The Picture of Dorian Gray

Name: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Rating: 7.62 (1020 reviews)
ISBN: 9780141439570

An astounding novel of decadence, debauchery, and secrecy from one of Ireland's greatest writers. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

Enthralled by his own exquisite portrait, Dorian Gray makes a Faustian bargain to sell his soul in exchange for eternal youth and beauty. Under the influence of Lord Henry Wotton, he is drawn into a corrupt double life, where he is able to indulge his desires while remaining a gentleman in the eyes of polite society. Only Dorian's picture bears the traces of his decadence.

A knowing account of a secret life and an analysis of the darker side of late Victorian society. The Picture of Dorian Gray offers a disturbing portrait of an individual coming face to face with the reality of his soul. Shocking in its suggestion of unspeakable sin, this novel was later used as evidence against Wilde when he was tried for indecency in 1895.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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Published Feb 4, 2003

198 pages

Average rating: 7.62

1,020 RATINGS

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What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Picture of Dorian Gray* is a sharp, unsettling classic that feels surprisingly modern, exploring vanity, influence, and narcissism wi...

faetedfantasy

Aug 18, 2024

8/10 stars

I grabbed this book to momentarily escape reality but I failed miserably. I must admit this book is one you pick up when you’ve been enjoying the countryside of France for a day too long and need a reminder of some reality rather than escaping it.

fardosaaaa

Jul 07, 2026

9/10 stars

"First thought... transcending the game"

AnnetteTodd

Jun 18, 2026

8/10 stars

I read this years ago when I was in my late teens or early 20's. Now that I've aged on the outside (and inside) I need to revisit this and see what I can find in it from my a more mature perspective.

pumpkinfreckles

Jun 11, 2026

6/10 stars

ugh. well i read the majority of the novel, but got weighed down by the subject matter. I really didn't like anyone in the book and cared less what happened to them. I watched both movies and feel like that satisfied my need to know the ending. I'm not saying that a movie is as good as the book, but when the book is drudgery, watch the movie. I give myself permission to move on with my life. :)

Sun_intherain

May 15, 2026

5/10 stars

This is not the usual genre I read, I read this because this is my book club’s monthly book. I could not get around the langue personally. I also was not a fan of the jumping perspectives or that time jump. The pacing itself was terrible. An entire chapter on the jewels and who owned them bored me to death. It felt entirely useless. Harry consistently got on my nerves and good for his wife for leaving him. A book about closeted gay men ruining women’s lives