Thursday, January 06, 2022

Book Report: "The Picture of Dorian Gray"

 

The Picture of Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oscar Wilde's horror story is a thin guise to bunch up and release his wry, cynical takes on life and love.

With little explanation or backstory, he tells a story of a man driven to insanity through vanity as a portrait shows his age and world-wariness as his own faith retains its youthful innocence and symmetry.

Symbolism abounds, but Wilde is more interested in flooding the zone with his sneaky little observations, which are rich with stinging truth.

The Audible version, narrated with sneaky verve by Russell Tovey, emphasizes Wilde's irreverence. 

An immensely funny book, it lacks dramatic impact but that doesn't much matter. The book flows well and always maintains its sense of mysterious intrigue. This is a fun book, and is filled with more one-liners than a vaudeville routine. A definite must-read.

View all my reviews

No comments: