What kind of life would you lead if you could do anything without having to worry about what toll it would take on your health and life?  The Picture of Dorian Grey explores the psychology of a young man who suddenly finds himself in this kind of situation—and shows how in the end, though he can mask the symptoms of his sins, he can’t escape the final consequences.

The book isn’t that long or that short—probably shorter than Jane Eyre, for instance.

The Picture of Dorian Grey is not a book I recommend; although the main gist of the book is a true one (that killing one’s conscience leads to crime and death), there are ambiguities remaining, and one of the character’s conversational wit verges on the diabolically clever.  I certainly discourage it being read by anyone not 18+.

Read straight on for an explanation of my criticism or skip to the end for a brief conclusion!

An intelligent, hardworking governess gets thrown into a few complicated situations involving an insane murderess, a little French girl, a determined missionary—and Mr. Rochester.  What is right and what is wrong?  Jane Eyre tries to keep her wits and her integrity as she makes some big decisions.

Jane Eyre: An Autobiography is not a short book—it’s comparable to Pride and Prejudice or Hard Times for length.

The book does have some excitement (insane murderess and all), but its focus is introspective and the plot rides on the rather complex relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester, so I don’t expect it to be very intelligible to a young audience.  I’ll rank it at a hesitant 15+; 17+ might be more reasonable.

As always, you can jump to the bottom for a brief conclusion or read through for more details.