This Wretched Beauty

Remixed Classics #10

by Elle Grenier

Happiness needs to be earned in the face of impossible odds, or there’s no beauty in it.

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 Dorian’s rosy outlook is shattered when a police investigation into Dorian’s favorite performer, Sybil Vane, implicates them in “indecent” activities. Terrified of their grandfather’s wrath, Dorian offers evidence against Sybil in a panic, and immediately hates themself for turning on a new friend. Finally breaking free of their grandfather’s control, Dorian flees to a country estate, but the damage has been done.

Dorian falls into a terrible downward spiral, torn between guilt over their own actions and hatred for the suffocating expectations of society. They push away Basil and their father, 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 a life of their own making.

The Remixed Classics Series
A Clash of A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee
So Many A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow
Travelers Along the A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
What Souls Are Made A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri
Self-Made A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore
My Dear A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron
Teach the Torches to A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig
Into the Bright A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
Most A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
This Wretched A Dorian Gray Remix by Elle Grenier

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Retellings, Queer, Historical, LGBT, Audiobook

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2026

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that I haven’t read The Picture of Dorian Gray. I’ve heard about it, many times even, but actually read it? No. So I can’t compare The Wretched Beauty to Wilde’s novel directly. But it feels like this retelling is very, very close to it, and at the same time still so distinct.

Dorian feels different. It’s not fully clear at first why. But as the story unfolds, it becomes more and more apparent that Dorian doesn’t always feel comfortable in their male body.

If I had to compare this story to another, aside from Dorian Gray itself, I’d pick Annemarie McLemore’s Self-Made Boys, another remix—this time of The Great Gatsby. It’s the lush writing, the retelling but make it queer/trans, and the way both books seem to honor the original while transforming it to a whole new story.

The reason I’m not rating this beautiful retelling five stars is because, even though the writing is gorgeous, it sometimes slips into telling rather than showing. I frequently stumbled over words like realize and wonder, filter words that weren’t necessary. But aside from that, I loved this story and that ending was just perfection!

Thank you, Fiercereads and NetGalley, for this beautiful ARC!

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[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fresh take on Dorian Gray centering a queer and trans main character who is pushed into difficult circumstances in their quest to live as themselves. Lord Dorian Gray is a teen heir to a wealthy estate, but their grandfather expects traditional masculinity from them. While having their portrait painted, they meet a man that introduces them to underground Molly clubs where cross-dressing is common and men are with other men. Dorian decides he wants to discover all sides of himself, even if it means hurting those around him, and watching his portrait change as he never ages.

I think what's interesting about this version of the story is it offers a different perspective on what were considered the "sins" of Dorian Gray, in context of a homophobic society that didn't offer a lot of safe places for queer and trans young people. Dorian must confront their own sense of shame over who they are in order to be free. The audio narration is gorgeously done. I received an audio copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got an arc from Libro.FM

I’ve considered Elle a friend for a long time and I am so so SO happy to see all the effort they’ve put in over the years come to fruition in such a phenomenal way!
Simply put: this is an incredible book. The writing is so lyrical in a way that feels both historical but approachable? If the author revealed on launch day that she’s actually a time traveler and that’s how they got such a specific voice down, I’d believe it. I can see the writing style being divisive for people in the target age range but I also know that there are plenty of moody gothic teens who will find their lives changed for the better after stumbling across this in a library. I fully see this spurring a legion of Byronic trans kids into devotion for everything Elle writes going forward and I support her in amassing an army.

So yeah, pick this up asap!!

[Benjamin Kersey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM SO FUCKING PROUD OF MY SISTER.

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I felt real. Alive. As if I weren't some ghost in the shape of a future lord, but a fire crackling in every direction, warming and fascinating those who came near me; an open flame unrestrained by any hearth, free to blaze as bright as it could dream."

