Reviews tagging 'Death'

Das Bildnis des Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

413 reviews

seforana's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

strawberrygrapejelly's review against another edition

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Lord Henry was INSUFFERABLE, never wanted a character to shut the fuck up more in my life.
Five stars.
I opened this book with high expectations and they were exceeded.
I love a good obvious Christ or Satan figure (hint: it's Satan in this one). 
The book was hedonistic and indulgent in a way only few people could pull off.
Terrible, terrible people but you're still able to pity Dorian for his gradual corruption, even while you're fully hating him and hoping he'll finally get his.
Don't know how I went almost 30 years without reading this. Weird because I know a lot about Wilde.
I'm yapping now but just read it if you've been thinking about it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Blood, Antisemitism, and Murder

luxxltyd's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Grief

bebidocrimes's review against another edition

dark funny reflective 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 don't know why I always assumed Dorian Gray was the top of this bad influence pyramid scheme, I'd not heard much about Lord Henry before reading. I thought I was gonna be turned off by the philosophical discussions, but it was just banger line after banger line whether or not it was an actually insane thing to say. Only one snooze fest chapter, where is was just 'heres the history of jewels and embroidery and shit'. Kinda miss when characters who symbolize something came with a name to match (Vane wants to kill Dorian, are you kidding me?).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism

renardthefox's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Read for A240.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, Outing, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

noura's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, and Antisemitism

Minor: Drug use and Racism

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

turidt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Body shaming

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

bambilouise's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Death