From the Bookshelf of Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)…

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

Start date: April 1, 2024

Finish date: May 1, 2024

Discussion: Current Group Reads

Discussion leader: Bob

Why we're reading this: Revisit the Shelf Group Read, April 2024
Previous Group Reads:
- Revisit the Shelf Group Read Oct 2021
- Rev…more
[close]
Revisit the Shelf Group Read, April 2024
Previous Group Reads:
- Revisit the Shelf Group Read Oct 2021
- Revisit the Shelf Group Read Nov 2016
- Revisit the Shelf Group Read, July 2014
- Revisit the Shelf Group Read, October 2013
- Book of the Month, October 2011

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of -1 topics — 540 comments total

Current Group Reads

* The Republic of Plato - Spoilers
By Lynn · 29 posts · 46 views

last updated 11 hours, 17 min ago

* The Last September - Spoilers
By Sara , New School Classics · 4 posts · 25 views

last updated 17 hours, 31 min ago

showing 10 of 121 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Feb 18, 2019 Vikas rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nbtr

I have suddenly found myself going through the classics and also the list of 100 books to read before yada yada yada! So after Romeo and Juliet, I found myself reading this and loved it. And it was funny to see Romeo and Juliet performed in this book having just read it prior to this book. Since it's been more than 100 years that the book was published and due to the movies. Almost everybody knows about the plot. There's a picture and somehow it takes the brunt of times and actions but our hero I have suddenly found myself going through the classics and also the list of 100 books to read before yada yada yada! So after Romeo and Juliet, I found myself reading this and loved it. And it was funny to see Romeo and Juliet performed in this book having just read it prior to this book. Since it's been more than 100 years that the book was published and due to the movies. Almost everybody knows about the plot. There's a picture and somehow it takes the brunt of times and actions but our hero remains as he was when the picture was painted.

It was fun reading the way Dorian falls deeper and deeper in ways to try to see the limits of what he can get away with. And what lengths does he fall to? It was definitely fun and like somebody already said that for a novel printed more than 100 years ago some parts surprisingly held up. And it was fun to read about all the different ideas and suggestions thrown around and as it was mentioned in the introduction now with our updated brains the homoerotic theme can easily be judged and found.

As a character study, it is good and fun to read, though some parts are just a list of different trees, jewels, and poisons, etc. And it goes on where it would delve into related but boring stuff but mostly and as a whole this was fun and like always it's easy to see how it survived all these years. I am just mostly happy that I got to read this when I did and now I can mark it off the all-time read list.

For all the readers trying to read this yes you can pick it and read it and do so as soon as possible.

People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading. ...more

34 likes · Like · see review

Jun 13, 2022 Safa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I feel like I’ve been lied to. I thought The Picture of Dorian Gray was about a man who finds the secret to immortality and eternal beauty and lives happily ever after.

32 likes · Like · see review

Oct 25, 2011 Alisa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, 2015

This is the first Wilde book I've read. It was very good and I enjoyed it, but not like OMG I HAVE TO READ THIS AGAIN good. It's a classic for a reason. That said, I think I was feeling a lack of side character development, and it appeared that huge jumps took place with very little being said about them. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Oct 03, 2016 Chinook rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1001, europe, 1-kindle

This reminded me so much of the experience of reading Frankenstein. It was a story I thought I knew all the basics of and then how it actually unfolded was surprising. I had thought Dorian at some point would make a deal with the devil. That it was a prayer presumably offered and granted by god was surprising. I found most of what Wilde said through the characters to be untrue. And I had a hard time buying Sybil's suicide - after only a week? That she was playing Juliet, another teenage love and ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2012 Denise rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book is amazing. I loved the eloquent words and descriptions, the story has always been captivating, and it was just a pleasure to read. It definitely is my second all-time favorite. If I had to say anything negative about it, it would just be that two instances of what really should have been climaxes, were allowed to just "happen." It could be that I am just so familiar with the story, having seen various versions of the movie, that I know where the thrilling parts occur, but it was a bit ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2014 Pradnya rated it really liked it

I loved the description of human nature and I wish I could remember every 2nd line from this book. This book seems to be promoting hedonism, but in most beautiful language ever imaginable!!

Like · see review

Aug 01, 2020 Bob Finch rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction

Who doesn’t know the basic premise of this famous novel? I still found myself wanting to read to the end, despite (kind of) knowing it already. Very pithy writing, and chock full of witty aphorisms (check out Umberto Echo’s essay about this novel in his posthumous collection, “On the Shoulders of Giants”). Alas, I did get weary of reading about the musings and antics of such spoiled British leisure class. Give me grit and grime.

Like · see review