The Wretched Beauty is replete with incredibly beautiful descriptions and deep emotions. I love that these Remixed Classics are so inclusive of other life experiences and types of people, young folks deserve stories that represent them. The addition of queer characters of different genders and orientations was beautifully woven together. Any young readers (and, coincidentally, any adults like myself who love LGBTQIA+ inclusive literature and classics) who may not fit into the traditional gender binary will probably love the representation- I was thrilled at the inclusion of trans masc and trans femme characters.

There are also plenty of characters whose explicit orientations we aren't told (makes sense, given the terms weren't in existence at the time when the story is set) but they most certainly are of the queer persuasion. In the words of Basil: "If it's of any comfort to you," Basil dodges, "I enjoy women just as much. people are uniquely delightful creatures-why would I limit myself to half the scope of treasures this world has to offer?"

Yet another book I would've LOVED to have encountered as a young person. It's so important for literature like this to exist. It's a huge bonus that this is both a richly beautiful and monstrous retelling, exactly as it should be.

Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Children's Publishing, and especially Elle Grenier for this ARC, it's truly wonderful.

[Christiana Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realize I loved this book until it was over. I am bereft. I wanted it to keep going.

If you loved A Portrait of Dorian Gray and wouldn’t see it remixed this will not be for you, but if you’re open to exploring that story with a bit more compassion for our anti-hero I’d recommend this book.

Also, I may be reading this wrong, but there’s a certain amount of gender play going on that seemed so natural to Dorian’s character, I guffawed. Unsure of how Dorian might identify today, but I think it added to the overall character arc.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I got to the Sybil section… I audibly went OH NO out loud

Pros:
- I am once again thrilled and delighted by how well the remixed authors’ writing manages to capture the time period of the original classic. The prose is decadent and effusive in a way that surely would make Oscar Wilde proud
- I really love the choices that were made with Dorian; they’re so human and scared and ashamed and really brought the character to life
- speaking of Dorian— GENDER FUCKERY!! Yes!!! It fits so well!!!
- as a life-long Henry hater, I appreciate how much this book shits on him. Like yeah, drag him to hell, he deserves it 💅
- Basil!!!! Basil beloved, best character of the original, and best character of this. I loved loved loved him!!!
- the introduction of the grandfather and having him be a large part of Dorian’s arc was so satisfying. It gave weight and reason to Dorian leaning heavily into more hedonistic tendencies, the pendulum swinging for balance and going too far the other way
- Étienne and Fabián fabulous additions as well, but also :((
- the ENDING!!! I didn’t know where it was gonna end up so I was TENSE but then I was :)))

Cons:
- this isn’t necessarily a con, but since this is YA I do want to note that the more Victorian-esque writing style does drag the narrative a little. It’s well done but if you don’t particularly like that style of writing, it might be a little annoying to you
- this is a classic note I have, but after 250 pages of sad and bad, I do want a little longer of a wrap up! Only a teeny tiny bit longer though, Grenier gave us a very good pay off

Overall:
VERY happy with this!! I really loved how much gender play featured and the discussion of the limitations of language and societal expectations and feeling wrong and bad and evil just because of the way you are. All of it just chef’s kiss

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy!

4.5/5

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the free audiobook and to Goodreads for the free physical arc to review!

I read this for the Trans Rights Readathon and if you want to participate you should check it out over on StoryGraph!

This was awesome! For the first time, I have no context like at all. I had to google what the original was about and vaguely remember hearing about it before. I checked it out so I can compare because I'm curious, especially after I learned that there was some rumors about the sexuality of the main characters in the original. This is the second book where there's a subtext to the relationships or sexuality of the characters that I hadn't heard about before I listened to a queer retelling.

I am not gonna lie, I completely forgot that homosexuality was a jailable offence. That makes everything Dorian goes through so much more intense and terrifying. If just being gay is jailable then I can't imagine how much worse being trans would be. I like how Dorian being trans wasn't one of her sins that she counted against herself. She knew that she had to hide it and that it was scandalous but I noticed it was never one of the sins she recounted seeing on her painting. I also liked how the artist helped her understand herself more.

