Patricia's review

The Picture of Dorian Gray
by Oscar Wilde

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5297.The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Picture of Dorian Gray" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1204865529m/5297.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5297.The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">The Picture of Dorian Gray</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3565.Oscar_Wilde">Oscar Wilde</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9919916?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 5 of 5 stars It is four fifteen in the morning and I have finally finished Dorian Gray. It has been on my currently-reading-list for about nine months. I started it several times and the furthest I got was to page 20. One challenge was that I was unfamiliar with Oscar Wilde's writing style. When reading from an author who is new to me, it takes me a couple chapters to get comfortable.
 
 I started the book again last month and finally felt comfortable with the language. Even still I had a difficult time getting into it. Then yesterday I got half way through it... and I couldn't put it down. 
 
 Initially I felt that the plot was stagnate. I felt like Dorian Gray's fall from grace was down an abyss that might be bottomless. I felt like maybe the book would be a never ending list of sins that continued till the last page. 
 
 Half way through the book I realized that the plot was not stagnate. It was subtly changing from focusing on experimentation and sin to one of regret. Only when the focus had shifted could the climax be appreciated. If the ending had come sooner than it would have been meaningless. Wilde carefully constructs Dorian's deterioration subtly to reach a powerful and perfectly suited climax. 
 
 That being said, I think that Dorian's main problems were first, that he didn't think that change for the better was possible. He decided quite early on that he was a lost cause. And secondly, I don't think he ever felt the reality of what he did. He felt regret but it was for the ugliness of his soul. He never felt responsibility for his actions, in the end he blamed the painting.
 
 I thought that the premise was genious. How in the world did Wilde come up with the idea that one could seperate their soul from their body in such a way?
 
 The premise is so unique that it was shocking. The language is beautiful. The two characters of Basil and Harry are prefectly juxtaposed. One friend represents good and the other evil. Becuase Dorian chooses evil it helps the reader to have Basil in the story. His goodness gives the reader a measuring stick with which one can see how far Dorian has decended. It provides an amazing study on the psychology of sin. In many ways it reminded me of crime and punishment. The idea that spiritual death can be more devestating than physical death is something that I have was taught as a child and believe as an adult. 
 
 I believe that our experinces in life are written on our faces. I am not good at reading people, but I have some friends that are. It true that stress and the experiences of life age the body, and I believe that good and evil are written in our countenances.
 
 There are few exceptions to that rule. Dorian Gray is one of them. When one's appearance is completely detached from the reality of ones character, that person is derranged. Dorian Gray reminded me of famous crimes that hit the news. I have often seen reporters interview the neighbors of murderers or people who commit serious crimes. We have all seen the neighbors say, "I can't understand he seemed like such a nice man." 
 
 Wilde's philosophical approach to art, and the motif of art did not do much for me. But I really appreciated the other things that this book got me to thing about. This book made me consider: vanity, the value of one's concience, the importance of consequences in life and what consequences teach us, the power of persuasion, and what is worse spiritual or physical death. I never thought I would say it but LOVED this book.
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/609214?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Patricia's review
rating:

bookshelves: classics
recommended for: people who like psychological thrillers and are willing to give this classic a chance
status: Read in May, 2008

** spoiler alert ** It is four fifteen in the morning and I have finally finished Dorian Gray. It has been on my currently-reading-list for about nine months. I started it several times and the furthest I got was to page 20. One challenge was that I was unfamiliar with Oscar Wilde's writing style. When reading from an author who is new to me, it takes me a couple chapters to get comfortable.

I started the book again last month and finally felt comfortable with the language. Even still I had a difficult time getting into it. Then yesterday I got half way through it... and I couldn't put it down.

Initially I felt that the plot was stagnate. I felt like Dorian Gray's fall from grace was down an abyss that might be bottomless. I felt like maybe the book would be a never ending list of sins that continued till the last page.

Half way through the book I realized that the plot was not stagnate. It was subtly changing from focusing on experimentation and sin to one of regret. Only when the focus had sh...more It is four fifteen in the morning and I have finally finished Dorian Gray. It has been on my currently-reading-list for about nine months. I started it several times and the furthest I got was to page 20. One challenge was that I was unfamiliar with Oscar Wilde's writing style. When reading from an author who is new to me, it takes me a couple chapters to get comfortable.

I started the book again last month and finally felt comfortable with the language. Even still I had a difficult time getting into it. Then yesterday I got half way through it... and I couldn't put it down.

Initially I felt that the plot was stagnate. I felt like Dorian Gray's fall from grace was down an abyss that might be bottomless. I felt like maybe the book would be a never ending list of sins that continued till the last page.

Half way through the book I realized that the plot was not stagnate. It was subtly changing from focusing on experimentation and sin to one of regret. Only when the focus had shifted could the climax be appreciated. If the ending had come sooner than it would have been meaningless. Wilde carefully constructs Dorian's deterioration subtly to reach a powerful and perfectly suited climax.

That being said, I think that Dorian's main problems were first, that he didn't think that change for the better was possible. He decided quite early on that he was a lost cause. And secondly, I don't think he ever felt the reality of what he did. He felt regret but it was for the ugliness of his soul. He never felt responsibility for his actions, in the end he blamed the painting.

I thought that the premise was genious. How in the world did Wilde come up with the idea that one could seperate their soul from their body in such a way?

The premise is so unique that it was shocking. The language is beautiful. The two characters of Basil and Harry are prefectly juxtaposed. One friend represents good and the other evil. Becuase Dorian chooses evil it helps the reader to have Basil in the story. His goodness gives the reader a measuring stick with which one can see how far Dorian has decended. It provides an amazing study on the psychology of sin. In many ways it reminded me of crime and punishment. The idea that spiritual death can be more devestating than physical death is something that I have was taught as a child and believe as an adult.

I believe that our experinces in life are written on our faces. I am not good at reading people, but I have some friends that are. It true that stress and the experiences of life age the body, and I believe that good and evil are written in our countenances.

There are few exceptions to that rule. Dorian Gray is one of them. When one's appearance is completely detached from the reality of ones character, that person is derranged. Dorian Gray reminded me of famous crimes that hit the news. I have often seen reporters interview the neighbors of murderers or people who commit serious crimes. We have all seen the neighbors say, "I can't understand he seemed like such a nice man."

Wilde's philosophical approach to art, and the motif of art did not do much for me. But I really appreciated the other things that this book got me to thing about. This book made me consider: vanity, the value of one's concience, the importance of consequences in life and what consequences teach us, the power of persuasion, and what is worse spiritual or physical death. I never thought I would say it but LOVED this book....less

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