Take a photo of a barcode or cover
dark
mysterious
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
Beautifully horrible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Suicide
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Xenophobia
challenging
dark
reflective
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
One of the greatest studies of the perils of vanity that I've read—and probably ever will read. I felt wretched as I read this, and my heart went out to the characters who were harmed by the progression of the story.
While the plot was fairly predictable all the way up until the end, the lessons still kept their power intact. I haven't read a lot of Gothic literature, but I hope to read even more of these classics as I explore the genre.
While the plot was fairly predictable all the way up until the end, the lessons still kept their power intact. I haven't read a lot of Gothic literature, but I hope to read even more of these classics as I explore the genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Suicide, Stalking, Suicide attempt
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
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
informative
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Murder
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
From the Preface
"All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath it do so at their own peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their own peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors."
From Chapter 2
"Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself."
From Chapter 20
"As it had killed the painter, so it would kill the painter's work, and all that that meant. It would kill the past, and when that was dead he would be free. It would kill this monstrous soul-life, and without its hideous warnings, he would be at peace. He seized the thing, and stabbed the picture with it."
Final Scene
"Lying on the floor was a dead man, in evening dress, with a knife in his heart. He was withered, wrinkled, and loathsome of visage. It was not till they had examined the rings that they recognized who it was."
Review
Oscar Wilde shows his artistic mastery through the preface, where he explores how we view art and warns against the danger of searching too deeply for hidden meanings. The Book follows Dorian's tragic journey after encountering someone(shall not be named) who views youth and beauty as life's most powerful attributes. This encounter leads to his obsession with maintaining his youth an obsession so profound that he declares he would rather die than grow old.
Ironically, this declaration becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In his final moments, Dorian believes that destroying the painting will solve everything, failing to realize that he himself is the artist's true masterpiece. He is both the art and the subject, the unchanging past incarnate, the monstrous soul he seeks to destroy. In attempting to find peace through the painting's destruction, he ultimately fulfills his earlier vow—he kills himself upon facing his own aging visage.
Dorian's fatal error lies in forgetting the books essential truth "Life itself was the first, the greatest, of the arts, and for it all the other arts seemed to be but a preparation." We must embrace life itself, not merely the temporary beauty of youth.
"All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath it do so at their own peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their own peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors."
From Chapter 2
"Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself."
From Chapter 20
"As it had killed the painter, so it would kill the painter's work, and all that that meant. It would kill the past, and when that was dead he would be free. It would kill this monstrous soul-life, and without its hideous warnings, he would be at peace. He seized the thing, and stabbed the picture with it."
"Lying on the floor was a dead man, in evening dress, with a knife in his heart. He was withered, wrinkled, and loathsome of visage. It was not till they had examined the rings that they recognized who it was."
Review
Oscar Wilde shows his artistic mastery through the preface, where he explores how we view art and warns against the danger of searching too deeply for hidden meanings. The Book follows Dorian's tragic journey after encountering someone(shall not be named) who views youth and beauty as life's most powerful attributes. This encounter leads to his obsession with maintaining his youth an obsession so profound that he declares he would rather die than grow old.
Dorian's fatal error lies in forgetting the books essential truth "Life itself was the first, the greatest, of the arts, and for it all the other arts seemed to be but a preparation." We must embrace life itself, not merely the temporary beauty of youth.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Murder, Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicide
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Suicide