Martha

"Dorian Gray" unwinds like a spool of thread, slowly and carefully, and you'll find it rewarding IF...

1. You have patience. Friends of mine complain that this book doesn't do enough with its premise but the slow unraveling of Gray's psyche and escalation of stakes was plenty for me. Don't read if you expect the frequent action of a Stieg Larsson novel.
2. You enjoy rich, detailed prose. Wilde is a master in this way.
3. You like high concept novels executed with strong form and maturity. "Dorian Gray" could be garish and awful, but instead has the same mournful and earnest reverence for its innate horror as Shelley's "Frankenstein."

The narration is excellent - playful and 100% listenable. This audiobook was a pleasure in so many ways, and a potent introduction to Wilde's literary prose.

Jarvis is an exceptional reviewer. As a fan of the film, I wondered if the book would live up to Carol Reed's classic. However, Greene's prose is so exceptionally funny and dark that I was on the edge of my seat throughout the reading, even though I already know how it all ends. Wonderful.

I would try another book written by Mr. Lehrer, but I don't find his reading very captivating. Quite honestly, it puts me to sleep after about 20 minutes.

There was no a lot of expression or animation in the performance, even though it's a non-fiction book. As a result, I don't expect to finish this audiobook.