Few years ago, I read Ravi Zacharia's book, an imaginary conversation between Jesus and Oscar Wilde. I got an impression that Wilde is a very very cynical man. Now I wonder how that could happen, I should reread that book to reassess.

Two notes on The Picture of Dorian Gray. One, I wish I could shoot Mr. Henry to death because he just won't shut his mouth up. Two, I skipped the 11th chapter, too many description - exhausting.

a solid 4.5

Basically, Phenomenal!

When the first sentence started with, '..an odor of roses,' I thought, oh boy, it's that kind of story.

I started this book, and finished it in a little over a day and a half. I couldn't put it down. I was browsing through a .99 cent shop when I saw this book sitting on a shelf along with some others, and I thought, well, I need to read the classics eventually anyway, so just grabbed it. There's a fascinating introduction that I'm sure was added in later, but it talks about the fun of paradoxes, and it's a good reminder that there always two sides to everything, of a black and white, in a sort of a 'every villain is a hero in their own story,' way. It makes a wonderful metaphor to having to be on a tightrope in order to experience something, but it does a great job of pointing out basically, that it's easy for someone to say what they would do in any given situation, but in reality, the only way you can truly know what someone is like at any moment is when their backs are against the wall. Then their true nature comes out.

I love this book, but I hate it (a paradox in itself), because it talks about how overthinking everything is so over-rated compared to just enjoying things, but then it turns around and makes you think so much to where it isn't fun anymore! I feel your pain, Dorian!

And another thing that kills me, why is Henry constantly addressed as 'Harry!?' I had to look it up to realize that Harry was a nickname for someone named 'Henry,' but I guess that's just a consequence of the time period it was written in. I can't believe this book was really made in 1891! It feels so much more modern, it's amazing.

Anyway, I love the awareness that any situation can change at any given time if even the smallest detail is different. Things really aren't so easy that there's a black and white to everything, and I can't stand self-righteous people who disagree. Is someone really so bad for having to lie in order to protect someone from having their feelings hurt? One could argue that the nicest people only lie to protect someone, and someone who's cruel doesn't care who the truth hurts.

Something else they mention, living the alter-ego of a double life. I agree that the only way to feel something is by doing something extreme, but like most people, that picture of who he really is, and the author is Dorian's 'mask,' because of the reality's social restraints. Does that make sense? I compare it to why someone likes roleplaying, because when you talk to someone as someone else who represents you, you're interacting with someone as you'd really want to, as you would if there were no consequences to be that person.

There are so many quotes I can linger on for days, and I love the way Basil and Harry squabble. When Basil's describing how he feels about Dorian to Harry, it's interesting to see how someone being 'in love,' is such inspiration for art. Because they feel something so strongly, it's able to effect something that needs to be done with emotion. But when Harry asks Basil if Dorian feels the same way in return, it hurts to watch him hesitate. He admits that Dorian can be cruel sometimes, and even feels like he only keeps him around 'for the flattery,' or, to fuel his ego with compliments, in a sense. I think that should've been a red flag from the beginning, that Basil admits Dorian seems to take pleasure out of being able to wound him whenever he wants.

It's a little funny that Harry mentions the old 'beautiful people aren't very smart, and that's why we love them,' cliche, but uses that somehow to cheer him up; stating that Basil will probably tire of him first because 'intellect outlasts beauty,' meaning, he will always be sophisticated, but Dorian won't always be pretty. (lmao)

"Those who are faithful know only the trivial side of love: It is the faithless who know love's tragedies."

I thought it was hilarious to watch when Harry suddenly sprung thinking onto Dorian, like a whole new concept was introduced. He couln't handle it and just exploded into a tantrum, and even though Henry was amused, he definitely didn't sign up for that drama. Their dynamic is interesting, how the thinking type of people interact with the people who feel. The two dreamers, Basil and Dorian, were content with each other, just sitting around and enjoying emotional things.. but too much of one side can be overbearing, so they needed logic to balance them out and keep them grounded in reality, which is where Harry comes in.

"The advantage of the emotions that they leads us astray, and the advantage of science, is that it is not emotional."

