Take a photo of a barcode or cover
dark
mysterious
reflective
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
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a difficult read if you like to root for characters in novels. That said, the characters are not designed to be likeable. The story reflects the problems of a culture obsessed with youth, aesthetics, and appearances, and it does so in a complex manner. It is a well-written novel which unsettles the reader and encourages them to reflect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder
Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Classism
dark
tense
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
I have been wanting to read this book for so long and it did not disappoint! Fully lived up to the hype.
I was hesitant because I’m not a horror reader, but this book did a good job of being gothic without having unnecessary gore or uncomfortable scenes.
The characters were so well done, especially Dorian.
I love how the message of the book is stated subtly at the beginning with Lord Henry saying the world needed a “new hedonism”. Then the plot gives Dorian that new hedonism, but he comes to realize that it doesn’t satisfy and only leaves him miserable.
I was hesitant because I’m not a horror reader, but this book did a good job of being gothic without having unnecessary gore or uncomfortable scenes.
The characters were so well done, especially Dorian.
I love how the message of the book is stated subtly at the beginning with Lord Henry saying the world needed a “new hedonism”. Then the plot gives Dorian that new hedonism, but he comes to realize that it doesn’t satisfy and only leaves him miserable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Suicide, Blood
Minor: Violence
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Antisemitism
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the first adult classic I ever read and I have it to thank for all the classics I have read since. I absolutely fell in love with this book the first time I read it, and several years later I still love it just as much. In fact, I'd even go as far to say that I love it more.
On my journey of reading classics I have come to be used to and even greatly enjoy the style of writing that typically comes with classics, and I have adored a lot of the classics I have read. But I always find myself comparing the love I have for whatever classic I have recently finished to my love for this book. It has been a real joy to come back to.
Since first reading this book, I have read some more of Oscar Wilde's writing and I truly do love it. Coming back to this book I really got to appreciate Wilde's writing and the beauty of it. This is a great book and I really recommend it to everyone. For me it was the perfect gateway into reading classics - it is short and pretty easy to read (as far as classics go), and I love the plot and the message of the book.
I originally only gave this book 4 stars, but now I am increasing it to 5. This book is not perfect, but since I rate off of overall enjoyment I still want to give this 5 stars.
On my journey of reading classics I have come to be used to and even greatly enjoy the style of writing that typically comes with classics, and I have adored a lot of the classics I have read. But I always find myself comparing the love I have for whatever classic I have recently finished to my love for this book. It has been a real joy to come back to.
Since first reading this book, I have read some more of Oscar Wilde's writing and I truly do love it. Coming back to this book I really got to appreciate Wilde's writing and the beauty of it. This is a great book and I really recommend it to everyone. For me it was the perfect gateway into reading classics - it is short and pretty easy to read (as far as classics go), and I love the plot and the message of the book.
I originally only gave this book 4 stars, but now I am increasing it to 5. This book is not perfect, but since I rate off of overall enjoyment I still want to give this 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Antisemitism
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Classism
challenging
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
i found this book to be incredibly dull. the first 60 pages or so consist entirely of two introductions to the story, giving context for the political climate of the time this was published and the fact that so much of the original story was altered or removed. this is supposed to be the original, unaltered, more "graphic" version. but it wasn't graphic at all and was in fact quite a boring and dense letdown. i struggled to get through this because the writing was so dense, the monologues were long, and i just wasn't absorbing much of the information, mainly when lord henry would go on his long, misogynistic rants or the entire chapter in which about a decade of dorian's life passes. i truly have little clue what all was said in that chapter because it was just nonsense! long paragraphs of nonsense. the homosexuality was tame and mildly alluded to and nowhere near as graphic as it was made out to be and if i could travel back in time, i would simply tell everyone to grow up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Antisemitism
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Xenophobia, Antisemitism
Minor: Racism
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
It's a slow start, but once it picks up it hooks ya! The prose, while gorgeous, did make for a bit of a slog at times. Overall, I'm glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Classism
Moderate: Racism, Suicide, Antisemitism, Toxic friendship
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I will definitely return to this book. Great writing, great characters, and an amazing ending. I did find that all of the rich people problems get annoying towards the end, but still a fantastic book about beauty, morality, and heathenism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Classism
Minor: Infidelity, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, Classism
The classism is less of a thing that happens and more of a general presence throughout the book.