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liv_green85's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction
elizlizabeth's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Drug use, Racial slurs, Suicide, Blood, and Classism
Minor: Pedophilia
Period typical racial slurs and exoticism. Read with several grains of salt. Also idk if it was just me knowing Wilde's backstory but the idealization of "childlike" youth/beauty kept rubbing me the wrong way.prachi22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Classism
hannahlouise_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Classism
avacronin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic that I think everybody should have the chance to read at least once in their life. It's a powerful story with a magical element to it, and certainly deserves the role as a classic piece of literature. However, it most definitely is not a perfect story, and revolves around the faults of the main characters. Throughout the description of faults is beautifully descriptive paragraphs, which may bore some.
I do agree that some characters in this book (cough cough Dorian and Lord Henry) can be incredibly annoying, however the fact that these characters infuriated me and so many others show that we have morals, unlike those characters. The faults of these characters, and the way in which they are overlooked in the presence of money and power is one of the messages and themes in this novel, and a powerful one it is.
While this book may not be to everybody's taste, I did enjoy the experience I had reading it. I do however suggest reading the trigger warnings before reading, as many things are described in great details.
The Pros
- I know it may not seem like a pro to some readers, but I really did like the brutally honest way in which the lower class areas were described, and how different the descriptions were compared to those of the upper class, taking Lord Henry's house for example. It serves as a way to show how Victorian Era London actually was, the bad parts (like the opium dens) included. However, I did also appreciate the way in which Wilde described most things in this book.
The Cons
- I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed and slightly underwhelming. Although I got part of what I wanted, it just was not as satisfying as I wished it would have been. The only good part about it was that I didn't expect it at all.
I would recommend this book for people to at least try and read once in their life. It carries a deeper message, and if you take anything from it, take the message to never live a life like Dorian
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gore, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction and Drug use
bcooper21's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, and Alcohol
lazycycle's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny and Blood
Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Antisemitism
maliap's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Suicide, and Blood
madinhoa's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
perleerose's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Sexism, Suicide, and Gaslighting