Book Club #11 Recap: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Thoughts, quotes and further inspo
On Saturday, May 24th, it was time for our 11th book club meeting. This time, we dived into Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.
It’s a fascinating and beautifully written novel about the life of Dorian Gray and his portrait, featuring intriguing characters, questionable morals, and a series of actions that spiral out of control.
We found it a surprisingly timeless read. Yes, it was written in 1891, but you could also say it’s about pretty privilege, worshipping youth and aesthetics, and Dorian Gray, the “It-girl”, as one of our members called him.
It was a perfect book club read. Our discussion ranged from questions of morals and responsibilities to queerness to the mystery and impact of the portrait.
Most of us found the book relatively easy to read. Personally, the language might just be my favorite part, and I wasn’t the only one who loved it.
Overall, we rated the book 4.13 stars which is pretty close to the 4-star rating I gave it. I found the book interesting and engaging and absolutely loved the writing style. I highlighted so much for the sake of pretty words – something I suspect both Oscar Wilde and the characters in this book would appreciate. I would have given it more stars, were it not for some slower parts in the middle (chapter 11, I’m talking to you).
Highlights from our discussion
Here are three of my highlights from our discussion which perfectly introduce some of the characters and themes of the book:
“Don't be like that, Dorian!”
”The only thing he does is cheat on his wife.” - about Henry
“Hm. You have wrinkles? Have you killed someone?”
Favorite quotes from the book:
Meanwhile, these are some of my favorite lines from the book that perfectly represent what I like about it the most – they are lyrical and morally all over the place.
⭐ Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul.
⭐ every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. The sitter is merely the accident, the occasion. It is not he who is revealed by the painter, it is rather the painter who, on the coloured canvas, reveals himself. The reason I will not exhibit this picture is that I am afraid that I have shown in it the secret of my own soul.
⭐ I represent to you all the sins you have never had the courage to commit.
⭐ I am so glad that you have never done anything, never carved a statue, or painted a picture, or produced anything outside of yourself! Life has been your art. You have set yourself to music. Your days are your sonnets.
⭐ He lives the poetry that he cannot write. The others write the poetry that they dare not realize.
⭐ To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable.
Holistic Reading
If you can’t get enough of The Picture of Dorian Gray, here are some things to look into:
📖 A list of questions about the book that inspired some of the bookclub discussions – perfect for reflecting further on the book
🎶 Spotify playlist from Sarah Snook’s one woman show on The Picture of Dorian Gray – the soundtrack to our book club meeting
🎙️ Podcasts Episodes on Oscar Wilde’s trials for everyone who wants to know more about the author
If you have any more recommendations related to this book, let us know in the comments.
If you have read the book, share your thoughts in the comments or our Substack chat - we would love to hear them! What was your favorite (or least favorite) part about it?
And if you haven’t, maybe you should (there are still some copies in the shop) :)
If you want to spend a Saturday evening sitting around a table with fellow book lovers, a hot (or cold) drink, snacks, and a cozy playlist, get yourself a ticket here and start reading. This month, we’re reading The Bandit Queens and the meeting is happening on June 28th.
Keep reading and stay curious! 📚☕
Yours,
Lina 🍄 (the intern)
Great recap! I‘m sad I couldn’t come as I was sick, so I‘m glad to get a summary of the discussion. I definitely agree that it feels like a timeless read.