Scan barcode
hdcamp's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So
This freaking book 😬
I'm aware of the irony - I believe I described the last classic I read as "just about how people are terrible," and I hated it for that. This is arguably about the same thing, but I like it far better. I know exactly why, too: where Golding left us mired in the hopeless, animalistic evil of man, Wilde shows us that goodness is an option and we can perhaps find a way out. Basil Hallward implores Dorian to seek forgiveness for what he's done, to repent of his sins and live a virtuous life; he is one of the few Good things in the novel, but his light shines all the brighter for being so isolated. I think it interesting that Dorian never once acknowledges this. He just blames Basil for his initial downfall - Basil, and his own beauty.
I read it almost entirely aloud, because everything that the characters said was so delightfully British and I just couldn't help it. In spite of having never read the book, I knew the gist of it - I'm a school librarian, not to mention a former emo child, I had best know the gist of it. I got to about Chapter 6 and I was starting to get that the bad vibes were coming. Lord Henry kept saying wilder and wilder things, and where before he'd say something vaguely thought provoking or interesting and only a little crazy, in Chapter 6 his random monologues were suddenly deeply nefarious and problematic.
Or were they deeply nefarious the whole time? I started to wonder if I wasn't being played a little like Dorian himself, being drawn in to something I couldn't entirely understand.
And I think that's part of the terrible beauty of this book. Dorian's story could belong to any one of us - and, in fact, it does. We're all going through the same process of sin and shame, each trying to reach for something better, and we all have the wrong voice whispering in our ear, trying to lead us to seek Beauty in the un-beautiful. Near the end of his journey, Dorian is not only turning to vice to seek pleasure, he's using it as the nearest thing to expiation he can get his hands on - and of course, it's a poor substitute for true mercy. Instead of forgiveness, he is confronted with his own sinsin the physical form of James Vane . Even his one attempt to "do good" near the book's end is only a selfish act, which he realizes himself. How often do we have this same battle? We have to choose to act with virtue, and sometimes it is a genuine challenge.
The true horror of this story is in large part due to Lord Henry. He remorselessly leads Dorian astray and then discourages him from reforming his behavior. He tells Dorian that the person he's become is something delightful, something somehow beautiful. I've been thinking a bit about how this still happens in society - the world views certain behavior as "good" that is decidedly unvirtuous: excessive fixation on sexuality, acceptance of our own sin as an authentic expression of ourselves, having a perverted sense of "justice" and "fairness" devoid of true justice or mercy, etc. Our children attend schools where they are encouraged to participate in sin and to acknowledge it as something positive. I don't put the onus on the teachers alone (although they can definitely be a part of it, and often are); in fact, more of it likely comes from social media, and is perpetuated by the students themselves. Dorian doesn't realize his own failings until he has already begun to act on them, and then because of the influences he's allowing himself to be lead by - namely a terrible book he receives from Lord Henry* - he fails to repent of them. Is Lord Henry's soul as damaged as Dorian's? At first I suspected that it was not. All he did was "hold the door open" for Dorian to pass through, encouraging him to act immorally, telling Dorian it gave him value. In some ways that is Lord Henry's worst crime. He struck me as being full of hot air; he talks a big game, but he didn't seem to do much beyond talk of evil and delight in bringing others to corruption. And then I realized that that may be enough to condemn him (Mt. 18.6 and all that).
*Not only is this filling the same role that social media does today, and the role of so many awful books that showcase "reality" but end up negatively influencing innocent minds, I also love the symbolism of this - Lord Henry's "gospel" is one that destroys, but he delights in sharing it no less than one who shares the gospel of Christ.
It strikes me that this is the great sin of our age. Not pornography, murder, or wanton sexuality, but that these things are spoken of with openness, acceptance, and praise. The terrible lie seeded in our hearts is that these things are right, and that God is somehow trying to hold us back. And this is the world in which we raise our families, and so many families participate in it. We're in the garden all over again, except now we play the part of the serpent. If we could all be Dorian Gray, helpless innocents led astray by Lord Henry and his perverting influence, we could in equal measure be Lord Henry. <i>That's</i> the most frightening part of the story. It's time to choose which gospel we're going to share.
**If you read all the words I wrote, you deserve at least two potatoes 🥔🥔
24 Classics in 2024: 2/24
This freaking book 😬
I'm aware of the irony - I believe I described the last classic I read as "just about how people are terrible," and I hated it for that. This is arguably about the same thing, but I like it far better. I know exactly why, too: where Golding left us mired in the hopeless, animalistic evil of man, Wilde shows us that goodness is an option and we can perhaps find a way out. Basil Hallward implores Dorian to seek forgiveness for what he's done, to repent of his sins and live a virtuous life; he is one of the few Good things in the novel, but his light shines all the brighter for being so isolated. I think it interesting that Dorian never once acknowledges this. He just blames Basil for his initial downfall - Basil, and his own beauty.
I read it almost entirely aloud, because everything that the characters said was so delightfully British and I just couldn't help it. In spite of having never read the book, I knew the gist of it - I'm a school librarian, not to mention a former emo child, I had best know the gist of it. I got to about Chapter 6 and I was starting to get that the bad vibes were coming. Lord Henry kept saying wilder and wilder things, and where before he'd say something vaguely thought provoking or interesting and only a little crazy, in Chapter 6 his random monologues were suddenly deeply nefarious and problematic.
