From the Bookshelf of Should have read classics…

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

Start date: January 1, 2012

Finish date: January 31, 2012

Discussion: Group Book Discussions

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What Members Thought

Jan 15, 2012 Vicky rated it really liked it

Shelves: classiques

It was a strange reading experience... First things first, for me, all the way through, it was a thought provoking read, and I was lucky enough that my other half had read it a few years ago so I could discuss it but... Up until about half of the novel I didn't enjoy it at all, the third quater I grew a little warmer to it and when I closed the book last night, I couldn't help but admit that, in the end, I finally enjoyed it! So yes, I'm giving it four star, can't give it a lower note, it has a It was a strange reading experience... First things first, for me, all the way through, it was a thought provoking read, and I was lucky enough that my other half had read it a few years ago so I could discuss it but... Up until about half of the novel I didn't enjoy it at all, the third quater I grew a little warmer to it and when I closed the book last night, I couldn't help but admit that, in the end, I finally enjoyed it! So yes, I'm giving it four star, can't give it a lower note, it has a lot more qualities than it had faults. I loved so of the descriptions, I admire a writer who can convey a feeling, a mood with an economy of words and Wilde certainly can; my ebook copy is full of notes I've added and passages I've highlited.

There's a few things I just have to comment on. First, none of the characters were truly likeable, I, as a reader, had no sympathy for them (or hardly any) and because of that I couln't identify in any way with any of them. Not that identifying with a character is a must but sometimes it makes the reading experience more enjoyable. I can help but think of Valmont, from "Les liaisons Dangereuses" by choderlos de Laclos, he was a despicable character in most ways, bent on destroying reputations and on satisfying his sinful wants and putting his enjoyment first, yet readers like him...? Why is that??? The first hafl of Dorian Gray made me feel as if we were observers from a distance, little by little, as I got further in the novel I felt as if The point of view of the reader got closer to the character, that we were finally right there besides Dorian and not watching from a distance. That certainly made a difference for me. It almost felt as if there was two different type of novel in the same novel (not sure if I'm getting my meaning successfully accross). That point still puzzles me but as my tender half was trying to find which movies from "the portrait of Dorian Gray" he had seen, he came accross something on wikipedia that might just give a clue as to why the novel doesn't quite feel as an homogenous entity:

[edit]Uncensored edition
In 2011 Harvard University Press published under its Belknap Press imprint an annotated and uncensored edition of the work that includes material that was removed prior to its first publication in 1890.[25][26][27][28]

That leaves me wondering if the novel would have flowed better between the first and second half without the censored scenes??? I don't feel up to rereading it just now (if ever) and since I didn't have that particular edition there's no way to know. ...Unless one of you read that edition and can tell me whether they had the same feeling that there was two different novel in there. I have a feeling the missing part might have unified it a bit, sometimes a little can make a big difference?

...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Alexandria rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics

What a great read! a real page turner! I have heard some complaint about the over description of surroundings, but I felt like it did a lot for the poetic image of the story. Really liked this one!!

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