Reviews with content warning for Blood - The Picture of Dorian Gray

Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

173 reviews

libra_sun's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I went into this book with zero knowledge of the plot, and I think it was the right choice. I couldn't put it down, I wanted to know what was happening and I love the way the mystery unfolded. It was an amazing reflective piece on society's obsession with beauty, and it is still wholly relevant, especially with the rise of social media. The idea that being beautiful means you are good.
My one critique is that there is a bit of rambling in some passages, but it's kind of par for the course in these types of books.
Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend.

Content Warnings

thalia16's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

ko_rax's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark reflective 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

4.25

It was great to witness Dorian's descent into madness. Boy, he went from innocent, pure and youthful to batshit evil and horrendous.

Now, did I enjoy reading it? Absolutely not - I cannot bear witnessing characters make foolish decisions, or worse, entice others to be foolish (I am looking at you,
Henry, you vile ENTP and misogynist
) - but that also was not the point of this novel at all. In fact,

Dorian

was meant to be a fool. We as readers, I dare say, were meant to witness the consequences, and/or lack thereof, of ignorance, abuse of power (or beauty, or "pretty privilege") and the absence of utterly needed reflection.

"There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful."

Dorian became hideous, and was unwilling to

atone for his crimes and sins, even until his end

. Unfortunately, Dorian chose to turn a blind eye towards

his actions and his overall behaviour

. Instead, he attempted to

escape and indulge in pleasantries and addiction, even hyper-fixation

simply to forget, until he was forced to remember all of it again.

I find this classic to be very marvellous, written with great attention to detail and prose. Maybe a little long-winding and challenging for some. Still, Oscar Wilde, what an astounding piece of art you have written! With that being said, what better way is there than to close it off with a quote of his on art itself?

"We can forgice a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.

All art is quite useless."

Content Warnings

marianasreading's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

olive_lol's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective 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

3.5

Content Warnings

catherinedsharp's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense fast-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

4.0

DISCLAIMER - I read this text as a set text for university meaning I did not pick this up for myself. It does not necessarily fit my usual reading selection so my review may be rather biased.

Really poetic and interesting reflection. Got a little slow towards the middle but picked up again and was a dark but good read.

Content Warnings

seanml's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark reflective 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

I don't know if I completely bought the idea of Dorian's trajectory during the novel. However, I did enjoy much of it, and the ghost story-like ending especially. The novel's best product is Wilde's many many philosophical quotes and musings that pepper the pages - most of them said by the character Lord Henry, as much as I dislike him. 8/10.

Content Warnings

tadah's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark funny medium-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

Content Warnings

kalynlarva's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

kattypillar13's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a difficult read if you like to root for characters in novels. That said, the characters are not designed to be likeable. The story reflects the problems of a culture obsessed with youth, aesthetics, and appearances, and it does so in a complex manner. It is a well-written novel which unsettles the reader and encourages them to reflect.

Content Warnings

More...