Forget everything you think you know about boring book reviews. Reviews by Oscar Wilde is something else entirely. This collection gathers his critical writings from magazines and newspapers, where he dissected the art, literature, and theatre of his day.

The Story

There's no traditional plot. Instead, the 'story' is the journey of Wilde's mind as he encounters the creative output of the late 1800s. One page, he's tearing apart a poorly written novel with a quip so elegant it almost feels like a compliment. The next, he's passionately defending an artist he believes in. You follow him from the gallery to the theatre stall, getting his unfiltered, gloriously opinionated take on it all. It's less about the things he's reviewing and more about witnessing a unique intelligence at work, finding humor, beauty, and absurdity where others saw only convention.

Why You Should Read It

This book is a masterclass in style and having the courage of your convictions. Wilde's reviews are never dry summaries. They are performances. His praise is luminous and insightful, making you want to seek out the work he loved. His criticism, however, is where the magic really happens. It's lethally funny, precise, and often surprisingly fair—he attacks the work, not the person. Reading these pieces, you see the building blocks of his famous wit. The clever paradoxes and the sharp social observations from his plays like The Importance of Being Earnest were honed right here, in the heat of critical response. It makes you appreciate his other work even more.

Final Verdict

Perfect for fans of Wilde who want to see another side of his genius, or for anyone who believes criticism can be as entertaining as art itself. It's for readers who love a great sentence and a smart, biting joke. If you enjoy personality-driven essays or just need a book you can dip in and out of for a guaranteed dose of brilliant wit, this is your next read. It's not a stuffy historical document; it's Oscar Wilde, live and unedited.