It is August, the 23, 2009 @ 1:48 PM. I finished "The Picture of Dorian Gray" last night. My book club does not discuss this book until October, therefore I am presetting the post date for this blog at that time. I want to write about it now, while it is still fresh in my mind.
(I did write this blog in August, but when I went to the next book club meeting, they decided to post-pone Dorian Gray, so I guess this blog will go up even later than planned, as of now we are reading "The Witch of Blackbird Pond").
I had heard about the book of Dorian Gray a long time ago (as I stated in a previous blog). I originally thought it was a book about a man who kept his photo in a closet, and it ages while he stays young. That is sort of true, but not really.
It is a story of a young man who's portrait is painted. As time goes by, he notices that the portrait changes due to the change in his soul. It is a tragic tale. Most of the characters in the book are pretty shallow and vile. You hope that the main character will learn and change his ways, but will he?
Someone in my book club asked me when I was about half-way through this book what I thought of it. Did I like it? My answer was I think so..., but I honestly did not know whether I liked it or not. I have to say, after reading the book, I am still not really sure if I liked it or not. There was one chapter I thought was a bit overdone. Going on and on, about all the riches he had seen. It was very detailed, but a little too much. I wondered if the whole book was going to go on like that. Luckily, it only went on for one entirely long chapter. A chapter, that I could have skipped most of the pages on. Eventually, it got back on track.
I did think it was a good book. It does make one think. The concept is interesting. Is it likable? I don't know.
My notes after going to book club:
Well, this book stirred up quite a discussion! For one, there were two versions of the book, the original was shorter, and I guess more controversial. The second version, which I read, was tamed down. I cannot say, since I only read the second version (most of us in book club did). One lady apologized for suggesting the book, another person hated the book, another person loved the book! The book does have a lot to think about. I wound up having to present the book (due to changes in the book club), and that went well. I did find it interesting that we had our meeting on Friday the 13th, since the book is a horror novel.
Even though it may not have been one of my favorite books, I still think it had a good concept, and it teaches how one should not be so self absorbed that it makes everyone, including themselves, miserable.
