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Matthew's Reviews > The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
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really liked it
bookshelves: 2015, classic, own, kindle, supernatural, mystery

An interesting take on the sin of vanity. Dorian Gray wishes to never grow old and keep his good looks. But when a portrait of him starts to age with each sin, he finds out the good looks do not atone for a life of excess and debauchery.

Throughout the book it seems that Wilde inserted little discussions between the characters that didn't necessarily advance the plot, but allowed him to share some of his viewpoints with the reader.

In the end, I basically blame Lord Henry for everything - this is how I picture his character thorough the entire book:

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Reading Progress

September 25, 2015 – Started Reading
September 25, 2015 – Shelved
September 25, 2015 – Shelved as: 2015
September 25, 2015 – Shelved as: classic
September 25, 2015 – Shelved as: own
September 25, 2015 – Shelved as: kindle
September 25, 2015 – Shelved as: supernatural
September 25, 2015 – Shelved as: mystery
September 25, 2015 –
page 24
10.81% "Lord Henry REALLY likes Dorian Gray"
September 27, 2015 –
page 58
26.13% "Not so much about the painting so far. Mostly about Lord Henry's "crush" on Dorian Gray."
September 28, 2015 –
page 84
37.84% "Sibyl and Dorian are so dramatic! (pun intended)"
September 29, 2015 –
page 122
54.95% "It seems like Dorian has accepted the mystical powers of his picture way too easily."
September 30, 2015 – Finished Reading

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Comments Showing 1-6 of 6 (6 new)

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message 1: by Debra (new) - rated it 4 stars
Oct 05, 2017 12:57AM

Debra I love the picture. I agree 100% with your theory of Lord Henry. He was the devil on the shoulder.


message 2: by Matthew (new) - rated it 4 stars
Oct 05, 2017 01:06AM

Matthew Debra wrote: "I love the picture. I agree 100% with your theory of Lord Henry. He was the devil on the shoulder."

Thanks - it was interesting to come out of this book feeling like so much of the plot depended on a character I had never heard of before. I always figured it would just be about Dorian Gray!


message 3: by Shemika (new) - rated it 4 stars
Jan 26, 2021 04:40PM

Shemika Newell-Browne Me too! I detest Lord Henry and felt sorry for poor Basil.


message 4: by Matthew (new) - rated it 4 stars
Jan 26, 2021 10:05PM

Matthew Shemika wrote: "Me too! I detest Lord Henry and felt sorry for poor Basil."

Lord Henry and Basil are major literary characters that gets left out in discussion. One might think it is all about Dorian Gray, but there is a lot to be said for the other characters in this book, too!


message 5: by Mary-Therese (new) - rated it 5 stars
Jun 20, 2021 10:55PM

Mary-Therese P. I think that at least half of the blame should rest on Dorian, he was awful even before he met Lord Henry, Manipulating Basil and what not, I believe that Dorian was inching the door of evil open and Henry just opened it for him. It would have happened eventually even if Henry had never entered the picture (no pun intended) great review though, and I loved the Pic


message 6: by Matthew (new) - rated it 4 stars
Jun 21, 2021 03:12AM

Matthew Mary-Therese wrote: "I think that at least half of the blame should rest on Dorian, he was awful even before he met Lord Henry, Manipulating Basil and what not, I believe that Dorian was inching the door of evil open a..."

It is true that a truly pure heart probably would not have been manipulated!

Thank you, Mary-Therese! 🙂


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