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prettiestst4r's review against another edition
5.0
This is how you end a book, oh my god.
I love this
I love this
cassreadshere's review against another edition
4.0
The Picture of Dorian Gray (Uncensored) by Oscar Wilde
After sitting for a portrait by his dear friend, the artist Basil Howard, Dorian Gray is haunted by the beauty of his own image. Head filled with the hedonistic ideologies of the incorrigible Lord Henry Wotton Dorian believes the only things in life worth pursuing are beauty and pleasure. After an off-hand comment, Dorians soul and the portrait become linked. Dorian is free to live a life filled with debauchery and indulgence while remaining young and beautiful still. Instead the portrait ages, bearing all the physical manifestations of his sin filled existence.
In high school, this was one of the first books that made me fall in love with both classic and gothic literature. The fact that at the time of its publication both the novel and the author himself were steeped in controversy makes the book all the more gripping.
The is little difference between the published novel and the uncensored version. The main takeaway is the true expression of feeling from Basil Howard to Dorian Gray. In the original Basils feelings are passionate, but only that of an artist for its subject. In the uncensored version, these feelings are plainly romantic and it is well known to all the major characters.
After sitting for a portrait by his dear friend, the artist Basil Howard, Dorian Gray is haunted by the beauty of his own image. Head filled with the hedonistic ideologies of the incorrigible Lord Henry Wotton Dorian believes the only things in life worth pursuing are beauty and pleasure. After an off-hand comment, Dorians soul and the portrait become linked. Dorian is free to live a life filled with debauchery and indulgence while remaining young and beautiful still. Instead the portrait ages, bearing all the physical manifestations of his sin filled existence.
In high school, this was one of the first books that made me fall in love with both classic and gothic literature. The fact that at the time of its publication both the novel and the author himself were steeped in controversy makes the book all the more gripping.
The is little difference between the published novel and the uncensored version. The main takeaway is the true expression of feeling from Basil Howard to Dorian Gray. In the original Basils feelings are passionate, but only that of an artist for its subject. In the uncensored version, these feelings are plainly romantic and it is well known to all the major characters.
ros_bd's review against another edition
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
4.0
joe_lan08's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nancyboy's review against another edition
5.0
there are very few books that depict queer experiences as timeless as the picture of dorian gray. especially in this uncensored version. so much has changed from 1890 and yet so much is still the same. oscar wilde may not have the context of today and our queer language but i believe a lot of queer people relate so much to experiences of homosexuality in the text:
fear of your gay little secret being know despite it being extremely obvious to anyone who has eyes.
failing hopelessly in love with a gay who will never love you back.
those beautifully tragic summer romances.
being the forbidden fruit everyone would like to taste.
attempting to date the "opposite" sex and failing miserably.
trying to live your life by society's rules and that makes quite your homicidal.
having to live your true life in the shadows.
expressing your romantic feeling to the boy your obsessed with and well... shit hits the fan.
wanting to make romeo jealous.
being a repressed little gay forever and always.
believing you're the devil they say you all are so why not act the part.
honestly you could really go on forever with all the queer experiences that the novel talks about. when i say that the uncensored picture of dorian gray is one of the most homosexual novels i have ever read, i truly mean it. nothing else compares.
even oscar wilde's gay erotica Telany, though by contemporary standards i would deem it more literary fiction, doesnt even compare. it may technically have far more very explicit descriptions of homosexuality (and a lot of gay sex) as it follows a relationship between camille and telany. i appreciate how the novel Telany is about a gay man's experience of sexuality through many different sexual encounters, it just doesnt hit the same as dorian gray. Telany's scene feel more dated to the victorian era, plus a bunch of insanely weird plot points that i have idea why oscar wilde included.
even through the queer fiction i read today and its quite a lot, no one seems to have quite the way with words and sheer craft and skill to pack so much into one novel so elegantly. nothing feels undeveloped to me, it feels real, so real. i really dont know how oscar wilde did this.
its a masterpiece that will stand the test of time. i will continue to recite it and think about it every day
fear of your gay little secret being know despite it being extremely obvious to anyone who has eyes.
failing hopelessly in love with a gay who will never love you back.
those beautifully tragic summer romances.
being the forbidden fruit everyone would like to taste.
attempting to date the "opposite" sex and failing miserably.
trying to live your life by society's rules and that makes quite your homicidal.
having to live your true life in the shadows.
expressing your romantic feeling to the boy your obsessed with and well... shit hits the fan.
wanting to make romeo jealous.
being a repressed little gay forever and always.
believing you're the devil they say you all are so why not act the part.
honestly you could really go on forever with all the queer experiences that the novel talks about. when i say that the uncensored picture of dorian gray is one of the most homosexual novels i have ever read, i truly mean it. nothing else compares.
even oscar wilde's gay erotica Telany, though by contemporary standards i would deem it more literary fiction, doesnt even compare. it may technically have far more very explicit descriptions of homosexuality (and a lot of gay sex) as it follows a relationship between camille and telany. i appreciate how the novel Telany is about a gay man's experience of sexuality through many different sexual encounters, it just doesnt hit the same as dorian gray. Telany's scene feel more dated to the victorian era, plus a bunch of insanely weird plot points that i have idea why oscar wilde included.
