How long does it take to read The Picture of Dorian Gray?
Oscar Wilde
At an average reading speed of 250 words a minute, The Picture of Dorian Gray takes 5 hours 14 minutes to read. As an audiobook, expect about 8h 27m at 1x.
Oscar Wilde's only novel is short enough for a weekend: about five hours at an average pace. Its 20 chapters average about 16 minutes each.
Average is about 250 WPM. Measure yours in two minutes and every time on this page recalculates.
How much to read a day
At 250 words a minute, to finish the book:
Have a deadline in mind? The pages-per-day calculator works it out for any date.
How we measured it
Method: counted text. We used the Project Gutenberg text (#174), the 1891 book edition in 20 chapters, from Chapter I to the end. Wilde's preface, about 300 words, isn't included. The shorter 1890 magazine version is a different text.
Part of our study of the 100 most popular books, last checked November 2026. Reading times assume steady reading; editions, translations and your own pace all move them.
See how long it really takes you
Log it in Parch as you read. It tracks your pages, sessions and streak, so you'll know your real pace, and how long the next one will take.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to read The Picture of Dorian Gray?
About 5h 14m at an average reading speed of 250 words a minute: 6h 33m at 200 and 4h 22m at 300.
How many words are in The Picture of Dorian Gray?
78,529 words.
How many pages a day to finish The Picture of Dorian Gray in a month?
About 10 pages a day, or 11m of reading a day at an average pace. That assumes about 286 pages at 275 words a page; real page counts vary by edition.
How many chapters does The Picture of Dorian Gray have?
20 in the 1891 book edition, which is the one most copies print. They average about 3,900 words, or roughly 16 minutes of reading each.
Can you read The Picture of Dorian Gray in a day?
Yes, with a long day: about 5 hours 14 minutes at 250 words a minute. Over a weekend it's two and a half hours a day.