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andyjnmcrae's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
This book had the potential to be really good. The placing of Wilde’s classic Dorian Gray into the AIDS crisis of the 1980s in genius because in Wilde’s time homosexuality was deemed a diseases infecting the minds of young men and driving them to suicide (hence the theme of suicide in the novel.) Ironic that they didn’t see that what drove these men to suicide was the judgement placed upon them even after the novel was released. I know the book rather well because I wrote my Bachelors dissertation on it and I was excited to read this adaptation. It struck me as somewhere between the original and trainspotting. Only is wasn’t quite as funny as trainspotting and it was much more violent than the original. I’m no stranger to the gothic and violence you can find reviews on here for much more chilling novels. It’s more that the violence in this novel was unnecessary. In my opinion it would be better to use AIDS to kill of the characters that needed to be killed by suicide for it to match the original text as at least then it speaks back to the stigma around homosexuality both in the 1890/ and 1980s but instead Self choses violent gay on gay homocide. Obviously I was prepared for one scene of this nature and it was executed well though it was cruel and brutal to read. I particularly enjoyed how the same drugs used to create the tape we’re used in basils death mirroring the knife in the original
My main major grievance with this novel is that despite it being written about the queer community it is not written for us, with snide and hurtful, homophobic, biphobic, transphobic, and racist remarks at every turn that are condoned by the narrator and never questioned. Such comments include brutal transphobic slurs, the oversexualisation of black men, representing gay men as predatory and bisexual men as sluts. I know Dorian is but come on don’t blame it on his bisexuality and villanise him in accordance with that (he’s literally a villain for SO MANY OTHER REASONS), that’s lazy writing. I can’t decide if the author is straight or the most self hating gay man on the planet.
Only finished it bc it was a gift from my mam. Enjoyed Gingers character I guess?
My main major grievance with this novel is that despite it being written about the queer community it is not written for us, with snide and hurtful, homophobic, biphobic, transphobic, and racist remarks at every turn that are condoned by the narrator and never questioned. Such comments include brutal transphobic slurs, the oversexualisation of black men, representing gay men as predatory and bisexual men as sluts. I know Dorian is but come on don’t blame it on his bisexuality and villanise him in accordance with that (he’s literally a villain for SO MANY OTHER REASONS), that’s lazy writing. I can’t decide if the author is straight or the most self hating gay man on the planet.
Only finished it bc it was a gift from my mam. Enjoyed Gingers character I guess?
amgel's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kimschouwenaar's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
3.0
I’m hesitating between 2,5 and 3 starts, because holy fuck I have a lot of issues with this book. only the epilogue saved this from being a two-star read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Rape, Murder, Mental illness, Homophobia, Drug use, and Death
jeyjey's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
jackieeh's review against another edition
4.0
This book is:
a) filthy
b) awesome
c) one of those that pulls the rug out from under you in the last few pages
I thought I was reading an update of The Picture of Dorian Gray, one whose modern setting and graphic sensibility allowed it to wallow in questions about the nature and addictive properties of evil, the duty of self-awareness, and the contagion of ideas. All that was very interesting. I felt sorry for Basil/Baz Hallward, although I did love this assessment of his murder from the lips--bien sur of Henry Wotton: "First, I don't believe he did it; secondly, even if he did, his victim wouldn't have had long to live in any case; and thirdly, Baz is so insubstantial anyway, to murder him would have all the actuality of rubbing out a bad fictional character."
Oh goodness.
Things the English major in me loved: all of the above plus the constant use of words like "gay," "queer," "straight," "bent," etc. in any possible sense. I remember these in Wilde as well, but obviously without the same level of self awareness. This was a very self aware book.
Which brings be back to the end. Was this book about echoes in time? Reincarnation? The nature of fiction itself? Crazy people? Who knows. As much as I shudder to contemplate recommending this to my fellow English major father, I kind of want to just to discuss this with him. Because I was about to give this three stars for cleverness before the epilogue catapulted it into four. What can I say? I love ambiguity.
a) filthy
b) awesome
c) one of those that pulls the rug out from under you in the last few pages
I thought I was reading an update of The Picture of Dorian Gray, one whose modern setting and graphic sensibility allowed it to wallow in questions about the nature and addictive properties of evil, the duty of self-awareness, and the contagion of ideas. All that was very interesting. I felt sorry for Basil/Baz Hallward, although I did love this assessment of his murder from the lips--bien sur of Henry Wotton: "First, I don't believe he did it; secondly, even if he did, his victim wouldn't have had long to live in any case; and thirdly, Baz is so insubstantial anyway, to murder him would have all the actuality of rubbing out a bad fictional character."
Oh goodness.
Things the English major in me loved: all of the above plus the constant use of words like "gay," "queer," "straight," "bent," etc. in any possible sense. I remember these in Wilde as well, but obviously without the same level of self awareness. This was a very self aware book.
