** spoiler alert ** ** spoiler alert ** I found it extremely difficult to rate The Picture of Dorian Gray - probably the most difficulty I've had with any other book. It was too fine a work to claim I "didn't like it." Too bold to claim it "okay." I settled on "liked it" by default. I found the characters flippant; the "friendships" damning; and the confessions of love frivolous. This book is a character study of human shallowness (as was likely the author's intent.) Although perfect in his youthful beauty Dorian Gray was flawed horribly and too easily influenced. So much so his entire demeanor is horribly changed by his association with Lord Henry Wotton and Basil Hallward. Dorian claims Lord Henry's constant epigrams (for example: Because you have the most marvellous youth, and youth is the one thing worth having.) "cut life to pieces", and that a book Henry gave him "poisoned him." Yet, he called him friend. The painter, Basil, felt so inspired by Dorian that he claimed the picture of him to be his finest work. The picture of youth for which Dorian sold his soul.