zoey_fay's review against another edition
1.0
Really struggled to read this. Very slow in some parts.
crissscu's review against another edition
2.0
2,5
premisa perfecta pero desarrollo lento
los interminables monólogos misóginos de Harry sobre lo malas q somos las mujeres y lo bien q estamos siendo mujeres florero y q lo único bueno que tenemos es la belleza… es que me sacaba completamente de la lectura al final sí que es cierto que me gustó bastante más aunque me pareció muy predecible… no sé, creo que venía con las expectativas altísimas y no me ha parecido para tanto
premisa perfecta pero desarrollo lento
los interminables monólogos misóginos de Harry sobre lo malas q somos las mujeres y lo bien q estamos siendo mujeres florero y q lo único bueno que tenemos es la belleza… es que me sacaba completamente de la lectura al final sí que es cierto que me gustó bastante más aunque me pareció muy predecible… no sé, creo que venía con las expectativas altísimas y no me ha parecido para tanto
a_randomsoul_onjourney's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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? It's complicated
2.0
I think I shouldn't have read this in a mindset where I just wanted a fast fantasy series, with a strong protagonist. The blurb and the reviews of this book made me very intrigued about it, that's why I added it to my TBR list. But, now that I have read it... It didn't seem that interesting to me ?? I don't know, maybe it's because I picked the novella or maybe it's because of my current mood.
Anyway, I would rate it 2 stars for now, in accordance to the Goodreads rating system.
Ps. Will read the full length (unabridged) novel later sometime.
Personal notes:
Anyway, I would rate it 2 stars for now, in accordance to the Goodreads rating system.
Ps. Will read the full length (unabridged) novel later sometime.
Personal notes:
Spoiler
Started it at midnight. Speed ran through the novella.laura326's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
3.75
dogsincrowns56468895's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
3.5
lydsquids's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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’ve never read a book about characters that I disliked so much and still enjoyed. I found this book fascinating as a character study. There is a part in the middle that lags way more then it should but other then that I can see how the book is still very popular in modern times- the Dorian Grey of today would have a much bigger following.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
bledoux's review against another edition
3.0
I could not have finished this book any quicker than I did.
I have decided, after reading a few of his plays and now his only novel, that Oscar Wilde is not an author that I like.
I wanna preface my thoughts with i understand that everything Wilde writes is a critic on his life and the society that he lives in, I understand that and can respect that.
With that being said I could not have cared any less about the characters in this book. I'm sure you all know the premise, a beautiful young boy is the muse of a famous enough painter and then said muse sells his soul to stay young and vibrant forever but then he learns the price of that deal and grapples with it and the horrors it brings. It's an interesting plot I have to admit.
Basil Hallward, the painter, deserves better. His fate was sad and not too surprising but nonetheless he didnt deserve it. Lord Henry is one of the most unlikable characters I have ever read, I know that is intentional, at least it has to be to justify Wilde's choices. Dorian Gray, well he lives up to his annoying image.
I don't have much to say about Wilde's writing style/tone/etc. other than did he not understand editing? I found myself being ruthlessly dragged across the pages of scenes that were longer than they should've been (or not even existed at all). I had to skip an entire chapter in the middle because if not I quite frankly would have DNFd the book right there. Maybe I'm too harsh. I'm very much a reader, and writer, that relies heavily on characters and characters I care about. What makes me want to finish or sometimes start a book are the characters but in this book I didn't care about them nor what they were up to. What Dorian does throughout the book makes sense for the type of person he is and becomes but I still couldn't find myself wanting to know what else he does. His spiral into demise is obvious and inevitable and I guess that can be something to look forward to reading, for some people.
The ending though I must admit is very satisfying and I almost gave it another star for it. Endings of books I have learned are important to me but this one couldn't tip the scale of annoyance I had throughout my reading experience.
I mainly finished this book because I wanted to use it in my queer book blog and boy do I have a lot of content to write about.
Maybe if I read this book a few years ago or perhaps when it was first published I would feel different. I can understand why it is considered a classic, I mean no one writes like Wilde (thankfully) so I understand why his writing and story telling holds up. Like I said before he is a master at taking the lives of the society he lives in and making them exaggerated to prove a point. I won't take that away from him but I don't see myself reading anything else from him.
I know this seems like I absolutely hated the book but I think it deserves to be smack in the middle of a rating.
Wasn't terrible, certianly wasn't amazing, it is simply okay.
I have decided, after reading a few of his plays and now his only novel, that Oscar Wilde is not an author that I like.
I wanna preface my thoughts with i understand that everything Wilde writes is a critic on his life and the society that he lives in, I understand that and can respect that.
With that being said I could not have cared any less about the characters in this book. I'm sure you all know the premise, a beautiful young boy is the muse of a famous enough painter and then said muse sells his soul to stay young and vibrant forever but then he learns the price of that deal and grapples with it and the horrors it brings. It's an interesting plot I have to admit.
Basil Hallward, the painter, deserves better. His fate was sad and not too surprising but nonetheless he didnt deserve it. Lord Henry is one of the most unlikable characters I have ever read, I know that is intentional, at least it has to be to justify Wilde's choices. Dorian Gray, well he lives up to his annoying image.
I don't have much to say about Wilde's writing style/tone/etc. other than did he not understand editing? I found myself being ruthlessly dragged across the pages of scenes that were longer than they should've been (or not even existed at all). I had to skip an entire chapter in the middle because if not I quite frankly would have DNFd the book right there. Maybe I'm too harsh. I'm very much a reader, and writer, that relies heavily on characters and characters I care about. What makes me want to finish or sometimes start a book are the characters but in this book I didn't care about them nor what they were up to. What Dorian does throughout the book makes sense for the type of person he is and becomes but I still couldn't find myself wanting to know what else he does. His spiral into demise is obvious and inevitable and I guess that can be something to look forward to reading, for some people.
The ending though I must admit is very satisfying and I almost gave it another star for it. Endings of books I have learned are important to me but this one couldn't tip the scale of annoyance I had throughout my reading experience.
I mainly finished this book because I wanted to use it in my queer book blog and boy do I have a lot of content to write about.
Maybe if I read this book a few years ago or perhaps when it was first published I would feel different. I can understand why it is considered a classic, I mean no one writes like Wilde (thankfully) so I understand why his writing and story telling holds up. Like I said before he is a master at taking the lives of the society he lives in and making them exaggerated to prove a point. I won't take that away from him but I don't see myself reading anything else from him.
I know this seems like I absolutely hated the book but I think it deserves to be smack in the middle of a rating.
Wasn't terrible, certianly wasn't amazing, it is simply okay.
teachingkids1982's review against another edition
4.0
I love reading the classics…. This dude though…
aheadmainland's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5