Which brings be back to the end. Was this book about echoes in time? Reincarnation? The nature of fiction itself? Crazy people? Who knows. As much as I shudder to contemplate recommending this to my fellow English major father, I kind of want to just to discuss this with him. Because I was about to give this three stars for cleverness before the epilogue catapulted it into four. What can I say? I love ambiguity.
shom's review against another edition
4.0
Filthy and ruthless, yet a chewily delicious regurgitation of Oscar Wilde's trailblazing story of Dorian Gray. Set in 80's with the AIDS threat thrown into the chaos of an outrageous artistic milieu; Self pays a grand homage to the evergreen wicked and twisted tale.
.
The picture is updated to a video installation here, triggering the parallel downward spiral into world of hedonism. The story follows a circle of amoral decadent men between London and NY, sticking together as years age them by, sarcastically mirroring the world of the original prose, aptly supplemented by a thoroughly documented neon-lighted cynic world of those decades. Self has lavishly placed his characters with envisioned rottenness, that would make you chuckle and swear at the exploits of the events turning on your face. A genuine audacious take on the dysfunctional human tendency to "imitate" and adapt to the coursability of squalid realism. Though much of the story mirrors Wilde's arc with tongue-in-cheek linguistic upheavals sprinkled with dark humour mired in offensive yet exciting scenes including voyeurism, the suckerpunch of the story is revealed in the last chapter, crisply appended with a super-whack at the epilogue. Bordering with inceptional metafictional parody, the tale hangs you over a fitting grisly closure to revel at. A must read if you are a fan of the treacherous Dorian Gray!
.
The picture is updated to a video installation here, triggering the parallel downward spiral into world of hedonism. The story follows a circle of amoral decadent men between London and NY, sticking together as years age them by, sarcastically mirroring the world of the original prose, aptly supplemented by a thoroughly documented neon-lighted cynic world of those decades. Self has lavishly placed his characters with envisioned rottenness, that would make you chuckle and swear at the exploits of the events turning on your face. A genuine audacious take on the dysfunctional human tendency to "imitate" and adapt to the coursability of squalid realism. Though much of the story mirrors Wilde's arc with tongue-in-cheek linguistic upheavals sprinkled with dark humour mired in offensive yet exciting scenes including voyeurism, the suckerpunch of the story is revealed in the last chapter, crisply appended with a super-whack at the epilogue. Bordering with inceptional metafictional parody, the tale hangs you over a fitting grisly closure to revel at. A must read if you are a fan of the treacherous Dorian Gray!
antheasaw's review against another edition
I'm unsure on how i feel about this book. I don't know if this is a disgrace to the original The Picture of Dorian Gray or a good adaption of the modern world.
It took my awhile to get into the plot. I have to say the representation of Henry Wotton and Dorian Gray were pretty accurate. While it may be good, this book is too dark and graphic for my liking though.
It took my awhile to get into the plot. I have to say the representation of Henry Wotton and Dorian Gray were pretty accurate. While it may be good, this book is too dark and graphic for my liking though.
molliepop's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Interesting, and more explicit, retelling of Wilde's work. Liked the strange and innovative use of language to shrowd the violent/sexual acts, but unsure how accruate Self's representation of a community he is/was not a part of.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Death, and Drug use
balladofreadingqueer's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
angelicathebookworm's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Self’s novel contains a cast of well written yet truly terrible characters with Wooten and Gray being even more vicious than in Wilde’s original, and yet there are some annoyingly likeable characters that you will find having unavoidable sympathy and empathy for. There’s plenty of wit and humour, as well as a mix of low and high brow references and allusions, to make the scenes of unpleasant overindulgence more palatable. A much darker, grittier, and unapologetically vulgar rewrite of a classic and timeless text.
There are a number of content/trigger warnings with this text which are important to consider before picking this one up that include: graphic sexual content, gore, drug use, cheating/infidelity, narcissism, and violence. I’m not typically a sensitive reader but this is one of a handful of books I’ve read that was quite possibly too graphic for me and therefore impacted my rating. While not a note of criticism at all but rather a consideration depending on reader preference, it’s definitely not a light read and one that’s best to digest over some time. It’s also worth mentioning that this isn’t a book you read for plot or for characters, it’s more about the language and the social commentary and if you like in your novels then this is a good one to pick up.
For more reviews like this one, check out https://angelicacastilloking.wordpress.com/
There are a number of content/trigger warnings with this text which are important to consider before picking this one up that include: graphic sexual content, gore, drug use, cheating/infidelity, narcissism, and violence. I’m not typically a sensitive reader but this is one of a handful of books I’ve read that was quite possibly too graphic for me and therefore impacted my rating. While not a note of criticism at all but rather a consideration depending on reader preference, it’s definitely not a light read and one that’s best to digest over some time. It’s also worth mentioning that this isn’t a book you read for plot or for characters, it’s more about the language and the social commentary and if you like in your novels then this is a good one to pick up.
For more reviews like this one, check out https://angelicacastilloking.wordpress.com/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Body horror, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Medical content, and Medical trauma