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lenorayoder's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The plot and characters in this book are both really interesting. Dorian’s internal monologue and Henry’s creeping influence are both well done. Unfortunately, Wilde frequently goes on long tangents, often philosophical or referential in nature, that are a real chore to get through and don’t really feel like a part of the story. You don’t have to make your readers suffer to show that a character is insufferable.
If you are planning to read this book I recommend this edition, the notes were informative and provided details about what was censored or changed between the early versions of the novel. It felt worth it to read this once, but I suspect I would like a good adaptation better and will seek one out.
If you are planning to read this book I recommend this edition, the notes were informative and provided details about what was censored or changed between the early versions of the novel. It felt worth it to read this once, but I suspect I would like a good adaptation better and will seek one out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide, and Murder
broccoli_mmm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Wow wow wow.
Sometimes a piece of art just finds you at exactly the right time in your life. I had no idea what to expect going into this besides the queer subtext but wowww.
The idea of life itself as a form of art is brilliant and beautiful. Dorian’s complete misapplication of that principle is both fascinating and horrifying. Lord Henry is both clever and right and wicked and wrong. There is no room for absolute truth here.
The dialogue is insanely good, the only books ive read that come close are Austen’s. Every Basil and Dorian scene had me floored. sweet Basil </3
I want to read lines from this over and over and over again.
-0.25 because of the chapter listing every gemstone, tapestry, and instrument Dorian owned lol
Sometimes a piece of art just finds you at exactly the right time in your life. I had no idea what to expect going into this besides the queer subtext but wowww.
The idea of life itself as a form of art is brilliant and beautiful. Dorian’s complete misapplication of that principle is both fascinating and horrifying. Lord Henry is both clever and right and wicked and wrong. There is no room for absolute truth here.
The dialogue is insanely good, the only books ive read that come close are Austen’s. Every Basil and Dorian scene had me floored. sweet Basil </3
I want to read lines from this over and over and over again.
-0.25 because of the chapter listing every gemstone, tapestry, and instrument Dorian owned lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Suicide, Violence, and Classism
Minor: Gun violence
clovetra's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
i find my feelings very hard to put into words. i cant describe how this book made me feel. it is topsy-turvy, it changes its pace midway through, and is constantly adapting itself.
i do think the online "hype" about this book makes this book overrated - but it still is a good book! i do feel as though this is one of those books when just reading it in isolation renders it a 3-star read, but with the introduction & biography following wilde, as well as context for the time in which it was written, the story opens itself up.
i found the plot to lowkey be all over the place? i mean up until sibyl ismurdered i was enjoying this, and understood the hype. but following that plot point, this book does a complete 180, and i didn't know what to expect. the entire tone shifts almost instantaneously that night in the theatre, and i think its a neat comparison for dorian's descent into madness from the painting to begin in a theatre - art destroying art in a sense . but yet again, without deeper analysis & trying to read this book just as it is à la 'death of the author', this book would not be as good, and honestly that's why it isnt a 5-star. that and the writing gave me a headache many of times because i had no clue what i had just read because 75 words no longer used in the english language were present in a sentence that was 7 lines long. i get that's how classics are written but doesn't mean i have to like it!!
anyways, what else do i have to say? honestly i fail to truly grasp this book as well, i think because a lot of wilde's obvious intentions were masqueraded in subtext, and i am not good at subtext!! at all!! i am not a very smart reader (unless im actively trying to solve a mystery novel. then i become mf sherlock holmes).
i enjoyed basil & dorian's characterisations, but henry's seemed to go over my head. i think im gonna have to read a deep analysis of his character because i seriously don't get how it is insinuatedhenry sends dorian down his corrupt path . yet again that could be because i missed the subtext or actually had no idea what i was reading due to the language used. sue me.
i reallllyyy enjoyed the ending. the book lowkey kinda floundered in the middle, but picked up again at full steam at around chapter 12.
also no shade but chapter 11 isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. if im honest its probably the most important chapter of the book!!!
anyways booktwt dont sue me for not liking it, sue my brain for being a dumb ass bitch.
edit 30/7/24: nvm im bumping it a star up cuz im up thinking about the ending
i do think the online "hype" about this book makes this book overrated - but it still is a good book! i do feel as though this is one of those books when just reading it in isolation renders it a 3-star read, but with the introduction & biography following wilde, as well as context for the time in which it was written, the story opens itself up.
i found the plot to lowkey be all over the place? i mean up until sibyl is
anyways, what else do i have to say? honestly i fail to truly grasp this book as well, i think because a lot of wilde's obvious intentions were masqueraded in subtext, and i am not good at subtext!! at all!! i am not a very smart reader (unless im actively trying to solve a mystery novel. then i become mf sherlock holmes).
i enjoyed basil & dorian's characterisations, but henry's seemed to go over my head. i think im gonna have to read a deep analysis of his character because i seriously don't get how it is insinuated
i reallllyyy enjoyed the ending. the book lowkey kinda floundered in the middle, but picked up again at full steam at around chapter 12.
also no shade but chapter 11 isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. if im honest its probably the most important chapter of the book!!!
anyways booktwt dont sue me for not liking it, sue my brain for being a dumb ass bitch.
edit 30/7/24: nvm im bumping it a star up cuz im up thinking about the ending
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Racial slurs, and Stalking
Minor: Racism
liline163's review against another edition
reflective
medium-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny and Suicide
Minor: Drug use
nolongerhuman_'s review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, and Mental illness
missmarguerita's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Utterly terrifying, fabulous ending.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Classism
archiveofrasa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
it's a classic what else can I say
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Antisemitism
Minor: Drug use and Racism
hdkroon's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.25
everyone is terrible, chapter 11 almost killed me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
teabrewer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Everything in this book is golden, red and olive green. If you know what each of these colors meant for the victorians, you already have a great synopsis for it. This is a story about an unrequited love, the corruption of a soul, the obsession for aesthetical beauty and all lives ruined in the way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
jackiepreston's review against another edition
dark
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Murder