Classic review: The Picture of dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

5 stars 

I'm not saying that this trumps Jane Eyre for me, but it's on the same level! Wow! Why did I wait so long to read this book I have no idea. I might have read something by Wilde in high school, but that was so long time ago and in another language that I just can't remember. But no matter because I will definitely read more by him from now on.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is simply a masterpiece. The writing, ohhh the writing! Think of gooey, dark and smooth chocolate being poured gently and delicately over some fresh strawberries - that's what his writing feels like! 

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Every word is perfectly in its place, every description is so rich and lush and it all flows most beautifully together. And somehow Wilde managed to pair up his beautiful writing with the most cynical story. People say he's witty, and people aren't wrong. 

​The way he weaves the narration is superb. He makes you think, he makes you agree and then he makes you feel like a horrible human being because you agreed to his quite evil musings. I loved how the power of suggestion was the driving force in the book. How just a couple of words spoken in the right moment and the correct time could gloss over somebody's mind. How somebody can talk themselves out of almost everything. How one's resolve can fade easily if there's somebody to bend it in the wrong direction just a little bit.

In the course of a novel we watch a decent human being turn into a vile creature, and how a person who pushed him to it remains untainted for the most part - brilliant, simply brilliant.

The review will not be honest if I don't mention a chapter (11 I believe) which was pretty boring, because it was just pages of descriptions of things, but even that can be forgiven on the scope of how good everything else was. 

I tend to not be able to express my thoughts well when I liked the book so much, but to sum it up The Picture of dorian Gray is a classic that I will re-read many more times in the future and I feel like I will get out of it something new each time. If you only must read one classic book - red this one.