Reviews with content warning for Toxic friendship - The Picture of Dorian Gray

Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

231 reviews

roonilxwaslib's review against another edition

2.75

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-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

willow_the_wisp's review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective slow-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

eurus96's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

pinetree_reads's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

evemlacey's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad 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

The Picture of Dorian Gray was a wonderful read- and luckily, I went into it free of spoilers. I was rather satisfied with the ending. I felt as if it could've been slightly more dramatic but otherwise, I found it a logical yet poetic finish to the book.

If I could describe this book in three words, I would say eerie, meaningful, and poetic. Reading this made me realise once again what an incredible writer Oscar Wilde was. I've seen a few negative reviews from the book, but I genuinely enjoyed it.

I think a lot of people assume that Dorian Gray sells his soul to Lucifer, which is not true. I was a little confused at first but essentially, he just makes a wish to stay youthful and the portrait to instead reflect his age. It is unexplained how that works- but I like when the reader has to analyse and come to a conclusion by themself.

Overall, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. It's a must-read.

Content Warnings

willow1113's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

emnime's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional funny mysterious 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

bbmaan's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

midnightrain_'s review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

waytoomanybooks's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

Knowing about Oscar Wilde's past is crucial to reading this novel. It's not just that his gayness was an open secret, but that his targets weren't just men, but also boys. As in actual teenage children. Wilde was also openly Antisemitic and misogynistic in his real life and throughout the novel. What his three main characters do, say, think, and feel very closely mirrors Wilde's own. Much like the titular Dorian, it is clear that Wilde suffered from an inflated ego, was bloated with pride, and had a conscience that weighed him down...but not enough to change, grow, or do better. Trigger warnings abound throughout this novel as we watch Dorian explore the world of vice and sin, leaving a body count in his wake.

Content Warnings

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