The Picture of Dorian Gray in Never too Late to Read Classics

Aug 03, 2013 Diane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Absorbing story about the duality of nature. At the time
of it's publication in 1890 Wilde was leading a double life.
Having been married for 6 years and devoted to his children
he was more and more wantonly abandoning himself to reckless
behaviour. There are so, so many reviews, I just thought I
would concentrate on comparisons between the novel and the
1945 film.
"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked
about and that is not being talked about". Reading this book,
all of the charac ...more

20 likes · Like · see review

Mar 09, 2020 midnightfaerie rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, rory-gilmore, literature

When I first began this I couldn't tell if it was profound thought or self-indulged drivel. I realize now, it's a little bit of both, but brilliant in its own right. Let me explain. I started out feeling as though Wilde was creating an obvious autobiography of a middle aged crisis that turned cautionary tale. It was this, but much more as well. It was a look into the heart of a man who saw his sin and yet couldn't reconcile with it, or rather wouldn't. The statements and thoughts were deep but i ...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Cleo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, z-back-to-the-classics-challenge-20, z-a-classics-challenge-2012, victorian-challenge-2012

A very disturbing book. Through his characters, Wilde turns everything good, worthwhile and pure on it's head and uplifts debauchery and perversions for the sake of gaining pleasure. None of the characters inspire much sympathy as all are fixated entirely on themselves: Wooton worships his power over Dorian, Basil needs Dorian to further his art and Dorian worships himself. However, I like the literary skills of Wilde and, while many parts I found were a trifle overdone, he gives you much to thi ...more

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Jun 29, 2020 Lorena rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: rory-gilmore-read, favorites

The story is very well crafted. It definitely gives the reader a lot of material to analyze. I am sure it's one of those books that stays with you years after reading it. I think it will stay on my "top 5" list :) ...more

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Oct 13, 2020 Aaron Schmidt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, challenge

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde is one of those novels that elicits a lot of emotions. At times I was bored, I was excited, I was nervous, I was annoyed, I was intrigued, and the list probably goes on. The premise is incredible, but the characters kind of suck, and I think that is the purpose. The language is amazing, Wilde has a way with words, sometimes a little much, but that's the 19th century for you. Overall I would not recommend this book to a lot of people, unless they want som ...more

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