The Picture of Dorian Gray cover art

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Penguin Classics

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

This Penguin Classic is performed by Ben Barnes, star of the film adaptation of Dorian Gray, also known for his roles in Westworld and The Chronicles of Narnia. This definitive recording includes an Introduction by Robert Mighall.

Enthralled by his own exquisite portrait, Dorian Gray exchanges his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Influenced by his friend Lord Henry Wotton, he is drawn into a corrupt double life; indulging his desires in secret while remaining a gentleman in the eyes of polite society. Only his portrait bears the traces of his decadence. The novel was a succès de scandale and the book was later used as evidence against Wilde at the Old Bailey in 1895. It has lost none of its power to fascinate and disturb.

 Classics Genre Fiction Gothic Horror Literary Fiction Psychological Scary Haunted Ghost British Classics
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the character harry was a bit annoying sometimes tbh idk why i liked it so much, it has like 3 character and all three of them are awful but the book overall is great

i loved the narrator 😊

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I really loved the book. Ben Barnes is very good at the reading, sometimes he has a hard time with accents but it’s not something you notice often in my opinion. I like the story. It was very intriguing. I wish tho that we had learned more about Dorians vile actions during his life before the second part of the book. Also the long tangent in the middle about all the different things he took pleasure in learning was so long and a little boring. It didn’t further the plot in my opinion. Could have spend less time on that but more time on exploring his corruption.

Good but a weird tangent in the middle

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I really enjoyed listening to the story read by the actor who played Dorian Gray so well in film.

Great performance

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First time I've read any oscar wilde and it certainly lived up to expectations. Exquisitely written with such rich language and excellently narrated. The narrator does a wonderful rendition.

One of the best books I've listened too!

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This is the first Oscar Wilde work I have read (listened to) and I was not disappointed. His use of language and turn of phrase are wonderful.
I knew the basic premise of the story - it is so well known - but to hear/read it in full is something I would recommend to everyone with an interest in human nature.
The narrator did a good job and made this an enjoyable listen. My reason for giving four, rather than five, stars is that there could perhaps have been just a little more distinction between the voicing of the two main characters. Occasionally it wasn't clear which one was speaking.
Overall though I would definitely recommend this.

Definitely Worth Listening To

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