Tuesday, May 7, 2013

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

This is the only book I've read from Oscar Wilde's collection of great literature. Honestly, I watched the movie before I read the book. Both were pretty amazing. This book presents a dark theme: murder, sex, blasphemy,vices ...you name it. Despite its morbidly dark presentation, Wilde managed to incorporate the consequences of every evil presented in the story.

If you're a fan of suspense, scheming, and death, this is the perfect book for you. Well, because of its mature content, I recommend this book for open-minded young adults. Wilde's style of writing is quite similar to Edgar Allan Poe (And I just made an overgeneralization). The scenes in this novel are vividly illustrated, you wouldn't find a hard time imagining the settings of the story.

Wilde wrote a handful of striking lines that will make a human being evaluate every word written in the text. This is the most quotable suspense book I've read so far! Here are some of my favorite lines (condensed version):

"People are afraid of themselves nowadays. they have forgotten their duties, their own selves. Although they are charitable--they feed the hungry and clothe the beggar--but their souls starve." (Lord Henry)

"Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul." (Lord Henry)

"You know more than you think you know." (Lord Henry)

"Youth is the one thing worth having." ( Lord Henry)

" That's one of the greatest secrets of life. Nowadays, most people hardly seek common sense, and when it's too late, they discover that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes." (Lord Henry)

"People are very fond of giving away what they still need themselves." (Lord Henry)

As you can see, my favorite quotes came from just one character in the novel. Lord Henry is one of the most morally corrupted character in the novel yet you can learn great things from him.

Book rating: 4/5

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