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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Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Genre: Classics

Blurb (on back of book): Fair and long-legged, independent and articulate, Janie Crawford sets out to be her own person—no mean feat for a black woman in the '30s. Janie's quest for identity takes her through three marriages and into a journey back to her roots.

MY OPINION: ****

I read this book for an English course on American literature from a racial and class perspective. I have been meaning to read this for years but never had a compelling reason to pick it up before another book and so I am grateful that this class pushed me to read it for the first time. 

Hurston is obviously a talented writer, her books standing the test of time all these years later. This is a classic novel but I don’t remember it reading as such. It was easy to understand and follow and I think that’s what makes it so much more enjoyable than other books from this era. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love classic literature but I will say that at times, it gets to be too much. 

The character studies in this book are resonant with history. I heavily enjoyed reading about Janie’s relationships with the people around her, particularly with men. It explored the gender divide with the intersection of race with skill. The men in her life greatly influence Janie’s character, which is unfortunate but interesting. Especially in this context, it is a deep exploration of gender hierarchies for women in this period (and up to today). 

I saw someone describe this book as a romance and I honestly disagree. It’s explorative of love and relationships but it does not reek of romance. Rather I feel that it focused more on the impact and consequences of love with the wrong people or at the wrong time.

The ending was devastating. I knew what was coming because my class spoiled it but I still was shocked when I saw how everything came about. 

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a classic novel symbolic of the Harlem Renaissance period.

Main Character: Janie

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