Reviews

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Only show reviews with written explanations

janagaton's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

it was a 5 until chapter 11 & it lost me all the way til the end with the exception of the parts involving death lmao

mayastpierre's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

lord henry needs to stfu

billiamdyemyhair's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Really quite excellent but to me somewhat disappointing. I was expecting this to be light, funny Wilde (there’s some of this) and instead this is a lot of philosophy and horror. It’s amazing, very interesting, sometimes funny, and very quotable but I feel like it also can be long winded. Oscar Wilde has his own character to commentate over the novel and he never seems to shut up (not even a bad thing all the time just annoying when it goes on for pages)

ps55's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark 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

greatcatsby's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious 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

4.0

pratty97's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The entire book had me speechless. Written in a way that it is relevant even now, after 130 years of its release!
Dorian, an impressionable, handsome, young fellow; his life completely changes when he visits his painter friend's studio. Once untouched by cruel realities and hedonistic values, the knowledge of beauty's importance & transience and Henry’s influence taints our guy. He sells his soul to the devil, forgoes friends who try to show him right from wrong, breaks hearts, commits crimes, blackmails, fancies every materialistic luxury under the sky and lives in vain - unaffected by everything because the Picture of Dorian Gray exists to bear the burden of his offences. The ending really shocked me.
With hints of homosexuality, this story is revolutionary in its own way.