1 of 1 members found this review helpful.
“I tried hard not to love this book. I didn't want to appear to fall into the "classic trap"; in other words, the cover of the book says classic, therefore I must love it. I really loved this book. It's been awhile since I've read literature from this time period so I had to become used to that sort of writing, PARTICULARLY the way the characters spoke, all over again. Dorian Gray is introduced as a trite, annoying little thing that is almost a pet to other characters and develops into a dark, self-indulgent, annoying little thing. Dorian Gray's descent into sin is more than believable - it's fabulously written! The transition from dandy to devil was a smooth one. I was also thrilled with Wilde's ending, which was exactly what it should have been. I worried (spoilers coming up) that Dorian would be killed by one of the many people he'd harmed . . . accidentally killing himself via his assault on the painting was a necessary ending or else the story, I felt, would have lost so much of its punch. Everything that happened to Dorian was because of Dorian, though he took often to placing the blame of his deviousness on others. It was very fitting that he cause bodily harm to himself, particularly since he never seemed to truly grasp what harm he had done to his spirit. Dorian toyed with the idea of salvation, but ultimately it was only a playful thought - he never truly grasped the concept. In the end, he did not destroy the painting inorder to free himself; he did it to destroy the last bit of evidence to his crime. I'm gushing, but I really and truly LOVED the ending! ”
Wookeeduck wrote this review Saturday, August 2 2008.
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