Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

59 reviews

imjumokay's review against another edition

challenging dark funny 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

4.0

fuck lord henry all my homies hate lord henry. good on victoria for leaving that miserable POS. rich people should have their excesses seized. get a job. my copy of this book was old and withered and musty like dorian gray and his crusty ass. basil <3 bby you didnt deserve what you got <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

Minor: Infidelity and Slavery

lucyatoz'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

3.0

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is about a rich young man, who sits for an artist who paints his portrait. However, there is a curse attached to the painting and the sitter as the painting will age and the man will not! 

This results in Dorian's life ultimately spinning out of control, leading to a suicide of a young woman, who is an actress, and the murder of the one man who could be called his only true friend. 

The story sometimes felt like it was stuck in a loop, and although is wonderfully written and deserves it place as a classic in literature, it was a struggle for me to read with some chapters feeling out of place whilst others were deeply engaging and moved the narrative forward. 

I borrowed a copy of this book from Taunton Library and listened to it on CloudLibrary. I read this for the 52 Book Club Summer Reading Challenge 2024, for prompt 23, Closing Ceremonies, author who hasn't released a book in the past four years.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, and Alcohol

winter_b's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I was expecting this book to mainly be a character study, so I somehow hadn't expected there to be as much plot as there was. Very engaging!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, Stalking, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Body shaming, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Antisemitism

perth_is's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-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

4.25

happy pride month, everyone

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, and Alcohol

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

reading_on_the_moon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicide, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Suicide

willow1113's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Antisemitism, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Suicide and Toxic relationship

sestout's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

if you think lord henry would hate you, then you're doing something right.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Drug use, Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Suicide and Stalking

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

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

cattheteawitchfairy's review against another edition

dark tense 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

DISCLAIMER -  I read this text as a set text for university meaning I did not pick this up for myself. It does not necessarily fit my usual reading selection so my review may be rather biased.

Really poetic and interesting reflection. Got a little slow towards the middle but picked up again and was a dark but good read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism