Wilde Passions of Dorian Gray: A Novel by Mitzi SzeretoMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
One caveat: I never read The Picture of Dorian Gray. I knew the basic plot, perhaps because I did a unit on Oscar Wilde in middle school and read one of his shorter works - I don't remember exactly. Before I started reading this book, I thought it was going to be a mash-up of the original with some of Szereto's original thoughts added in, like her Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts. At first I was a little disappointed, since I really enjoyed that Austen parody. However, as I read on, I was glad to discover it was a wholly original tale crafted from the "what if" of Dorian becoming an immortal - or at least very long-lived - being.
Because I didn't read the original, I don't know how true Szereto wrote Dorian Gray to the way Wilde wrote the character, but that didn't matter as I read this. Szereto's Gray gets into some very imaginative scenarios, starting with a run-in with some very famous expatriate American writers in Paris. This chapter is fun. The tale becomes quick a bit darker in the next setting, and the darkness continues as Gray spirals downward into total depravity.
Dorian is a bastard, but it's a fantastically well-told story. Still, even Dorian Gray has some hope for redemption, and the ending of this novel is very fitting.
In the past I've enjoyed Szereto's signature blend of erotica and humor, so this novel is a definite change of pace from what I'm used to from this author. I like it. It confirms once and for all that Szereto is a well-rounded and talented novelist.
View all my reviews on Goodreads
Click here to listen to an audio interview with Szereto about this book.
About Szereto's Other Books on This Blog:
Pride and Prejudice: Hidden Lusts - interview with Mitzi Szereto
In Sleeping Beauty's Bed - book review
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book, unsolicited, from the publisher. I was offered no other compensation for this review, which represents my own honest opinion.
***
All In: 25 Erotic Stories by Emily Cantore. $4.99 from Smashwords.com25 erotic short stories from the hot and bothered mind of Emily Cantore! To buy individually would cost a bundle! More than 130,000 words of first-time lesbians, threesomes, girls experimenting, sex toys and much more. Guaranteed to warm you up and get your mind racing!
2 comments:
I know the original (The Picture of Dorian Gray) fairly well, having taught it. It's an oddly-constructed novel by a writer who was primarily a playwright and poet. I could see why M. Szereto didn't approach it the same way she approached Pride & Prejudice. I agree with your review. My own will appear soon in The Gay and Lesbian Review. (I can't seem to post a link.)
Thanks for your comment, Jean. I didn't see your book review posted yet, but readers can find the Gay and Lesbian Review at http://www.glreview.org/
Post a Comment