deal with the devil... his soul in exchange for his beauty. After the deal is struck we see the destruction of Dorian Gray slowly but surely, as his soul becomes tainted.

I believe this is considered a classic, which I so often consider "more difficult to read", but I have to say there was...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Katy Budget Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arshia

Arshia says: I have never read anything by Oscar Wilde, I have seen the movies based on the novels but as always they don't do justice. The complexity of Dorian's naivete, idiocy, and vanity were astounding. All the characteristics are his downfall, along with other influences. He was a beautiful puppet and until the end he couldn't cut his strings. The prose was heavy at times but very fascinating. I throughly enjoyed the world of Mr. Gray.

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Jun 24, 2010 Felicity rated it 5 of 5 stars

I never thought I would read a book that I enjoyed more than the 'Great Gatsby'. And then I decided to start reading more classics, and this is the first I chose. I have to say, I have finally found a novel I think I love just as much as Gatsby. 'Dorian Gray' is an incredible analogy for society's fascination with youth and beauty, and I couldn't help thinking what Oscar Wilde would think if he were around in today's day and age-where beauty and youth are revered above so many other traits.
Part...more

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Dec 06, 2010 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before I read these stories, I was not entirely sure people in the 1890s had a sense of humor. This was my first time reading anything by Oscar Wilde, and although I didn't LOL or anything, this guy was downright clever with his words. The incessant aphorisms and maxims range from confusing to life-affirming, and trying to figure out if it's Wilde expressing the views or just the character got pretty frustrating after a while.

The title story didn't really live up to expectations, but some of the...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Less_cunning rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read this solely becuz i had not read 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' but i had read the "Other Writing" before. Then i spoiled myself by watching the movie on TCM. so, top of reading other stuff, this took me a while to read, although i am glad i did re-read the plays & "the Ballad of Reading Gaol."

tbh i wish i had read either this or 'De Profundis' 1st as my Introduction to Oscar Wilde & if i were recommending Wilde to someone i would say to start w/ this or 'De Profundis.' It is spellbin...more

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Apr 11, 2010 Mitch rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! What a nice surprise, I can't believe I am 23 and I hadn't read this until now! I gobbled this book up, and in devouring it absorbed all the beautiful phrasing, the scandals, the homoerotic relationships, and the morbid twists. I didn't expect this book to be so entertaining, so flowing, so splendid! It inspired me to want to read more classics that I may have overlooked! Dorian's character is facsinating...at times I envied him, other times I felt pity for him, and others I loat...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Rinny rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 24, 2007 MacK rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, favorites, brit-lit, mr-macks-syllabus

Maybe my favorite book of all time.

This is a remarkable feat from Wilde, whose other works, though incredibly enjoyable dramas tend to remain superficial, with English dorks like me digging deep enough to find the real nuggets of wisdom behind his clever epigrams.

But in this he really lets loose, the epigrams are still there, engendering chuckles and amusements but the brooding, sinister and indeed evil side of Dorian shines through with a blistering critique of social structures, the aesthetics...more

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Jan 06, 2009 Holly Broadbent rated it 3 of 5 stars

I loved the plot behind this book. But, for me, there was too much philosophical interludes during the story. Maybe that was the point of his writing but I prefer when the philosophy is more united with the story and its characters. Even though these sections were part of one of the character's thoughts or dialogue, I didn't think it flowed well with the story. Said character distinguishes between crime and corruption but I just don't see the difference (maybe I'm just living in the wrong era) b...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Perhaps it was the fact that I could only read a few pages every day on my commute to and from work, but Dorian Gray left me sad and depressed. Or maybe it was the fact that such youth and potential was purposely traded for every sin imaginable by the main character. After finishing The Picture of Dorian Gray and thinking - wow, glad that was fiction - I then read De Profundis, which is Wilde's letter from jail to the man who ruined him. This time I actually gasped out loud at some of the events...more

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Jul 28, 2009 Natalie added it

I only read the picture of Dorian Gray... not the other writings. Basil Hallward was an artist who had painted a very real and wonderful picture of a friend of his named Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray was a handsome man with a great life. One day Dorian was introduced to a man by the name of,Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Henry was a carless evil man who enjoyed gossiping and doing very bad things. He spoke to Dorian about how young and Hansome Dorian was. He told him that beauty was the only valuable thing...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oscar Wilde was the master of satire of the British upper classes. I'm sure that his depiction of Lord Henry is not far off from people he actually met in high society. The Picture of Dorian Gray was a fantastic story but at times really difficult to read because of the shallowness and selfishness of the characters. I was only too happy to read of Dorian's death at the end.

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About Oscar Wilde

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, and a plentitude of aphorisms, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being E...more

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“What are American dry-goods? asked the duchess, raising her large hands in wonder and accentuating the verb.

American novels, answered Lord Henry.” — 11 people liked it

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