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dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose...his own soul?"
This is the fundamental question explored in Oscar Wilde's magnum opus, The Picture of Dorian Gray. In only 270 pages, Wilde creates a compelling story with enough background that the foreground is that much more electric. The characters are complicated, elusive, and perhaps most importantly, flawed.
The ending, in particular,reminded me so much of Black Swan! The Aronofsky HAS to be inspired by this story. The constant pursuit of beauty, youth, and perfection ultimately leading to their demise. And of course at the end, when Nina thinks she's stabbing the Black Swan, she's actually stabbing herself.
The interplay between love, violence, lust, and greed is extraordinarily compelling.
This is the fundamental question explored in Oscar Wilde's magnum opus, The Picture of Dorian Gray. In only 270 pages, Wilde creates a compelling story with enough background that the foreground is that much more electric. The characters are complicated, elusive, and perhaps most importantly, flawed.
The ending, in particular,
The interplay between love, violence, lust, and greed is extraordinarily compelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Murder
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i find my feelings very hard to put into words. i cant describe how this book made me feel. it is topsy-turvy, it changes its pace midway through, and is constantly adapting itself.
i do think the online "hype" about this book makes this book overrated - but it still is a good book! i do feel as though this is one of those books when just reading it in isolation renders it a 3-star read, but with the introduction & biography following wilde, as well as context for the time in which it was written, the story opens itself up.
i found the plot to lowkey be all over the place? i mean up until sibyl ismurdered i was enjoying this, and understood the hype. but following that plot point, this book does a complete 180, and i didn't know what to expect. the entire tone shifts almost instantaneously that night in the theatre, and i think its a neat comparison for dorian's descent into madness from the painting to begin in a theatre - art destroying art in a sense . but yet again, without deeper analysis & trying to read this book just as it is à la 'death of the author', this book would not be as good, and honestly that's why it isnt a 5-star. that and the writing gave me a headache many of times because i had no clue what i had just read because 75 words no longer used in the english language were present in a sentence that was 7 lines long. i get that's how classics are written but doesn't mean i have to like it!!
anyways, what else do i have to say? honestly i fail to truly grasp this book as well, i think because a lot of wilde's obvious intentions were masqueraded in subtext, and i am not good at subtext!! at all!! i am not a very smart reader (unless im actively trying to solve a mystery novel. then i become mf sherlock holmes).
i enjoyed basil & dorian's characterisations, but henry's seemed to go over my head. i think im gonna have to read a deep analysis of his character because i seriously don't get how it is insinuatedhenry sends dorian down his corrupt path . yet again that could be because i missed the subtext or actually had no idea what i was reading due to the language used. sue me.
i reallllyyy enjoyed the ending. the book lowkey kinda floundered in the middle, but picked up again at full steam at around chapter 12.
also no shade but chapter 11 isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. if im honest its probably the most important chapter of the book!!!
anyways booktwt dont sue me for not liking it, sue my brain for being a dumb ass bitch.
edit 30/7/24: nvm im bumping it a star up cuz im up thinking about the ending
i do think the online "hype" about this book makes this book overrated - but it still is a good book! i do feel as though this is one of those books when just reading it in isolation renders it a 3-star read, but with the introduction & biography following wilde, as well as context for the time in which it was written, the story opens itself up.
i found the plot to lowkey be all over the place? i mean up until sibyl is
anyways, what else do i have to say? honestly i fail to truly grasp this book as well, i think because a lot of wilde's obvious intentions were masqueraded in subtext, and i am not good at subtext!! at all!! i am not a very smart reader (unless im actively trying to solve a mystery novel. then i become mf sherlock holmes).
i enjoyed basil & dorian's characterisations, but henry's seemed to go over my head. i think im gonna have to read a deep analysis of his character because i seriously don't get how it is insinuated
i reallllyyy enjoyed the ending. the book lowkey kinda floundered in the middle, but picked up again at full steam at around chapter 12.
also no shade but chapter 11 isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. if im honest its probably the most important chapter of the book!!!
anyways booktwt dont sue me for not liking it, sue my brain for being a dumb ass bitch.
edit 30/7/24: nvm im bumping it a star up cuz im up thinking about the ending
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Antisemitism, Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Racial slurs, Stalking
Minor: Racism
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I prefer this version ever so slightly to the 1891 version and the reasons have never been so obvious (this is Textually Gay)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism
Minor: Racism
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
it's a classic what else can I say
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism
Minor: Drug use, Racism
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Racism
dark
mysterious
medium-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
everyone is terrible, chapter 11 almost killed me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Classism
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Character development that corrupts and makes one deplorable is also character development of a kind so this is why I have selected yes for strong character development. I knew there would be antisemitism because it's Wilde, but good lord. I feel like that also made Dorian hideous in the painting as well and in the end. It was slow-ish and there's a lot of descriptions of things and the furniture and possessions which I think was the point—he had a love for being envious and I think as he became hideous in the painting, Dorian felt that it truly reflected his true self on a unconscious level. It was kind of interesting watching the man destroy himself and become terrified and haunted by himself.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Suicide, Alcohol, Classism
Minor: Suicide
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Antisemitism
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
all i knew before reading was "theres dorian and his portrait ages instead of him". it was a VERY fun read, i devoured this book (reading slump who???). might need to reread it in english (i just happen to own this german version, got it for free), definitely the gayer version if i can find a copy.
absolutely worth a read in my opinion.
absolutely worth a read in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism