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I’ll keep this review short as I find it incredibly difficult to review classics. It’s so hard to

know what to say about books so highly regarded, regardless of whether I agree.

Everyone surely knows the story of The Picture of Dorian Gray, a young man who

sells his soul (or you could say trades it with a portrait of himself) for eternal youth and beauty. He’s able to observe the gradual destruction of his soul by way of the portrait, which was neat.

The characterisation wasn’t the chief attraction for me, it was instead the story. Dorian Gray was predominately reflected through his friendships, which was great symbolism. Or is it metaphor!? I forget. Lord Henry was the most influential of Dorian’s friends, an obnoxious pig, whose opinions and dogged beliefs helped to shape Dorian. Although there were a few side characters, the novel mostly concerned these two and I have to say, I didn’t enjoy their company much! They were both self-absorbed, as you’d expect. In saying that, I would have enjoyed a little more of Dorian unfiltered, though. Perhaps he would have come across as a little more redeeming (even without a soul) had we gotten to know him from a different perspective. But who am I to question a great like Oscar Wilde!?

A highly unique story that cautions against the lust for youth we exhibit today.