I really liked how this ended. Again, no idea how the original went, but I feel like this gentle reflection of looking at oneself and the decisions one has made in a different light and learning to accept those decisions and circumstances was really great.

The narrator did a great job and I really enjoyed listening to it.

[Jaime Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I've read in novels that some people are meant to leave marks on each other's lives before they've even met, but the concept has always seemed too fanciful even for me."

"[I]f it means that every now and then he'll glance up to me with the devotion he has for his canvas, I'm more than willing to sit and play along."

"I felt real. Alive. As if I weren't some ghost in the shape of a future lord, but a fire crackling in every direction, free to blaze as bright as it could dream. Free to burn the world to ashes, if it so desired. I've come close to that feeling before..."

"You have painted me more beautifully than any brush ever could. I will live the rest of my life haunted, knowing it remains as it does while I cannot. I suppose there is some cold comfort in knowing at least one of us will stay this way forever—but know that I would give anything to reverse our fates. I would offer my very soul, if it meant this portrait might age and I might wear its beauty forever."

"There is no greater rebellion than embracing pleasure for pleasure's sake, when society is so fixated on maintaining illusions of morality."

"Nothing is eternal—certainly not something as wretched as you."

[Jess Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy of this Dorian Gray remix. This was excellent.

The narrator has such a good voice I could listen to her read anything (Back of the tampon box, directions, ingredients, grocery list, I don't even care. I am sat.) She matched the vibes and the character the author created so well.

This is a debut novel and the author really did a great job. They put an original twist on the classic tale by making Dorian tansgender and weaving new meanigful themes into the story. The Prose is beautiful, dense and gothic and I loved it. I will be picking up a physical copy on release day to mark many great lines.

I will definitely be picking up more of these remixed classics as well as Elle's next book! Highly recommend checking this one out!

[KDub · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 🌟 rounded up

As a fan of The Picture of Dorian Gray, this “remix” of it is a little frustrating. The storyline is...similar. But Dorian is much younger (16-19), and the ending is more YA-friendly. Some of it just didn’t work for me, and the ending felt very anticlimactic.

Narration for the audiobook is done by Jenet LeLacheur. She does a lovely performance with the different characters. Her reading does feel a little breathless, which I found a bit distracting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the eARC, and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. #MacAudio2026

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a queer retelling of the picture of Dorian gray. I have not read it-so maybe take this review with a grain of salt.

I thought this was okay. We are mainly in Dorian’s head-so there is a lot of being told what’s happening without actually reading it. I thought the pacing was very slow.

There are some pretty prose.

My favorite part was the authors note.

Thank you Macmillan for the audiobook!

[el ✯ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.25) rtc!

[Liz ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

oh…. oh I did not care for this unfortunately.

[rachel x]

"This transfeminine YA remix of The Picture of Dorian Gray sees Dorian moved to jealousy towards her own portrait not only by vanity, but also a sudden awareness of the young man she’s expected to become, leading her through a dark web of obsession, paranoia, and terror as her portrait starts to change in her place"

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! When the journey to self acceptance starts with a cursed portrait, a boy quietly yearning for you on the sidelines, self destructive behaviour, a manipulative relationship with a man who wants to trophy wife you, and ends with setting fires and fleeing into the night.

Thank you Titan Books for the early copy!

The OG intolerable (positive) queer MC of my heart Dorian Gray gets a stunning trans retelling, full of self discovery, reflections, and examinations of the importance of art and how it is a vehicle for visibility and perspectives which help people feel less alone. This is precisely why books are considered threats to people who seek to isolate and contain.

THIS WRETCHED BEAUTY is a gorgeous, gothic and atmospheric consideration of trauma and what happens when the language to convey one’s own identity is withheld. The impact of repression and forced conformity to societal expectations of gender and identity.

