Oscar Wilde – 4/5 Stars
Read this if you:
· have ever dreaded aging
· occasionally obsess over your appearance
· are looking for something different from regular new releases
Synopsis:
After Dorian Gray has his portrait painted by a friend, Basil, he becomes obsessed with the image and with the fact that he will never be as youthful or beautiful as was captured in that moment. In order to preserve this appearance, he sells his soul for the chance to have this painting age instead of his actual self.
My thoughts on the book:
Hi it’s me, reading a book that is studied in schools and that people (probably) have written theses on! This book was very different from what I usually read but I really enjoyed it! There are so many themes of vanity and shallowness throughout it, I don’t think I’ve ever been left with so many lessons to be learned. I especially felt connected to Dorian as I’m dreading my upcoming 30th birthday – reading this book could not have come at a better time for me! I was a bit intimidated to read a “classic” but was found the characters to actually be likeable and relatable. The banter between the characters in this book is pretty entertaining also, though sometimes it goes on a bit excessively.
Not that this would come as a surprise to anyone but this book is beautifully written, everything flowed so perfectly and the plot was really well paced, I felt like I didn’t want to put it down! I would definitely recommend this if you’re looking to read something that would give you some literature cred without making you want to bang your head against the wall (looking at you, Little Women).