Classic Pick of January: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Release Date: First published in 1890
Age Group: Adult
Pages: 219
Format: Ebook
Challenge: 70 book challenge


Synapsis

Oscar Wilde's story of a fashionable young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty is one of his most popular works. Written in Wilde's characteristically dazzling manner, full of stinging epigrams and shrewd observations, the tale of Dorian Gray's moral disintegration caused something of a scandal when it first appeared in 1890. Wilde was attacked for his decadence and corrupting influence, and a few years later the book and the aesthetic/moral dilemma it presented became issues in the trials occasioned by Wilde's homosexual liaisons, trials that resulted in his imprisonment. Of the book's value as autobiography, Wilde noted in a letter, "Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be--in other ages, perhaps."


Review

I don't really know what I expected when picking up this book, I was hoping it would be good, but other then that my expectations were not too high. I had to read it for English, we had to write a big paper on a book of our choice, correction, of a classic of our choice. I choose this because it seemed interesting and it was pretty short.


But it still took a while to read it, and I think the reason why is because of the language, it is written very differently from a modern-day literature, therefore it took a while ok, that's a lie, it took forever for me to get into it, but when I did I enjoyed it. The story was interesting and unique. There were a lot of descriptions, which I thought at times to be irrelevant, but also useful at times, as metaphors for what was happening in the particular scene. The language and writing was great, it flowed really well, and made the book better. Some of the quotes in the book were just beautiful, they were insightful and interesting. There are so many different aspects of this book. The way Wilde tells the story and dances around all these different subjects in such a wonderful manner is great, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it, it made the book come alive of sorts. This is just my personal opinion, and I could see why people might not like it, but I did.

I enjoyed the book, and it was much better than I had hoped it would be, which is a big plus. But because it took me so long to get through it, a little because of how much I have had to do lately and a little because it was for school, which always seems to make me less motivated, I have decided to give this book:

I liked it!

♥♥♥

Until next time - Happy Reading!
PS. Remember to check out my giveaway in the post below!