I will read this entire remixed series and this retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of my faves. This Wretched Beauty tore my heart out in the best of ways. Keep reading this book review of This Wretched Beauty for my full thoughts.
Summary
London, 1867. Dorian Gray is the heir to a title and their family’s estate, but they’ve never been given the chance to decide whether that’s actually what they want out of life. Forcibly estranged from their father by their manipulative grandfather, Dorian feels trapped in the life that has been decided for them.
Then one night they sneak out of their grandfather’s house, they meet a sweet and talented young painter named Basil, who immediately recognizes Dorian as his new muse. They agree to sit for Basil for a portrait, and Dorian is struck by the beauty and depth that Basil paints into their likeness—and they dare to begin hoping there might be more to life than being their grandfather’s perfect, empty-headed heir.
Dorian is further elated when Basil introduces them to the world of molly houses and drag performers—they’ve never seen such joyful variety of humanity and gender expression. But, as the barrier between the London they know and the one they’re discovering begins to crumble, Dorian must face the fact that freedom and safety do not come hand in hand.
The aftermath of this realization pulls Dorian into a terrible downward spiral, torn between guilt over their own actions and hatred for the suffocating expectations of society. They push away those closest to them, surrounding themself instead with vapid courtiers and decadent socialites. And as Dorian’s spiral of self-loathing deepens, something strange happens—Basil’s portrait of them begins to change. Their smile becomes a little sharper, the glint in their eyes a little colder.
Dorian will have to choose—embrace the wickedness within and allow themself to become what they were always meant to be, or dare to try for something far more fragile and dangerous: a life of their own making.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
This Wretched Beauty wrecked me. I devoured it in a few days because I loved this blend of historical fiction and retelling. We jump straight into the action as Dorian is thrust headfirst into this new world. This Wretched Beauty explores how if we never see a healthy (queer) relationship modeled, we won’t know what to expect, what isn’t normal, or what is toxic. It’s about the criminalization of queer stories and lives both to Oscar Wilde and in this historical setting. And at the same time, it’s a story about growth, making mistakes – truly bad ones – and to live another day. It’s about looking at the worst parts of us, the things we’ve done, and learning to not look away.
This Wretched Beauty paints a gorgeous picture between the original, the history, and the new words we have today. When we don’t see ourselves in the present, how are we supposed to see ourselves in the future? The hope for a better day? In many ways, This Wretched Beauty is about sacrifice, making mistakes, and toxicity. What we would to do to escape. How can we reconcile ourselves with who we want to be, who we feel we are, and what parts of ourselves we can share with the world. This retelling was heartfelt and tender, vulnerable and unafraid to show all our flaws.
Find This Wretched Beauty on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.
Book Tour
| Tour Date | Tour Hosts | Type of Post |
| February 17th | @wheresmyboookk | Bookstagram only |
| bookswithmana | Bookstagram only | |
| @JadaDaDonDada | Bookstagram only | |
| February 18th | Bookstoldbycourtney | Bookstagram only |
| Utopia State of Mind | Bookstagram + Blog | |
| @the_bookish_chimera | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| February 19th | @gsreadingspree | Bookstagram only |
| @rina_beisel | Bookstagram only | |
| @lavender_reading | Bookstagram only | |
| February 20th | Sarah’s Thoughts on Books | Bookstagram only |
| Tardis_free_library | Bookstagram only | |
| @lgbtrepinbooks | Bookstagram only | |
| February 21st | MagnoliaPigeonBookBlurbs | Bookstagram feed post + Reel |
| @_squids_ink | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| The.professional_bookworm | Bookstagram only | |
| February 22nd | @_pastelwriter | Instagram + Tiktok |
| @ani.reading.by.starlight | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| Cassbeewrites | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| February 23rd | Books with Brandie Shanae | Bookstagram only |
| @_perpetualpages_ | Bookstagram only | |
| theveryqueerlibrarian | Bookstagram only |