REVIEW: The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde)

Book: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author: Oscar Wilde

Premise: Enthralled by his own portrait, Dorian Gray 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 decadence.

This is one of the few books I've read where I was itching to underline passages. There's some gorgeous writing in here, and some rather funny bits. The story starts with Dorian being slowly persuaded to give in to vice by his friend. There's then a chapter in the middle which serves as a montage of what Dorian gets up to for the next 40 years or so. Then the story continues with Dorian living a corrupt life and his eventual downfall. It's a great study of corruption and conscience. Apart from the montage chapter, I found the plot really engaging. Really liked this book.