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dark
mysterious
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Racism, Suicide, Blood, Antisemitism
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the plot twists were crazy and unexpected, and the ending was just… omg.
great read
great read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Sexism, Classism
Minor: Drug use, Suicide, Gaslighting, Alcohol
funny
mysterious
tense
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
Wow. What an asshole. I'm glad I read this classic now rather than high school - I see what Wilde is doing in the grotesque descriptions of food, drink, and conversation. The twist here is part of the anglophone zeitgeist, but how we get there is not, and Wilde takes his sweet time in classic Wildeian plotlessness. You don't read about Gray's Jekyll & Hyde-esque philandering, but you sure sense its effects, and the damaging of "reputation" is as damning as Victorian England could get. Intensely homoerotic as to be expected, and I'm very glad I finally read it during a cold camping weekend over Thanksgiving.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Murder
Moderate: Blood, Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug use, Antisemitism
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Sexism, Toxic friendship
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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: Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Toxic relationship, Classism
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Suicide, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Cultural appropriation
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: Murder
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Suicide
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Classism
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
bless my useless workplace i've become literate again 🤩
anyway yeah idrk about this one. i annotated the shit out of my copy and yet by page 180 i was more than ready for it to end. i think the fact that the ending was very clearly foreshadowed since like page 3 didn't help keep my interest, but watching dorian gray's moral and psychological decline, as well as his descent into madness (and especially the (in)direct consequences ofsybil vane's death ) was incredibly interesting.
i think my biggest grievance with this book was henry's entire character. every time he started monologuing i had to sigh and brace myself for a lot of eye-rolling. obviously he's not meant to be a loveable character but jesus fucking christ dude. SHUT UP. i'm not even sure what bothered me i just needed him to stop ❤️
yeah i wouldn't say this was for me but i'm still glad i finally got around to reading it on my own time. i can still appreciate this classic for what it is and what wilde meant for it to be, and as far as certain themes go he did a splendid job given his contemporary circumstances, but i still believe he was easily at his best when he was being satirical.
anyway yeah idrk about this one. i annotated the shit out of my copy and yet by page 180 i was more than ready for it to end. i think the fact that the ending was very clearly foreshadowed since like page 3 didn't help keep my interest, but watching dorian gray's moral and psychological decline, as well as his descent into madness (and especially the (in)direct consequences of
i think my biggest grievance with this book was henry's entire character. every time he started monologuing i had to sigh and brace myself for a lot of eye-rolling. obviously he's not meant to be a loveable character but jesus fucking christ dude. SHUT UP. i'm not even sure what bothered me i just needed him to stop ❤️
yeah i wouldn't say this was for me but i'm still glad i finally got around to reading it on my own time. i can still appreciate this classic for what it is and what wilde meant for it to be, and as far as certain themes go he did a splendid job given his contemporary circumstances, but i still believe he was easily at his best when he was being satirical.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Suicide, Antisemitism
Minor: Animal death, Drug use
challenging
dark
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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 worshipped you too much. I am punished for it. You worshipped yourself too much. We are both punished.”
Ultimately, what can be said of a literary classic of this renown that has not been said before? This is, without doubt, a masterpiece of literature. It is a gorgeously lyrical, decadent, and terrifying exploration of art, soul, life, and influence.
The prose is beautifully crafted, wrapping within its layers both the superficiality and self-awareness of the 19th century England Wilde portrays. His characters are brilliantly realised and complex, with Dorian himself driving the story forward with a dual nature that is both tragic and horrifying.
The reader cannot help but hang upon Dorian’s every word and action, just as captivated as the characters within the novel, as he descends deeper into darkness towards the inevitable. Over it all looms the fatal portrait, in many ways both the root and result of all the evil. Although it only appears a few times throughout, its presence is always felt, a shadow in every corner as Dorian’s obsession grows.
It is truly a dark and enthralling tale which, for all its discussion of human and societal shallowness, speaks to the heart of conscience and emotion.
Ultimately, what can be said of a literary classic of this renown that has not been said before? This is, without doubt, a masterpiece of literature. It is a gorgeously lyrical, decadent, and terrifying exploration of art, soul, life, and influence.
The prose is beautifully crafted, wrapping within its layers both the superficiality and self-awareness of the 19th century England Wilde portrays. His characters are brilliantly realised and complex, with Dorian himself driving the story forward with a dual nature that is both tragic and horrifying.
The reader cannot help but hang upon Dorian’s every word and action, just as captivated as the characters within the novel, as he descends deeper into darkness towards the inevitable. Over it all looms the fatal portrait, in many ways both the root and result of all the evil. Although it only appears a few times throughout, its presence is always felt, a shadow in every corner as Dorian’s obsession grows.
It is truly a dark and enthralling tale which, for all its discussion of human and societal shallowness, speaks to the heart of conscience and emotion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Drug use, Suicide