Or were they deeply nefarious the whole time? I started to wonder if I wasn't being played a little like Dorian himself, being drawn in to something I couldn't entirely understand.
And I think that's part of the terrible beauty of this book. Dorian's story could belong to any one of us - and, in fact, it does. We're all going through the same process of sin and shame, each trying to reach for something better, and we all have the wrong voice whispering in our ear, trying to lead us to seek Beauty in the un-beautiful. Near the end of his journey, Dorian is not only turning to vice to seek pleasure, he's using it as the nearest thing to expiation he can get his hands on - and of course, it's a poor substitute for true mercy. Instead of forgiveness, he is confronted with his own sins
The true horror of this story is in large part due to Lord Henry. He remorselessly leads Dorian astray and then discourages him from reforming his behavior. He tells Dorian that the person he's become is something delightful, something somehow beautiful. I've been thinking a bit about how this still happens in society - the world views certain behavior as "good" that is decidedly unvirtuous: excessive fixation on sexuality, acceptance of our own sin as an authentic expression of ourselves, having a perverted sense of "justice" and "fairness" devoid of true justice or mercy, etc. Our children attend schools where they are encouraged to participate in sin and to acknowledge it as something positive. I don't put the onus on the teachers alone (although they can definitely be a part of it, and often are); in fact, more of it likely comes from social media, and is perpetuated by the students themselves. Dorian doesn't realize his own failings until he has already begun to act on them, and then because of the influences he's allowing himself to be lead by - namely a terrible book he receives from Lord Henry* - he fails to repent of them. Is Lord Henry's soul as damaged as Dorian's? At first I suspected that it was not. All he did was "hold the door open" for Dorian to pass through, encouraging him to act immorally, telling Dorian it gave him value. In some ways that is Lord Henry's worst crime. He struck me as being full of hot air; he talks a big game, but he didn't seem to do much beyond talk of evil and delight in bringing others to corruption. And then I realized that that may be enough to condemn him (Mt. 18.6 and all that).
*Not only is this filling the same role that social media does today, and the role of so many awful books that showcase "reality" but end up negatively influencing innocent minds, I also love the symbolism of this - Lord Henry's "gospel" is one that destroys, but he delights in sharing it no less than one who shares the gospel of Christ.
It strikes me that this is the great sin of our age. Not pornography, murder, or wanton sexuality, but that these things are spoken of with openness, acceptance, and praise. The terrible lie seeded in our hearts is that these things are right, and that God is somehow trying to hold us back. And this is the world in which we raise our families, and so many families participate in it. We're in the garden all over again, except now we play the part of the serpent. If we could all be Dorian Gray, helpless innocents led astray by Lord Henry and his perverting influence, we could in equal measure be Lord Henry. <i>That's</i> the most frightening part of the story. It's time to choose which gospel we're going to share.
**If you read all the words I wrote, you deserve at least two potatoes 🥔🥔
24 Classics in 2024: 2/24
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide and Murder
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
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.
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.
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
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?).
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.
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, and Antisemitism
Minor: Drug use and Racism
blynn817's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Murder
vivisms_82's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
4.0
Shallow vanity and living a debaucherous life, free of accountability at the expense of maintaining a soul with a conscience and kindness. A tale that holds as much today as it did 130 years ago.
It is weird, and perhaps a little obnoxious to review a classic (!!) but will say there is quite a bit of philosophy in this and long thoughts and internal dialogue which I will admit, I found my mind wandering at times. But otherwise this is an acclaimed classic for a reason.
** Note: some uneasy use of prejudicial slurs when referring to people of Jewish faith.
It is weird, and perhaps a little obnoxious to review a classic (!!) but will say there is quite a bit of philosophy in this and long thoughts and internal dialogue which I will admit, I found my mind wandering at times. But otherwise this is an acclaimed classic for a reason.
** Note: some uneasy use of prejudicial slurs when referring to people of Jewish faith.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Murder
Minor: Racial slurs
athenian_frog's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-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
3.75
I loved the atmosphere as well as the SEVERAL footnotes clarifying all the LGBT references Oscar Wilde made for his time. The ones describing what publishers wanted to change were also hilarious, 90% of it was because Wilde was letting his characters act too gay lmao.
The book kinda lost me around the 70% mark, but I came back around to finish it. I think the page-long moments of people speaking were starting to get to me. Reminded me of Plato’s essays where Socrates will talk for a really long time, and I needed a bit of a break during that RIP.
I definitely recommend reading this, though. There are a lot of interesting things to be said about morality, the value of beauty, and how both can influence our perception (like the halo effect).
The book kinda lost me around the 70% mark, but I came back around to finish it. I think the page-long moments of people speaking were starting to get to me. Reminded me of Plato’s essays where Socrates will talk for a really long time, and I needed a bit of a break during that RIP.
I definitely recommend reading this, though. There are a lot of interesting things to be said about morality, the value of beauty, and how both can influence our perception (like the halo effect).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Toxic relationship