Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

60 reviews

emnime's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship, and Classism

bbmaan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

waytoomanybooks's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Knowing about Oscar Wilde's past is crucial to reading this novel. It's not just that his gayness was an open secret, but that his targets weren't just men, but also boys. As in actual teenage children. Wilde was also openly Antisemitic and misogynistic in his real life and throughout the novel. What his three main characters do, say, think, and feel very closely mirrors Wilde's own. Much like the titular Dorian, it is clear that Wilde suffered from an inflated ego, was bloated with pride, and had a conscience that weighed him down...but not enough to change, grow, or do better. Trigger warnings abound throughout this novel as we watch Dorian explore the world of vice and sin, leaving a body count in his wake.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

kari_g's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

FANTASTIC!!!!!! Actually my new favorite book. I highly highly recommend it.

Oscar Wilde is actually a genius and I cannot believe this book was submitted as evidence against him in court because this novel, nay THIS MASTERPIECE, evokes nothing but joy, enthrallment, and general all around good times. Wilde masterfully weaves general sweeping rationalizations about life and the mysteries of humanity while describing the mundane. 

WARNING:::: I KNOW IT IS TEMPTING BUT AESTHETICISM, NIHILISM, AND ABSOLUTISM IS NEVER EVER THE WAY TO GO. I KNOW LORD HENRY IS CHARMING AND WHEN YOU READ IT YOURE LIKE WOOOWWWW BUT DONT BELIEVE IT THE WHOLE POINT OF THE BOOK IS DO NOT BELIEVE MY BOY HARRY AT ANY COST. 

No but seriously, let me level with you a moment, I don’t reread books. There’s over 250 books in my want to read pile and it grows by the second. I have always firmly believed in getting to them before I read what I’ve already read. BUt I am LOOKING FORWARD to rereading this hook actually next month. It is phenomenal. It is show stopping. If you want to keep living in close-minded, mediocre little world, then I implore you, never read this book. But if you want to taste the very nectar of the gods and see the very colors with which nature paints and feel beauty as a part of your soul forever, I present to you your very next read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Antisemitism

Minor: Homophobia and Outing

kirjakimalainen's review against another edition

dark sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Antisemitism, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Blood and Death of parent

bookishmagpie's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Alcohol, and Classism

exceptionallyrainytuesdaynight's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use, Racial slurs, and Antisemitism

mynameislino's review against another edition

dark emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship

macliffe's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I have been wanting to read this book for so long and it did not disappoint! Fully lived up to the hype. 
I was hesitant because I’m not a horror reader, but this book did a good job of being gothic without having unnecessary gore or uncomfortable scenes. 
The characters were so well done, especially Dorian.
I love how the message of the book is stated subtly at the beginning with Lord Henry saying the world needed a “new hedonism”. Then the plot gives Dorian that new hedonism, but he comes to realize that it doesn’t satisfy and only leaves him miserable. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, and Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Suicide, and Blood

Minor: Violence

the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A classic in so many ways with poignant reflections on youth, beauty and what makes a good person. There are also so many layers of queerness in each of the characters and their relationships. 

It is certainly a product of its time, with several sexist comments and some antisemitic portrayals. Readers should be aware of this before beginning to read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Antisemitism