even through the queer fiction i read today and its quite a lot, no one seems to have quite the way with words and sheer craft and skill to pack so much into one novel so elegantly. nothing feels undeveloped to me, it feels real, so real. i really dont know how oscar wilde did this.
its a masterpiece that will stand the test of time. i will continue to recite it and think about it every day
nancyboy56's review against another edition
5.0
there are very few books that depict queer experiences as timeless as the picture of dorian gray. especially in this uncensored version. so much has changed from 1890 and yet so much is still the same. oscar wilde may not have the context of today and our queer language but i believe a lot of queer people relate so much to experiences of homosexuality in the text:
fear of your gay little secret being know despite it being extremely obvious to anyone who has eyes.
failing hopelessly in love with a gay who will never love you back.
those beautifully tragic summer romances.
being the forbidden fruit everyone would like to taste.
attempting to date the "opposite" sex and failing miserably.
trying to live your life by society's rules and that makes quite your homicidal.
having to live your true life in the shadows.
expressing your romantic feeling to the boy your obsessed with and well... shit hits the fan.
wanting to make romeo jealous.
being a repressed little gay forever and always.
believing you're the devil they say you all are so why not act the part.
honestly you could really go on forever with all the queer experiences that the novel talks about. when i say that the uncensored picture of dorian gray is one of the most homosexual novels i have ever read, i truly mean it. nothing else compares.
even oscar wilde's gay erotica Telany, though by contemporary standards i would deem it more literary fiction, doesnt even compare. it may technically have far more very explicit descriptions of homosexuality (and a lot of gay sex) as it follows a relationship between camille and telany. i appreciate how the novel Telany is about a gay man's experience of sexuality through many different sexual encounters, it just doesnt hit the same as dorian gray. Telany's scene feel more dated to the victorian era, plus a bunch of insanely weird plot points that i have idea why oscar wilde included.
even through the queer fiction i read today and its quite a lot, no one seems to have quite the way with words and sheer craft and skill to pack so much into one novel so elegantly. nothing feels undeveloped to me, it feels real, so real. i really dont know how oscar wilde did this.
its a masterpiece that will stand the test of time. i will continue to recite it and think about it every day
fear of your gay little secret being know despite it being extremely obvious to anyone who has eyes.
failing hopelessly in love with a gay who will never love you back.
those beautifully tragic summer romances.
being the forbidden fruit everyone would like to taste.
attempting to date the "opposite" sex and failing miserably.
trying to live your life by society's rules and that makes quite your homicidal.
having to live your true life in the shadows.
expressing your romantic feeling to the boy your obsessed with and well... shit hits the fan.
wanting to make romeo jealous.
being a repressed little gay forever and always.
believing you're the devil they say you all are so why not act the part.
honestly you could really go on forever with all the queer experiences that the novel talks about. when i say that the uncensored picture of dorian gray is one of the most homosexual novels i have ever read, i truly mean it. nothing else compares.
even oscar wilde's gay erotica Telany, though by contemporary standards i would deem it more literary fiction, doesnt even compare. it may technically have far more very explicit descriptions of homosexuality (and a lot of gay sex) as it follows a relationship between camille and telany. i appreciate how the novel Telany is about a gay man's experience of sexuality through many different sexual encounters, it just doesnt hit the same as dorian gray. Telany's scene feel more dated to the victorian era, plus a bunch of insanely weird plot points that i have idea why oscar wilde included.
even through the queer fiction i read today and its quite a lot, no one seems to have quite the way with words and sheer craft and skill to pack so much into one novel so elegantly. nothing feels undeveloped to me, it feels real, so real. i really dont know how oscar wilde did this.
its a masterpiece that will stand the test of time. i will continue to recite it and think about it every day
mechies297_'s review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
chqrlotte's review against another edition
5.0
Het begin was 5 sterren waard, maar hoofdstuk 9 verdient een speciale plek in een vuilbak
j_j_max's review against another edition
3.0
(Disclaimer: I have not read the original, uncensored version.) I don’t think this was book was bad by any means, but it was just okay. There were horrifically boring parts (especially the beginning) that I found myself fighting to push through, but other parts I flew through with interest.
My biggest complaint for this novel is that there could’ve been more development over time of Dorian, instead of what seemed to be a switch being flipped on - not the most believable in my opinion. In addition, as another reviewer said, there’s reference to other events and people that we know nothing about. I think expansions on those would have helped with that character development I am struggling with.
Regardless, I think the themes of youth, beauty, and influence were easy to grasp and were a good discussion on them/impactful/applicable. Those themes just would have hit harder with more expansion. I also loved the hints of queerness throughout the novel, though as others have stated, the introduction kind of blue balled us with expectations.
My biggest complaint for this novel is that there could’ve been more development over time of Dorian, instead of what seemed to be a switch being flipped on - not the most believable in my opinion. In addition, as another reviewer said, there’s reference to other events and people that we know nothing about. I think expansions on those would have helped with that character development I am struggling with.
Regardless, I think the themes of youth, beauty, and influence were easy to grasp and were a good discussion on them/impactful/applicable. Those themes just would have hit harder with more expansion. I also loved the hints of queerness throughout the novel, though as others have stated, the introduction kind of blue balled us with expectations.