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dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a beautifully written exploration of vanity, morality, and the darker sides of human nature. Wild's prose is lush and evocative, creating a vivid atmosphere that pulls readers into the world of Dorian Gray. The characters are fascinating, each embodying complex ideas and relationships. Dorian's descent into corruption, Basil's tragic idealism, and Lord Henry's manipulative wit make up a compelling cast that keeps the philosophical themes alive.
However, the novel isn't without its flaws. The actual plot of the novel felt quite thin compared to the description once you realize how much of the book is filled with lengthy descriptions and chapters where nothing is done to advance the plot that is discussed in the synopsis. The descriptions while beautifully written were often unnecessary in my opinion and often slowed the pace of the novel. Despite, the few issues I had with the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a thought provoking piece of literature that leaves a lasting impression.
However, the novel isn't without its flaws. The actual plot of the novel felt quite thin compared to the description once you realize how much of the book is filled with lengthy descriptions and chapters where nothing is done to advance the plot that is discussed in the synopsis. The descriptions while beautifully written were often unnecessary in my opinion and often slowed the pace of the novel. Despite, the few issues I had with the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a thought provoking piece of literature that leaves a lasting impression.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Misogyny, Antisemitism
dark
reflective
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
Ugh, what a drag. In the beginning I was already considering a reread when I had more time to sit and sort out all the 19th century trappings but then came the mysogyny and antisemitism.
It had moments of being profane but overall was rather dull and the writing overly flowery.
Wanted to DNF several times but wanted to read it before reading Charming Devil by Rebecca Kenney.
It had moments of being profane but overall was rather dull and the writing overly flowery.
Wanted to DNF several times but wanted to read it before reading Charming Devil by Rebecca Kenney.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Classism
Minor: Suicide, Antisemitism, Alcohol
challenging
dark
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 was really struggling to get through this, which I think was mostly because of the language so I can't really fault the book for that.
I understand that this book is a product of its time so I try to look past any problematic stuff, but when one prominent character just spews misogyny in every other line he says, it's hard to ignore and it influences the reading experience.
I like the premise of this book, and I definitely didn't hate the experience of reading this, but I think I need to read some more classics and then revisit this one in order to appreciate it more.
I understand that this book is a product of its time so I try to look past any problematic stuff, but when one prominent character just spews misogyny in every other line he says, it's hard to ignore and it influences the reading experience.
I like the premise of this book, and I definitely didn't hate the experience of reading this, but I think I need to read some more classics and then revisit this one in order to appreciate it more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Antisemitism
dark
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
whew i struggled through the middle portion of this book because i couldn’t stand lord henry’s aristocratic yapping. 😭 he’s so? full of shit?
oscar wilde’s words are fun to read though. he’s snappy. when he’s not describing lord henry’s contradictory tangents about pseudo-philosophy, i can picture every bit of each scene and its atmosphere.
oscar wilde’s words are fun to read though. he’s snappy. when he’s not describing lord henry’s contradictory tangents about pseudo-philosophy, i can picture every bit of each scene and its atmosphere.
The hideous hunger for opium began to gnaw at him. His throat burned, and his delicate hands twitched nervously together. He struck at the horse madly with his stick. The driver laughed, and whipped up. He laughed in answer, and the man was silent.
The way seemed interminable, and the streets like the black web of some sprawling spider. The monotony became unbearable, and, as the mist thickened, he felt afraid.
Then they passed by lonely brickfields. The fog was lighter here, and he could see the strange bottle-shaped kilns with their orange fan-like tongues of fire. A dog barked as they went by, and far away in the darkness some wandering sea-gull screamed. The horse stumbled in a rut, then swerved aside, and broke into a gallop.
how did oscar wilde do that 😭 i’m in love with his writing.
i can’t believe this book was published over a hundred years ago either, because it feels modern, current. the characters have messy relationships with each other; dorian gray tortures himself with a mix of pity, righteousness, superiority and terror; not to mention the incredible gay subtext that seem more text than subtext, and i’m already — unfortunately — reading the censored version. one doesn’t need the uncensored version to understand that basil the painter was tragically in love with dorian. 🙂↕️
if i don’t judge it as a novel, because i don’t think it was well-structured at all, i still think reading it was quite the experience for me. i’d love to read more of oscar wilde’s stuff.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Antisemitism
challenging
dark
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Infidelity, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Classism
i do quite enjoy messy gays and corruption, so overall i had a great time
however the random ass antisemitism was crazy and irrelevant. i get classics tend to have them but there really was no point for it other than cheaply trying to make us hate the manager
however the random ass antisemitism was crazy and irrelevant. i get classics tend to have them but there really was no point for it other than cheaply trying to make us hate the manager
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Antisemitism
Minor: Misogyny
dark
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Suicide, Antisemitism, Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Pros:
• Lyrical, immersive writing
• Incredible symbolism and foreshadowing (specifically with the use of flowers)
• Themes surrounding corruption, influence, vanity, and the dire obsession with beauty and youth
• Very reflective and left me contemplating
• LOVED the final chapter and paragraph
Cons:
• The middle of the story is quite slow and tedious to read
• The lack of description and elaboration of the majority of Dorian Gray’s sins
• Lyrical, immersive writing
• Incredible symbolism and foreshadowing (specifically with the use of flowers)
• Themes surrounding corruption, influence, vanity, and the dire obsession with beauty and youth
• Very reflective and left me contemplating
• LOVED the final chapter and paragraph
Cons:
• The middle of the story is quite slow and tedious to read
• The lack of description and elaboration of the majority of Dorian Gray’s sins
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Misogyny, Antisemitism
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Antisemitism
challenging
dark
mysterious
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
"Life is not governed by will or intention. Life is a question of nerves, and fibres, and slowly built up cells on which thought hides itself and passion has its dreams."
Quotes like that help me to understand why this story is considered a classic and why some people love this book. I was so excited to read this based on what I have heard on the concept and how fascinating it was for Wilde to write this type of story, especially in 1890. Despite this, I honestly did not have a good time reading this book. I may have had a lot more praise for it and may have worked better for me as a short story? It wasn’t because the language was flowery, more so that the main characters were so insufferable and it felt like nothing really happened until near the end. This book was only 200 some pages but FELT more than double that to SLOGGGG through, and this was with a tandem physical and audio read.
I give Wilde respect for this type of story in that time period (though it is heavy on the antisemitism and misogyny), but this was just not my jam nor my cup of tea.
Quotes like that help me to understand why this story is considered a classic and why some people love this book. I was so excited to read this based on what I have heard on the concept and how fascinating it was for Wilde to write this type of story, especially in 1890. Despite this, I honestly did not have a good time reading this book. I may have had a lot more praise for it and may have worked better for me as a short story? It wasn’t because the language was flowery, more so that the main characters were so insufferable and it felt like nothing really happened until near the end. This book was only 200 some pages but FELT more than double that to SLOGGGG through, and this was with a tandem physical and audio read.
I give Wilde respect for this type of story in that time period (though it is heavy on the antisemitism and misogyny), but this was just not my jam nor my cup of tea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism, Classism