Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

26 reviews

enoemo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

3.5

This was a good read (you know, apart from the random misogyny and antisemitism that came with the time and do not really add to the story either) and chapter 11. I don't know but chapter 11 was just a lot of rambling in an otherwise exciting book in my opinion. Also, I see how someone would likely dislike this book if deeply flawed characters are not their thing - for one it kind builds the main plot and also there's probably a bit too much Lord Henry in there.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Alcohol, Gaslighting, Suicide, Classism, Colonisation, Stalking, Antisemitism, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Racial slurs, Drug abuse, and Racism

marigoldgem's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

Unsatisfactory end 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Murder, Child death, Suicide, Death, Toxic friendship, Blood, Classism, and Toxic relationship

binches's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

rating: very good ⭐⭐⭐⭐
personal enjoyment rating: good ⭐⭐⭐

I think this is a really good book and the way it discusses life and philosophizes on certain concepts was quite interesting and insightful (though intentionally flawed at times). The characters were very unlikeable and messed up and I couldn't wait for every single one of them to die (that's not criticism btw it's the whole point of the book). However, I don't think the writing is necessarily for me. I don't think it's bad by any means, I just didn't really vibe with some of it at certain points. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Sexism and Antisemitism

Minor: Colonisation, Alcohol, and Drug abuse

brnineworms's review against another edition

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 knew of Oscar Wilde, of course, but this was my first time actually reading his work. I found it difficult not to use the book as a means of analysing its writer. He was known for his wit but was he genuinely clever or just good at appearing clever? Maybe there’s no distinction. Maybe it’s foolish of me to try to judge the character of a man by the work he creates. Wilde himself rebuked the idea that art should be taken as autobiography, that works of fiction reveal something about the writer. Then again, he also wrote in a letter “[The Picture of Dorian Gray] contains much of me in it — Basil Hallward is what I think I am; Lord Henry, what the world thinks of me; Dorian is what I would like to be — in other ages, perhaps.” It’s hard not to read the story as a reflection of its author to some extent.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is so much gayer than I expected. Like, it’s difficult to even describe it as subtext. It’s right there, unmistakable despite careful censorship, from chapter one onwards. I have to admit, this kind of pining, withholding, and hinting at queerness appeals to me far more than the uncomplicated “representation” we tend to see nowadays. I acknowledge literature like this comes from a society in which homosexuality was criminalised and deeply stigmatised – the ambiguity I adore wasn’t just a stylistic choice, it was a necessity – but it resonates with me in a way modern queer media just doesn’t.

The story is dominated by the theme of influence (and its inverse, impressionability). It’s handled well for the most part but I don’t really understand the significance of

the book Lord Henry recommends to Dorian. I know that some scholars identify it as an ode to either The Yellow Book or Huysmans’s Against Nature, and that the idea of a “poisonous book” was accentuated in later editions in response to the controversy surrounding this very novel upon its publication. In other words, I know that Wilde was playing with the idea of an immoral piece of literature corrupting (read: queering) young minds. That said, Dorian is already affected by the picture painted by Basil Hallward and the mirror given to him by Lord Henry, not to mention Lord Henry’s words; the addition of the corrupting book seemed to overcomplicate what was otherwise quite an elegant concept.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is good. I wasn’t blown away by it, but the premise is solid and I was pleasantly surprised by how audaciously queer it is. I can see why it’s considered a classic. Definitely worth a read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Death, Murder, Blood, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Antisemitism, Bullying, Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexism, Alcohol, and Suicide

Minor: Colonisation, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Violence, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Xenophobia

hannahlouise_'s review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• 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

i absolutely adore the way that oscar wilde writes. one of the best novels i’ve read 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Violence, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, and Body horror

madinhoa's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gore, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, and Stalking

florecita_lectora's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Classism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicide, and Gore

rory_john14's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Blood, Addiction, Antisemitism, Classism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Death, and Violence

Moderate: Stalking, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, and Infidelity

Minor: Confinement, Alcoholism, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Grief

ggcd1981's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

O Retrato de Dorian Gray (The Picture of Dorian Gray) por muito tempo foi um arrependimento meu da época da Universidade. Durante uma disciplina da graduação um dos livros indicados para leitura foi O Retrato de Dorian Gray, só que não o li e não sei realmente o porquê disso. Então no ano de 2021 decidi que iria corrigir essa falha e assim o fiz. Não deveria me surpreender, mas aconteceu mesmo assim, com a qualidade da escrita de Oscar Wilde. No primeiro capítulo já me encontrei embasbacada pelos diálogos, pela beleza e inteligência das frases escritas por Wilde. É uma pena que não tenho uma cópia física do livro (ouvi a versão em audiobook narrada por Russell Tovey) para poder citar algumas dessas frases elaboradas de forma brilhante. Escrevo este review em Janeiro de 2022 então posso dizer com propriedade que este foi o livro mais bem escrito que li em 2021. Os personagens foram fascinantes, o cenário bastante atmosférico e durante toda obra se tem o sentimento de tragédia iminente. Destaco todos os diálogos em que Lord Henry esteve envolvido. Henry era o agente de corrupção da narrativa e era tão hábil com as palavras que ele deturpava ideias e princípios de forma “melodiosa”. O Retrato de Dorian Gray é tão bem escrito que é mais fácil apontar os poucos pontos negativos que citar tudo que foi brilhante na obra. Esses pontos negativos foram poucos, o primeiro deles foi a Misoginia presente no texto, mas isso é esperado de uma obra escrita em 1890 sobre personagens de moral questionável; o segundo e último ponto negativo é o capítulo em que a coleção de belos itens que Dorian colecionou é detalhada, acredito que é o capítulo 11 (mas não tenho certeza). Se fala nesse capítulo sobre as paixões e interesses de Dorian ao longo dos anos e os itens que por esses interesses coletou. A descrição da coleção foi longa e detalhada, e sim passa a ideia do materialismo e paixão pelo “Belo” e pelas “Sensações” que vieram a caracterizar Dorian, mas a leitura demorada das descrições de objetos que quase durou o capítulo inteiro foi bem maçante. 

A obra teve diálogos fantásticos sobre beleza, paixões, arte e morais. O livro faz você pensar e, apesar de discordar de Lord Henry e Dorian em quase todas suas opiniões sobre os tópicos citados, consegui entender a lógica que guiava seus argumentos. O Retrato de Dorian Gray ainda me deixou com a questão de que a corrupção de Dorian, e este mesmo como agente de corrupção de outros jovens, esteve em foco durante todo o livro, mas o que dizer sobre Lord Henry que foi o gatilho e principal influência na corrupção do personagem principal? O personagem Lord Henry era em si mais corrupto que o próprio Dorian, porem parecia ser um voyeur que apreciava mais assistir ao processo de corrupção do que realizar ele mesmo atos condenados pelo seu meio. Teria sido fantástico ter lido este livro junto com outra pessoa pois existe muito material para discussão. Isso não foi possível, mas mesmo assim o livro me entreteve bastante e me fez pensar. Assim só posso dar 5 estrelas para esse livro que é merecidamente um clássico consagrado.     

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Suicide, Stalking, and Drug abuse

fomko's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

5.0

Beautifully written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Rape, Homophobia, Violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexism, Misogyny, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death, Cultural appropriation, and Classism