The Picture of Dorian Gray  by Oscar Wilde
	Reviewed by Arhaam Shahid June 3, 2026 Grade 9

Your Rating: ★★★★★

Book Tags: Gothic Fiction, Dark Academia, Male Protagonist, Tragic

Plot Summary: The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde's only novel and one of the most fascinating works of classic literature. Published in 1890, it combines elements of Gothic horror, philosophical fiction, and social satire to explore themes of beauty, morality, vanity, and the consequences of living a life devoted solely to pleasure. The story follows Dorian Gray, a handsome young man whose portrait is painted by the artist Basil Hallward. Influenced by the cynical and charismatic Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian becomes obsessed with preserving his youth and beauty. He wishes that the portrait would age instead of him and mysteriously, his wish comes true. While Dorian remains outwardly young and attractive, the portrait gradually reflects the corruption of his soul as he descends into a life of selfishness and vice. One of the novel's greatest strengths is Wilde's brilliant use of language. His witty dialogue, especially through Lord Henry, is memorable and thought-provoking. The novel raises important questions: Is beauty more valuable than virtue? Can a person escape the consequences of their actions? What happens when pleasure becomes life's only goal? Dorian is both fascinating and tragic. Readers may sympathize with him at first, but as the story unfolds, his moral decline becomes increasingly disturbing. The portrait serves as a powerful symbol of conscience, guilt, and the hidden consequences of wrongdoing.

Personal Review: Overall, I really liked this book because it combines an engaging story with deeper moral and philosophical questions. It is a memorable novel that made me reflect on the importance of character and the consequences of our choices. The idea of Dorian remaining young while his portrait reflects the consequences of his actions was both creative and thought-provoking. I found the characters especially interesting, particularly Lord Henry, whose influence on Dorian drives much of the story. His witty and philosophical remarks made me think about how easily people can be influenced by others and by society's values. The Picture of Dorian Gray remains relevant today because it examines society's obsession with youth, beauty, and appearance, issues that are perhaps even more significant in the age of social media. It is a captivating, intelligent, and haunting novel that challenges readers to consider the relationship between outward appearance and inner character. While some modern readers may find the pace slow in certain sections, particularly during Wilde's lengthy descriptions and philosophical discussions, these passages enrich the novel's themes and atmosphere.

Similar Reads: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

	Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
	Reviewed by Arhaam Shahid October 10, 2025 Grade 9

Your Rating: ★★★★★

Book Tags: Gothic Horror, Dark, Tragedy, Obsession, Romanticism, Classic Literature

Plot Summary: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who is compelled by uncovering the secrets of life. After years of obsessive research, he finally unlocks the ability to animate parts of the dead. And in doing so creates his own living being, stitched together from pieces of corpses. Frankenstein believed himself to be making a superior form of life, but after looking at his creation's unattractive appearance, he abandoned it in fear. Frankenstein's monster, all alone, struggles as he is met with cruelty when searching for connection. The monster he made turns on Victor, vowing revenge against him. The monster demands that Victor become his companion. Victor refuses, and so his monster goes on to hunt him down across Europe and into the Arctic. The novel explores themes of responsibility, ambition, morality, and what it means to be human.

Personal Review: What struck me the most about Frankenstein was how sad the story truly was. In the majority of the novel's adaptations, the monster is portrayed as a mindless zombie. But in the original novel, the monster is smart, emotional, and self-aware. The monster is aware that he is hated because of how he looks. The novel paints Victor Frankenstein as less of a hero for abandoning his creation. Victor himself is also a complicated character. It is easy to understand his excitement about the discovery. But his arrogance destroys him in the end at the hands of his creation. The Gothic atmosphere and imagery also really stood out to me. The icy mountains, the lonely forests, the dark laboratories, it all made the story feel intense and haunting, like nature itself was reacting to Victor’s crime. It perfectly fits the themes of the novel. But the most heartbreaking part was how much the creature just wanted to be loved. If Victor had shown him any kindness, none of the tragedy would have happened. That's what makes this story so timeless and discussed 200 years after its initial publication.

Similar Reads: Dracula by Bram Stoker and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

	Dracula by Bram Stoker
	Reviewed by Makayla Nguyen June 3, 2023 Grade 10

Your Rating: ☆★★★★

Book Tags: Classics, Fantasy, Vampires, Dark, Fairy Tale

Plot Summary: Dracula is a book based on a group of adults trying to kill a vampire who is causing havoc around Britain. This mysterious vampire is known as Dracula who is very cunning and witty. He has the powers to control minds and suck the blood out of a living thing which therefore also makes him a killer. The main character first stumbles upon this man by working for real estate and trying to sell a wonderful house to Dracula. As days go by, he realizes that he is stuck in Dracula's castle and plans to escape and kill him before he can kill any more of his loved ones.

Personal Review: I really love this book because of how amazingly well written it is. It was hard to notice but I noticed many allusions and references to the Bible such as Adam and Eve as well as many other things that I wouldn't have ever picked up. It was extremely hard to pick up on some of the true meanings and intentions behind the author's words due to his high vocabulary span as well as how quickly you could just get lost. As a high schooler who read this in their freshman year, it is extremely hard to analyze, yet the way that the author puts things just fascinates me. This really had me thinking more deeper into books which made it more enjoyable. Furthermore, the ending was left off with a cliff hanger which slightly made me sad, but I recently found the second book of Dracula.

Similar Reads: Similar books that I have read to this are Dracula the Un-dead which is made by Dacre Stoker and is the sequel.