Book info

• Title The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Author Oscar Wilde
• Year 1890
• Genre Horror

Oscar Wilde's alluring novel of decadence and sin was a succès de scandale on publication. It follows Dorian Gray who, enthralled by his own exquisite portrait, exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Influenced by his friend Lord Henry Wotton, he is drawn into a corrupt double life, indulging his desires in secret while remaining a gentleman in the eyes of polite society. Only his portrait bears the traces of his depravity. This definitive edition includes a selection of contemporary reviews condemning the novel's immorality.

Thoughts

After seeing the original film, and then the sequel, I knew I was going to have to read the book. I was quite glad that it was a short-ish novel, because it was so heavy with philosophy that otherwise it would have taken me months to read it. The story is there, and Wikipedia calls it a work of gothic horror. I’m not sure it is quite of horror status, but it certainly makes you think!

Raising such problems as vanity, jealousy, making wishes at the expense of others, being an all round generally evil person, and getting away with it. It’s always a little bit harder to read a book where you have little empathy towards the main character, he is not a very nice chap at all, and so easily led!

After further investigation, I think it appears I have not read or seen anything by Oscar Wilde before, so as a first introduction, Dorian Gray has made a good impression.

Rating: 3 / 5