The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde - UPDATED REVIEW

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde  Genre : Classics Blurb (on back of book) : Oscar Wilde’s only novel is the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. In this celebrated work Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world. For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind. UPDATED REVIEW MY OPINION : ****** I would like to start out this review by stating that this is undoubtedly m...
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Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Genre: Classics

Blurb (on back of book): Set on the stormy moors of northern England, this classic novel is filled with the cruel and ecstatic love between the characters Heathcliff and Catherine. As they grow together as children and later as lovers, the conflicts of class and an all-consuming passion overwhelm the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights. The all-star cast of performers includes Claire Bloom and James Mason as the doomed lovers.

MY OPINION: ***

I'm in my classics era (as always) and I'm trying to finish all of the BIG BIG ones. I tried like ten times with this one and finally decided to listen to the audiobook version while working, which was the only acceptable way for me to actually get through this one. 

I'm not sure why but this book wasn't my favorite. It definitely seems like something I would like but something about it was just so boring and sluggish and I could not get through it. It's one of those books that you always hear about but no one can give me a coherent plot summary, and honestly, after reading it, I still couldn't do it. I might watch the movie to better understand it but it's definitely not my cup of tea.

I'm glad I finally got done with my first Bronte though. I'm going to try to read all of the Brontes this year, and so far, I've done the biggest two (reviews to come). 

I loved the cast of characters in this one because it was so refreshing to NOT be reading about rich, proper, upper-class people in a classic. Heathcliff is a wicked soul, and to be quite honest, I kind of liked him. Yes, he is definitely not for everyone and yes, he is literally a horrible human being, but to be fair, he intrigued me. I didn't love him or fawn over him but he definitely was one of the most interesting characters I've read about in a while. He is full of hate and has a really dark dark soul but for some reason, I was able to look past that.

Cathy, on the other hand, was SO annoying. She constantly complained and whined and threw temper tantrums, even when she supposedly "grew up." She acted like she was five-years-old at all times and she aggravated me to no end. She was so immature and spoiled and I did not see ANY chemistry between her and Heathcliff. Edgar deserved better. 

I'm going to be really honest, the Cathy and Cathy naming thing needed to be stopped. Absolutely none of that made sense to me and I even drew out a chart.

Nelly a queen and I love her. Edgar was my favorite and was absolutely robbed. Linton was embarrassing. The younger Catherine was meh but I felt bad for her and her "love story" with Linton.

I loved the varying perspectives and narrators we got to read from, which really emphasized Emily Bronte's writing prowess. As much as I personally did not enjoy this book, I can appreciate good writing when I see it. She was truly a literary genius and I hope to stick it out with her and her sisters' works in the upcoming months (if I ever find the time to read again).

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a beautifully-written, chaotic "love story."

Main Character: Heathcliff, Cathy
Sidekick(s): Friends, family
Villain(s): Death, misunderstandings, evil, etc
Classics Elements: This book is a true literary classic.

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