The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

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​My Rating: 5 Stars

I had the pleasure of reading this incredible novel and it earned its place on my Top 10.

I'll start by saying that the language is simply breathtaking. It was like music to my ears, eloquent and very rich and never disappointing. While using this beautiful language, however, Oscar Wilde describes hypocrisy of high society, the vices, the envies and most of all, the importance of appearances.  

I'm sure almost all of you know or heard of the story of Dorian Gray, but if you haven't here it is. The starts with the introduction of young, beautiful and innocent Dorian Gray. His friend and painter Basil Hallward becomes obsessed with his beauty and draws a portrait of young Gray. At the same time, Dorian is introduced to Lord Henry Wotton, a representation of the views of society and a firm believer that life is all about beauty and the satisfaction of temptations and desires. The story then follows the fall of young Dorian from grace and his discovery and adventures in the dark side of English life at the time, from opium to prostitutes. 

The novel goes around between this three characters, Basil for his obsession for beauty and his love for Dorian Gray; Lord Henry Wotton a gentleman that envies the beauty of young Gray and takes the main lead role in guiding him to his destruction; and Dorian Gray, that starts as an innocent young boy with an innocent vision of world only to influenced by Lord Wotton into vices and temptations while becoming obsessed with beauty as well.

The phrase that marked me in this first reading was:

How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day of June. . . . If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young and the picture that was to grow old! For that-for that-I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!

The highest rating for this masterpiece with the highest recommendation off reading!

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