Oh man, I love when a book that has been on my to-read shelf for a long time turns out to be nothing like I expected. If it's too predictable, it feels to me like I already read it in my head and the actual experience disappoints. Not here though; the creepy vibes were way better than what I anticipated. Let's talk The Picture of Dorian Gray!
The Gist
Handsome, vain, and gullible Dorian Gray wishes to have eternal youth and appearance in exchange for his soul. His wish comes true, and his resulting debauchery is instead reflected in the lifelike portrait crafted by his artist friend Basil.
The Take
As you may assume, this is not a story about likable characters, and that's okay. It explores the depths of evil one may stoop to if they believed there weren't consequences, which of course doesn't end well for anyone involved. Dorian Gray is young and gullible when he's first introduced, all too ready to be swayed by the first charming speech he hears. That exploitability, coupled with the notion that he does not have to bear the consequences of his actions, spurs him to some truly selfish and depraved acts.
The horror aspect of the novel comes from the sinister vibes of some of the scenes. When Dorian is skulking around opium dens or taking peeks at his magical painting, the story is cloaked in a sense of unease, as though something heinous is about to take place. I can see some Edgar Allan Poe influences throughout the story, from the dark moodiness of the text to the Telltale Heart-style portrait, Wilde really goes for the creepy factor when he is not showcasing the misguided philosophy of Dorian's friend and inspiration, Lord Henry.
Though the story is clearly meant to be about Dorian Gray and his struggle with morality, I found Lord Henry to be far more interesting because he's essentially untouchable. He saunters in to the scene, spouts off about art and the value of selfish indulgence, and then sits back to see what misery Dorian will inflict on the townspeople. He is exactly the type of college student who has seemingly insightful responses to a professor's question, until you take a moment to digest and realize their words are complete nonsense. He has all of the pompous charm that makes him convincing, but none of the action of his beliefs, and seeing that dynamic unfold was fascinating to read.
In contrast, I found Dorian's character to be insufferable. His sense of self derived entirely from Lord Henry's "wisdom" and a book that he adopts as his whole personality. None of his motivations made sense because they didn't seem to come from within himself. Much of the plot takes place in the background, with characters talking about the vile acts that Dorian did rather than showing any of it. His crisis of morality later in the story didn't seem organic either. I was still satisfied with his conclusion in the story, as it gave a spooky end to a spooky tale.
This is a character study in a strange sense, as Wilde doesn't seem to expect anyone to like his characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray. I found Dorian's friends intriguing, especially the vile Lord Henry, but Dorian himself fell flat to me. I enjoyed the gothic atmosphere and horror elements of the story, and ultimately think this is an interesting tale to try out. If you are a mood reader, I would recommend reading this in the fall in order to fully experience the spookiness.
Rating: 7/10
Memorable Moments
There are so many pull quotes from this book that are incredibly insightful when taken entirely out of context; however, in the story they are intended for the opposite effect. Here are a few that I liked entirely separate from the context of the characters:
"The life that was to make his soul would mar his body." Aging gracefully!
“Some things are more precious because they don't last long.” A great argument against immortality.
“Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you! Let nothing be lost upon you. Be always searching for new sensations. Be afraid of nothing.” YOLO!
Try It If...
Horror stories interest you.
This has been on your list of books to read for a while.
You want to read unlikable characters.
Avoid It If...
You want a morally sound protagonist.
Older novels do not interest you.
You want to avoid stories involving murder and suicide.
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