leebs's reviews
483 reviews

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

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dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

The Portrait of Dorian Gray

By Oscar Wilde

“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”

4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There is no doubt that this book is a work of genius. Oscar Wilde writes beautifully and masterfully. He exposes the dark side of humanity with such skill that it causes the reader to feel absolute despair.

It definitely deserves 5 stars but I rated my own personal enjoyment. As with most classics it is slow going and there were times when the dialogue seemed endless and I struggled to want to pick it up again. Once it got going this was easier and I found the ending compelling and brilliant.

“There is a luxury in self-reproach. When we blame ourselves, we feel that no one else has a right to blame us. It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution.”

Limbs by Tim Meyer

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dark funny fast-paced

4.0

Limbs: a Love Story

By Tim Meyer

“‘Don’t do anything stupid. Please?’

I winked at him.

Things were about to get really fucking stupid.”

4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - a very tentative 4!

This book was not at all what I was expecting. The only thing I knew about it before going in was that it featured a chap with an amputee fetish. I think I was expecting a deep exploration of fetishism in general… Maybe an important message in there somewhere? Boy, was I wrong. This was quick and gory shlock horror at its finest. It wasn’t particularly clever or funny, but I found myself unable to put it down, regardless. The main character and the love interest weren’t hugely likeable but this didn’t effect the reading experience. You’ll understand why if you read it! I instead found myself rooting for Percy and Wendy as they were way more awesome. Can we have a sequel with just them, please?

The ending was a bit shit and predictable, keeping with the Grindhouse feel of the whole novel. @bees.horror.haunts and I were quickly able to think of two alternate endings which were much more interesting and creative!

Content Warnings