- A good example of why we need balance, because with emotion, we wouldn't want to explore anything, but without science, we wouldn't know how.

And oh lord, there's a moment in Chapter 3 when Harry is off to lunch with all these 'high end,' people, and they just talk and talk, and talk, such rich people boring things, about how America is stealing everything good, about who does what or with who, politics, and complaining.. but rich people really do do this, I'm sure of it! And even when asked about what he would change, Harry answers, "..nothing but the weather." That he's just content with talking about what he would change. It's good foreshadowing, that Dorian feels like he can do whatever he wants to change what he doesn't like. I hope he felt like I did sitting at that table, bored out of his mind and wishing anything to leave that table. People always talk and talk about what they would do, but no one ever does anything, so why talk about it at all? I hate that, unless you actually intend on doing that thing you say, don't talk about how you want to do it.

I did laugh out loud when Harry was talking about his dangerous theory, where 'to get back one's youth was to commit your biggest sins over and over again.' He's such a bad influence! Which makes his character so interesting, he's content to never get into any trouble himself, but doesn't care if he coaxes everyone else into doing something bad just to see what happens to them.

"People are very fond of giving away what they need most themselves."

That quote was Harry's response when Dorian mentioned that Basil annoys him because he gives such good advice. It's such a good reminder, that when someone goes to someone for advice, the person giving it gives it from their own experience, what they would want to do in that situation, or what they wish they would have done when they were faced with the same situation; only they don't mention that as part of the advice, they just use it to make it seem like they know so much about those things. So it's crazy how something selfish like that can really be the most useful sometimes.

"There were poisons so subtle, that to know their properties, one had to first sicken of them."

I think that's an amazing way to describe someone around you who's too toxic to know until it's too late. Sibyll is such a nice person, she laughs a lot, and she focused her passion on what she could do in the best of the situation that was given to her. She didn't deserve to have what happened to her. Her brother neither, he's the most sensible one of them all, and is punished for it by being depressed.

The only reason I downed the star one was because the book came off as kind of preachy sometimes, about youth and follies, and society, and I understand it, it just seemed to drag on a bit sometimes until it became tiring. It's not a big deal, just sometimes I found myself forgetting what I read through big blocks of text, that I had to go back and start the paragraph over to properly register.

The first hint of what's going on is around page 96, when the picture starts to change. Probably because of what just happened at the theatre was so cruel and selfish. I understand his view, but still, to fly off just because she ruined his fantasy by removing the mask about 'art,' when she even says it was his fault in the first place for making her feel something more real, that making her feel a new passion for something else made her realize how pointless it was to pretend being in love as someone else when she could just have the real thing.

Henry makes a remark about how people who know nothing are interesting, implying that it's amusing to watch people go through first experiences. With Dorian, being both cruel & in love was considered a first experience, and if having experiences makes one 'colder,' to reality somehow, then warping his painting was a representation of someone who 'knows nothing,' and it was what made him beautiful, being spared from those kind of feelings. It's so deep!

I feel so bad for Basil; he just wants to sit Dorian down and protect him from the outside, but Harry just keeps tempting him for his damn amusement. Basil was even willing to give up all the recognition he would've gained from the art display by keeping his best work out of it, just because Dorian wished that no one else could see it. Hiding the picture was essentially Dorian's way of hiding his soul from everyone's prying eyes, when it was his his openness and honesty about him they liked in the first place.

So eventually, Dorian tries everything, joining the catholic church, mysticism, collecting strange instruments, perfume making, jewel studies, he was even absorbed in one book for hours. That's fascinating, but it's so relatable how people have so many different interests, though most of us have a job that keeps us from deciding that one day, 'I feel like learning how to make Byzantine fire.' But it's much more realistic to think that each of us have a hobby just because we like to collect something that's pretty, though not useful at all. On a side note, I am very impressed with the research the author must have done to be able to list SO MANY different examples of each interest. He could have just stopped at two or three and moved on, but he literally did a whole page and a half with things that Dorian learned about each of his interests.

I like the idea that Dorian realizes that all the experiences he reads in books are basically his own, because that's what books are made for. It feels like a warm nod to the readers, who can relate to why it's fun to read.

