Book(s) of the month - December

December meant a longer train journey for me, hence giving me a lot of time to read and decide I wanted to make a new blog project - Book of the month. Here is a start up double-exclusive!

Title: On The Road
Author: Jack Kerouac
First published: 1957
Rating: 3/5

Comment: The main problem with this book is that it is highly pretentious. The plot is basically the travels across the US of the protagonist Sal Paradise, and his friend Dean Moriarty. There seems to be no other purpose than telling the memories from the road, fragments of Dean's life and the writing itself. Hence, the reader has to find points of interest outside the actual plotline. I appreciated the historical reflection as in the portraying of the US in the late 40's, how these people's life are described and the display of trends and values in their lives. It is also interesting to follow the development of Dean, but it is not a direct point of focus which makes it more insinuated, and perhaps more interesting. Over all, I couldn't help but getting annoyed with the work because of it being so hyped, and the characters just going back and forth.


Title: The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Author: Oscar Wilde
First published: 1891
Rating: 4/5

Comment: The wit of Wilde reaches its perfection in this work. The development of the beautiful Dorian Gray is so interesting, as he is shaped by his friends Basil and Harry and their views of what is important in life. Harry is an outstanding character, strong and controversial whose comments are very harsh. Dorian himself comes into the story as an empty page, and his story is rapidly written with the values of Henry in his own interpretation. It is very clear, however, that Wilde is used to writing plays, and sometimes the novel format is very influenced by his background.

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