Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

57 reviews

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. 

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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

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

nadia's review against another edition

dark 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

3.75

This reread didn't quite hit as much as I thought it would. I'd always said The Picture of Dorian Gray was one of my fave classics, after studying it at school, but maybe it was the English teacher, and more recently the stage adaptation in London featuring Sarah Snook, that made the story really pop.

This was still a great read, with lots of philosophical musings on life to mull on, but a lil' summin' summin' was missing for me. Oh, and I got really bored during one particular section in the latter half. It started off well, and I appreciated the conceit of the segment, but then it felt like it went on for too long.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Gun violence and Violence

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

marionhoney's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, and Classism

Minor: Racism and Antisemitism

olive_lol's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Sexism, Violence, Antisemitism, and Classism

Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, and Blood

katharinaamaliae's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.75

I was really close to giving this book five stars, but in the end I didn't mostly because of just a few pages. I absolutely loved Oscar Wilde's writing, it was so beautiful and really easy to read, however a few parts were just kind of boring to me, for example when he talked about different jewels for like three pages. But that is really the only thing I didn't like.
The topics this book deals with are just so timeless and I think that's why it's still important today. I totally understand why it's a classic, and its definitely worth reading. It is also great if you're not used to reading classics and want to start reading them.

And beauty is a form of genius - is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation. It is of the great facts of the world, like sunlight or springtime, or the reflection in the dark waters of that silver shell we call the moon. It cannot be questioned. It has its divine right of sovereignty. It makes princes of those who have it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence and Suicide

kananineko's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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

4.0

I loved this! Great classic. Probably one of the most digestible bc of its relatively short length. My only complaint would be that some sections dragged in the middle to me (all the super long descriptions of what Dorian was learning)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Stalking, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Racism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

kiran__'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Makes you think and reflect. There are a lot of twists and turns that you don’t expect. This book is so beautifully and carefully written. It portrays society's obsession with youth and beauty and how it completely disregards all other things. All the characters were so carefully constructed and interesting - it really made the story come to life. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Death of parent