Showing posts with label Oscar Wilde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oscar Wilde. Show all posts

Friday, January 9, 2009

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde




Rating: 1.3.1
Category: Classic, Sci-Fiction
Published: 1891
Audiobook

Review: 4/5

I listened to this book about 5 or 6 months ago and I never wrote a review because I wasn't sure how many stars to give it. I've decided on 4 out of 5 now and I'll tell you why. While I listened to it, I did enjoy it but found my mind wandering as Oscar Wilde went off on philosophical tangents that I just didn't care very much about. So at the time I thought that though I liked the premise and story of the book, I didn't like all the philosophy that the author goes on about. However, six months later as I think about the book, it is the philosophical questions that are raised by the story that I still think about. If you're not familiar with the premise of this book, it is the story of Dorian Gray and how a thoughtless plea changes his life. He was a very handsome young man who when he saw the portrait that a friend had painted of him, and realizing that his beauty would fade as he aged and experienced life, wished that the portrait would age and change instead of himself. He thoughtlessly bargained that he would give his soul if he could forever remain beautiful as he then was. The influences of Sir Henry and the painter Basil are so interesting as is the basic story. I recognize that this is truly a classic that is brilliant on many levels so it deserves 5 star rating but because I didn't personally enjoy it as much, I've finally decided on 4 stars.


I saw this comic strip the other day and decided that I had to include it with my review. It's a Mother Goose and Grimm comic and you'll get it if you know the story.