I finished it tonight, so it's only fitting I pull it to pieces incoherently in here and then go watch my brother's copy of the recent DVD.
I've never read an Oscar Wilde before. Shocking, I know. I liked his imagination, the characterisations of Basil, Henry and Dorian. That you could read their personalities and the very theme of the book was what could happen should your personality overtake your conscience, or indeed other people's.
I couldn't get on with some things though. Like, in one chapter, he talks of Dorian's throwing himself into the study of jewels and tapestries and other things, things to show Dorian's refinement and wealth ... and it was good he made some references to the sorts of things Dorian was researching but I did find myself kinda reading past that quickly. One or two examples would have done me. But it is a short book, and I guess I can't fault him for padding it out, especially as in my footnotes, it states that a lot got cut out, like Basil's confession being cut down to accomodate for the Victorian audience. But also, I felt he glazed over a lot of details that could have been explored more fully.
I liked the twist at the end, though maybe I could see it coming? I don't know if I've read or heard a similar story, but I could see it coming and I was glad when it did. I would have liked to read Henry's reception to the news, but maybe that's something for the film?
Either way ... good book. I wanna read more of his stuff now. And I have to find another book in my collection to read ...
I've never read an Oscar Wilde before. Shocking, I know. I liked his imagination, the characterisations of Basil, Henry and Dorian. That you could read their personalities and the very theme of the book was what could happen should your personality overtake your conscience, or indeed other people's.
I couldn't get on with some things though. Like, in one chapter, he talks of Dorian's throwing himself into the study of jewels and tapestries and other things, things to show Dorian's refinement and wealth ... and it was good he made some references to the sorts of things Dorian was researching but I did find myself kinda reading past that quickly. One or two examples would have done me. But it is a short book, and I guess I can't fault him for padding it out, especially as in my footnotes, it states that a lot got cut out, like Basil's confession being cut down to accomodate for the Victorian audience. But also, I felt he glazed over a lot of details that could have been explored more fully.
I liked the twist at the end, though maybe I could see it coming? I don't know if I've read or heard a similar story, but I could see it coming and I was glad when it did. I would have liked to read Henry's reception to the news, but maybe that's something for the film?
Either way ... good book. I wanna read more of his stuff now. And I have to find another book in my collection to read ...
Oh yeah, the film's crap. I mean, the graphics are amazing, but the storyline's out of synch with the book and when the eff did Emily come about? And Henry never turned on Dorian, not once ... you made Henry something he wasn't, Oliver Parker ...
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