One of the greatest studies of the perils of vanity that I've read—and probably ever will read. I felt wretched as I read this, and my heart went out to the characters who were harmed by the progression of the story. 

While the plot was fairly predictable all the way up until the end, the lessons still kept their power intact. I haven't read a lot of Gothic literature, but I hope to read even more of these classics as I explore the genre. 

Let me lose my 💩 for a moment! I totally forgot I owned a copy of Dorian Grey. I went through a short lived phase of trying to collect as many penguin classics as possible. Unfortunately cause I own so many books, I forget I owned this and almost re-brought recently when I went out shopping. 

Anyway...I've heard so much about this. I know it has stage plays and I haven't seen any. But now I can form my own idea of how this book can be interpreted. 

When I read books I usually don't care about the author. No offence but your personal life is none of my business. But for some reason I decided to google Oscar Wilde. Bruh, what world have I been living under to find out he was gay and this book was written because he wanted to live openly in a society that excluded gay people. 

I aboustely love "old english" books. I love the way English has evolved to what it currently is and how poetic in a sense something used to be. 

So, this story is supposed to be how Wilde saw himself or at least a verison he wished he could be. I didn't see the gay subtext that was supposedly littered through but rather I saw a reckless, selfish, curious, imaginative man. A man who acts highly yet somehow easily influenced while feeling so certain of himself. If that's how Oscar Wilde wanted himself to be than that's something else entirely. 

fuck lord henry all my homies hate lord henry. good on victoria for leaving that miserable POS. rich people should have their excesses seized. get a job. my copy of this book was old and withered and musty like dorian gray and his crusty ass. basil <3 bby you didnt deserve what you got <3

I was expecting this book to mainly be a character study, so I somehow hadn't expected there to be as much plot as there was. Very engaging!

i find my feelings very hard to put into words. i cant describe how this book made me feel. it is topsy-turvy, it changes its pace midway through, and is constantly adapting itself.
i do think the online "hype" about this book makes this book overrated - but it still is a good book! i do feel as though this is one of those books when just reading it in isolation renders it a 3-star read, but with the introduction & biography following wilde, as well as context for the time in which it was written, the story opens itself up. 
i found the plot to lowkey be all over the place? i mean up until sibyl is

murdered

i  was enjoying this, and understood the hype. but following that plot point, this book does a complete 180, and i didn't know what to expect. the entire tone shifts almost instantaneously that night in the theatre, and i think its a neat comparison for

dorian's descent into madness from the painting to begin in a theatre - art destroying art in a sense

. but yet again, without deeper analysis & trying to read this book just as it is à la 'death of the author', this book would not be as good, and honestly that's why it isnt a 5-star. that and the writing gave me a headache many of times because i had no clue what i had just read because 75 words no longer used in the english language were present in a sentence that was 7 lines long. i get that's how classics are written but doesn't mean i have to like it!!
anyways, what else do i have to say? honestly i fail to truly grasp this book as well, i think because a lot of wilde's obvious intentions were masqueraded in subtext, and i am not good at subtext!! at all!! i am not a very smart reader (unless im actively trying to solve a mystery novel. then i become mf sherlock holmes). 
i enjoyed basil & dorian's characterisations, but henry's seemed to go over my head. i think im gonna have to read a deep analysis of his character because i seriously don't get how it is insinuated

henry sends dorian down his corrupt path

. yet again that could be because i missed the subtext or actually had no idea what i was reading due to the language used. sue me.
i reallllyyy enjoyed the ending. the book lowkey kinda floundered in the middle, but picked up again at full steam at around chapter 12. 
also no shade but chapter 11 isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. if im honest its probably the most important chapter of the book!!!
anyways booktwt dont sue me for not liking it, sue my brain for being a dumb ass bitch. 

edit 30/7/24: nvm im bumping it a star up cuz im up thinking about the ending 

The first half of the book was a little bit boring. My main thought was Please make Lord Henry shut up but the second half really got me. Absolutely loved the ending

Utterly terrifying, fabulous ending.