OKAY. And that other part, I did not see coming. There was no sense in what happened to Basil! Just because he didn't approve of what he saw in the truth of his soul? To be honest, it's not too surprising, considering the type of whimsical person Dorian is, but to kill the person who was responsible for making him face his own soul to begin with? I guess technically, it's a crime of passion, and Dorian is one of the most passionate people. There's a few moments every now and then when we step back and examine people around the area, just going day by day, and they're all corrupt or broken down, or something depressing, and it's just sad to be reminded that the world eventually corrupts even the most pure of people.

Something else I'm calling out: Alan. If someone told me, "You do this for me, or I send this letter," I think I'd say,  "Well, if you send that letter, then I'll tell everyone you legit just murdered someone." There's no way that threat should've worked, but whatever!

Later on, Dorian realizes, "It's funny that no one thinks I'm capable of doing any of these bad things because I'm pretty." And that's just so true, even today, it's common knowledge that attractive people are just trusted so much easier. And I think Dorian uses this new power (which Basil pleaded for him to use for good instead of evil) suddenly aware of the power of charm, and seduction. But he never had a good influence, he only had the bad one, being Harry, so he never had a legit reason to use the power for good.

He doesn't want people to ever see this painting that would reveal his true self, because he needs that 'mask,' of 'good-looking Dorian,' to get what he wants. If people knew what he's really like, then the ride's over. He even makes a comment later on that he wants to go where no one knows him, and I think that's also something we can relate to. How often do we think that we can't really go out and have as much fun as we want because everyone will know. (Or is that just me?) It's like when you're scared to get a new hair cut you secretly like because you don't want your 'identity' to be changed. I relate to Dorian so bad with this, because sometimes I think it's better to just move away somewhere where no one knows you at all, so you can make a first impression as the person you want to be, and then suddenly everyone knows you as that person, and you can be that person. Does that make any sense? If you're someone who's always been calm and quite, you can't suddenly become crazy without making a scene, but if you're someone who's always been crazy, then people aren't surprised when you do something crazy.

I guess it's just tiring to always have to wear that mask people do in society on a day to day basis without realizing it, trying to fit in. I did laugh though, when they asked what Harry's name was, and Dorian responded, "His name's Prince Paradox."

And in the end, Dorian was so surprised when his painting didn't change or start reverting just because of that one thing he did. Because it was so obviously for himself, like when people give to charity just so they can brag about having done something good. It was another selfish thing he did to just hurt someone. In fact, it actually makes sense that Dorian reacted how he did to the painting; they talk about how the only way to live properly and keep youth, is to make mistakes and live without regret for any of those. But it was impossible for Dorian not to feel regret or remorse, so when he did, he realized that he must just be suddenly old. It was the secret to 'looking young,' because everyone saw him that way since he hid the truth of his experiences, people just thought he was more innocent than he was.

People always say, 'I don't want to get old,' or 'I hope I die before I get old,' but how old is 'old'? When we feel old? I guess when you have every experience, you stop being able to experience things for the first time, and then there's nothing that can move you anymore.

"Each man lived his own life and paid his own price for living it. The only pity, was one had to pay so often for a single fault."

Dorian Gray got what he MFing deserved *mic drop*

I wanted to love this more than I did. I can’t lie, I was insanely bored up until chapter 13. After that, I was super engaged, but the pacing in the first half combined with Wilde’s literary style just wasn’t my cup of tea. Really interesting concept though. I’d give it a solid 3.5 if you could do half stars on here lol

i do hate lord henry smm for turning dorian that way, it's just my opinion tho. ig he's the reason also why basil's dead:'( this is sooo good tbh, i lovee this book with all my heart<33. but the chapter 11 killed me so i did skip it lmao. some of the chapters in it are so interesting and exciting at the same time.

it is a fcking work of art, a masterpiece indeed!!

“when we are happy, we are always good, but when we are good, we are not always happy.”

✨No one ever prepared me✨ for the amount of gay in this book. Omg, the flirtatious dialogue between the male protagonists was extremely obvious and upfront! I love!

