Hey Charlie ! Today I am going to present my favourite book, the masterpiece called "The Picture of Dorian Gray" a must-read.

“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Is that right for The Picture of Dorian Gray , a « disgusting » book according to the critics at the time ? Disgusting but so famous ? I had to read it, you have to read it if you want an answer. I will try in this review to show the importance of knowing the answer.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel wrote by the Irish writer Oscar Wilde in 1891 (Victorian age). I had heard about this book before : my father recounted me the synopsis quite shortly so I was curious about this book. He also talked me about the author’s personality and life and I can tell you that it literally hooked me to read the book.

The story takes place in London and recounts the life of Dorian Gray a young and rich gentleman of a rare beauty. One day, his friend decides to paint his portrait. The artist is ready to unveil his masterpiece when Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a « dandy ». The moment of their meeting is a turning point. Dorian discovers his portrait and his beauty. The fact that the portrait will keep his youth angers Dorian.Then he wishes the portrait would grow old as Dorian will keep his youth and beauty forever. His wish comes true and at this moment Dorian is comdamned to fall into decadence and sin.

I know that saying I liked practically everything in this book is not original but I don’t know how I could be more honest. Everything smells romantism in this book . The themes related in this book are universal : art, beauty, youth,love...

In the book with the character of Henry Wotton, the author is giving his vision and his opinion of the world and is also putting some interesting ideas and concepts of his own in the character’s memorable speeches and dialogues (Henry Wotton is my favourite character). And he‘s playing a big role in the decadence of Dorian. The emotions are also well described. The style of writing is ,in my opinion, what makes this book a masterpiece. All the mistery about the wish coming true is also giving something particular to the whole plot and the deus ex machina happening near the end of the story makes me think it’s a supernatural story. The old film of 40’s tries to explain it by the presence of an egyptian god but I think the mystery shouldn’t be explain The environment is also well described goes for the garden at the beginning or the dark streets near the end.

To conclude, I would say that this book is a must-read in purpose to understand the vision and the ideas of one of the most underestimated but one of the greatest mind of the victorian age. The entire book shows how Oscar Wilde is brilliant. His vision on the global themes of the human being is so precious that everyone who wants to understand the world we’re living in , emotions and aspects of a human life, and the modern society of the 1880’s-1890’s (a society that is not so different now). This book is close from La Peau de chagrin (The Skin of Sorrow) wrote by Honoré de Balzac (plot,supernatural elements...). To finish I write the best quote of the book, full of sense,which one is enough to hook you to read the book:

“Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul.” 
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray