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dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a classic!!! beautiful depiction of corruption and exploitation of aestheticism, lovely prose, and generally a very engaging read. 300 pages of dorian being a wanker. class.
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Antisemitism
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I will be honest: I did not care for the published version of Dorian Gray that most people are familiar with. It felt unfocused and seemed like a wild (or, perhaps Wilde) pursuit of tangents that felt like diversions rather than conducive to the story. As it turns out, this instinct was somewhat correct, as this original, uncensored version of Wilde's novel is much more focused, while allowing for Wilde to be creative and philosophical while still telling an engaging story. Gone are subplots and a cumbersome second half that seemed to have been added to fill pages, and in their stead are excerpts removed from the original draft that deepen the character relationships and make for a more engaging and tragic story. This is the version people should look for.
There is also a rather long introduction at the beginning of the book. Whether you choose to read it first or skip it and come back to it later, I highly recommend reading it, as it provides a lot more historical context and shows how Wilde's time shaped the work in all its forms.
There is also a rather long introduction at the beginning of the book. Whether you choose to read it first or skip it and come back to it later, I highly recommend reading it, as it provides a lot more historical context and shows how Wilde's time shaped the work in all its forms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Murder
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Antisemitism, Classism
Moderate: Death, Murder
Minor: Suicide
dark
reflective
fast-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
When thinking about this book as the inner turmoil between the different versions of himself Oscar Wilde felt lived inside him, I really enjoy it. The essays at the beginning really helped to bring important context to the story, and I was easily able to draw the parallels between Wilde’s own real life experiences and what was happening in the story. I find it very relatable in the sense of having all these truths about you, and what you choose to hide and what you choose to show, who you choose to love openly, and how what you leave behind of yourself festers and curdles inside you.
There is a sort of melancholy you get throughout this book that I really enjoy, and the moments when the self-loathing and repression are so strong, you feel it as a heavy pit in your stomach. Sweet Basil!
I will admit I’m horribly terrible with philosophy and some of Lord Henry Wotton’s ramblings about life and morality truly had me dizzy, but the irony of his character shined through and was what I ultimately clung to. I did want to kick him a few times. I’m gonna be honest, I had to Google “did Oscar Wilde hate women?” while reading this 😭 just to make sure because there were so many long monologues about how women were boring and had no value and I was like hm alright.
Ooo and also what struck me was a lot of the discussion around puritanism, especially during the Victorian era in which is was written. I feel like it resonates especially right now…I don’t have fully fledged thoughts about it, but it did sit with me.
Fav quotes (looking now, I should’ve jotted down more substantive ones, but these are mostly ones that made me giggle it looks like 😭):
“Her name was Victoria, and she had a perfect mania for going to church.”
“The bright dawn flooded the room, and swept the fantastic shadows into dusky corners, where they lay shuddering.”
“I quite admit that I adored you, madly extravagantly, absurdly.”
“He grew more and more enamored of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul. He would examine with minute care, and often with a monstrous and terrible delight, the hideous lines that seared the wrinkling forehead or crawled around the heavy, sensual mouth, wondering sometimes which were the more horrible, the signs of sin or the signs of age. He would place his white hands beside the course, bloated hands of the picture, and smile. He mocked the misshapen body and the failing limbs.”
“It is an odd thing, but every one who disappears is said to be seen at San Francisco.” (PTV was on to something…)
“Death and vulgarity are the only two facts of the nineteenth century that one cannot explain away. Let us have our coffee in the music room, Dorian. You must play Chopin to me. The man with whom my wife ran away played Chopin exquisitely.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Antisemitism
Moderate: Body horror, Murder
challenging
funny
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
While dotted with funny moments and pithy witticisms, the book is really haunted by the author. It's difficult to ignore his transparent interest in underaged boys, and assuredness in his own intellect. But it's still a very interesting read, especially as a somewhat unconventional gothic novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Antisemitism, Murder, Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
This book will forever be engraved in my soul, forever this book will follow me.
There aren’t enough words in the english language to describe this book, no word can easily encapsulate the feeling this book gave me.
The writing was so eloquent in a way that no writer I’ve read has been able to achieve. This was the first book I actually took time to annotate and jot down some quotes (114 to be exact)
Now don’t be fooled, this book is still old and classic. There are parts that don’t make sense, that bore me and chapters filled with useless rambling and misogyny. But if you can just look past that and take the book for what it is, your efforts will not be in vain. This book is worth reading.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever watch the Netflix adaptation to this book, especially since they made Basil and Dorian siblings (Basil, the same man who repeatedly refers to worshipping Dorian). I still think if any book had to be the cause of someone going to jail for their homosexuality tendencies, it should be this one.
I wish I could erase my memory, just to read it again.
There aren’t enough words in the english language to describe this book, no word can easily encapsulate the feeling this book gave me.
The writing was so eloquent in a way that no writer I’ve read has been able to achieve. This was the first book I actually took time to annotate and jot down some quotes (114 to be exact)
Now don’t be fooled, this book is still old and classic. There are parts that don’t make sense, that bore me and chapters filled with useless rambling and misogyny. But if you can just look past that and take the book for what it is, your efforts will not be in vain. This book is worth reading.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever watch the Netflix adaptation to this book, especially since they made Basil and Dorian siblings (Basil, the same man who repeatedly refers to worshipping Dorian). I still think if any book had to be the cause of someone going to jail for their homosexuality tendencies, it should be this one.
I wish I could erase my memory, just to read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Suicide, Antisemitism
Minor: Antisemitism
dark
mysterious
fast-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
classic literature checklist: racism✔️, classism✔️, misogyny✔️, antisemitism✔️
ignoring the blatant prejudices, this book was captivating in ways i didn’t expect whatsoever. at first, i was like damn they yap a lot, but then we got to the painting and dorian’s loss of innocence and spiral into insanity and i was like hell ya. anyway, pretty good book and vibes. 4 stars
ignoring the blatant prejudices, this book was captivating in ways i didn’t expect whatsoever. at first, i was like damn they yap a lot, but then we got to the painting and dorian’s loss of innocence and spiral into insanity and i was like hell ya. anyway, pretty good book and vibes. 4 stars
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Antisemitism, Classism