Did I like it? Not sure. The plot and the execution were great, very sexist ofc... but my main problem was that I couldn't care much for the characters. Basil is an insecure fanboy that has the worst timing ever. Harry is literally so full of himself. I would have rather follow Victoria (his wife) around. She seemed smarter and cooler than him tbh. And Dorian was the equivalent of Harry Styles (imo). Everyone is obsessed with him (at times me included)…yet randomly he does things that are questionable…I mean, did he really spit on Chris Pine? Anyway, after what Dorian does to Sibyl, I couldn't care for him any longer! All three men felt stationary. I think Oscar Wilde meant for it to come off this way so I am not criticizing, but I’ve always had a hard time liking a book where I can’t sympathize with the mcs

a stunning portrait (pun intended) of greed, vanity, sin, and a charming young man’s downfall. the prose is absolutely gorgeous and thought-provoking. my only wish was that we got to see dorian gray’s descent into corruption play out in real time instead of him vaguely reflecting back on it and having it recalled to him by basil. i would’ve loved to know what kind of debauchery he was getting up to that was so worth his soul.

Wilde might just manage to spark my love and appreciation for classics (something i thought i'd never say). Much related to its characters' obsession with beauty and the pursuit of pleasure, the book itself is truly beautiful and reading it brought me immense pleasure (Dorian would approve). The slow decay of the mind which comes from life steeped in hedonism and sin is examined in the most fantastic way. Mix that with some Gothic horror elements and a pinch of fantasy and you get the perfect recipe for a stunning exploration of the psyche by the one and only Oscar Wilde.

Dude this was highly concerning, and I struggled to read it because nothing happened for the first like 3 quarters, however very interesting and a solid slay

Oh, how much i love this book.
Dorian Gray - the face of beauty and the soul of sin. Oscar Wilde has proven time over time that he is one of history's greatest authors and The picture of Dorian Gray only confirms that. The book explores the secrets of the soul, the power of a beautiful face, the connection between the artist and the art and, well, the love that dare not speak it's name.
The picture of Dorian Gray is an easy to read book, but a hard one to analyse. Every conversation is meaningful and could be quoted in a lot of different instances, something that Oscar Wilde has done himself.
So what happens when beauty and purity meet the cruel reality that is life?
Dorian Gray is introduced as a god-like creature whose face has never seen evil. When such a young and impressionable person is met with an opinionated clever man, like Lord Henry, his identity is bound to experience a change.

"And unselfish people are colourless"

Purity is gray and lifeless, but beauty is the strongest thing in the world if one knows how to properly deal with it.

The picture of Dorian Gray is a must read for anyone who values their existence.

I'll add that this edition of the book also contains three stories by Oscar Wilde. For them, I have nothing meaningful to say, except add a quote that truly fascinated me.

"The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast" - lord arthur savile's crime

Hugs, Yana

December Book Club Pick

The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde

This book shocked me! I was not expecting to find such commonplace wordage, nor did I expect to love it as much as I did! It's very much a plot that could be written today, making it a true classic!

The prose is beautiful and stunning. Descriptions are incredibly well executed, and the imagery is perfect. Each character needs to be exactly who they are for the dynamics to work, becoming more notable as the story plays out.

This is a dark novel, but Wilde balanced it well. Some chapters seem to be there for relief, being solely information based, with the plot not really progressing. Although, at times, these chapters held truth nuggets to only be realized afterward. There were many humourous passages, helping lighten the mood, as well.

I loathe Lord Henry with every ounce of my soul, but I found him written so purposefully; he is who he is, and he does not waver, which is fascinating!

As the book progressed, I found myself feeling sorry for Dorian Gray. Although he is also a very loathsome character, I felt empathetic towards him at times.

A story about egos, vanity, and youth, this book simply fascinated me!

Book Club Notes

"Dramatic" is a word that surfaced, which is perfectly fitting! We discussed Wilde's criminal charges and the appalling laws in the UK. An illustrated young adult edition was passed around, and the final images solidified horror-esque aspects of this novel (none of us finding it appropriate for teens to read). Many of us loved the book or were shocked to enjoy it as much as we did, and all of us found it incredibly interesting!

The book and finishing reading it on time - 5⭐️