Dorian is the transfeminine heart of this story, as expected, and Dorian’s relationship with self, looks and identity is something that will hit so deeply for so many people, for anyone who has ever felt: unloved or ill-fitting in their own skin, resentful of people who seem self assured in their body/identity, self destructive, without the language to understand who they are, and fearful of what self acceptance means in the eyes of society: the conflict between being “safe” and being true.

I thought the portrayal of Basil and Henry was well done, and they offered much needed foils for Dorian’s internal work. The constant presence of Dorian’s grandfathers shadow and the internal demons was also a brilliant way of showing their mental decline. Rather than focus on the hedonistic nature of Dorian’s foray into depravity after meeting Henry, this focuses much more deeply on the psychological impact of Dorian’s repression, the undercurrent conflict inside them driving their need for affection and acceptance. This Dorian’s story centres on the sidelining of what is deemed “taboo” in society, and how damaging it is for people who don’t “fit” heteronormative and cis normative identities when it is only “acceptable” to be one’s true self in the shadows, in the dark and hidden away, illicit places of society.

[Caitlin Furniss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Titan Publishers for this ARC.

This is a fresh and thoughtful retelling of Dorian Gray that has a queer and trans main character, and it really works. Instead of just updating the original story, it looks closely at identity, repression, and what happens when someone isn’t given the language or space to understand, or be, themselves. It keeps the gothic atmosphere of the original works, but the emotional focus is much more personal.

In this version, Dorian is a transfeminine young heir growing up under a strict and traditionally masculine grandfather. The portrait is still there, but it feels less about vanity and more about inner conflict.. touching on feelings of shame, longing, and self-division. When Dorian is introduced to an underground space where queerness is visible and possible, the story shifts into something deeper. This story is not just about decadence, but the pull between what is safe for the character but also true to themselves.

I appreciated that this book doesn’t sensationalise Dorian’s downward spiral. Rather than focusing mainly on hedonism, it explores the cost of not only repression, but isolation. Dorian’s self-destructive choices feel rooted in shame and a need for acceptance. A story that resonates with many. The author has successfully captured the feeling of being truly uncomfortable in your own skin, whilst also resentful of people who are not.

Basil and Henry are strong contrasts to Dorian and help highlight different parts of Dorian’s internal struggle without overshadowing it.

It’s gothic and atmospheric, but also reflective and grounded in very real experiences of gender and identity. For me this retelling doesn’t replace the original, but a meaningful new perspective , one that shows how damaging it can be to live in a society that doesn’t allow you to exist how you know you should on the inside.

Overall, I found the book powerful and carefully done. It’s not perfect, but it’s thoughtful, moving, and offers something genuinely different whilst also resonating with a familiar tale of not feeling understood, by anyone, including sometimes, yourself.

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC!

Cards on the table, I have not read The Picture of Dorian Gray so I'm quite unfamiliar with the characters and general plot aside from Dorian and the portrait, but I imagine this is quite an approachable retelling for YA audiences. I really enjoyed it, personally; the writing feels lush and immersive for the time period, something I wasn't quite expecting but was pleasantly surprised by. The narrator for the audiobook did a fantastic job conveying this and embodying all the characters, but particularly Dorian, making their inner voice sound like I was listening to a hushed, intimate recounting, almost soothing with an underlying darkness like an episode of the Magnus Archives.

Regarding the actual book, I deeply appreciated how the author explored queerness, especially gender queerness and dysphoria, in a nuanced way that feels genuine for the era yet is still applicable to certain queer people today. It was pretty refreshing to me after sampling some other fantasy books with nonbinary MCs who deal with the issue a bit too heavy-handed and/or a bit too modernly, and personally, I felt Dorian's more nameless and mostly unquantifiable but still real and complicated feelings about their gender most closely reflected my own experiences, which was really nice to see in a book, honestly. I also appreciated the deft way the author handled Dorian's abusive relationships, as I think topics like that are important for a YA audience to understand and recognize. Dorian themself is a messy character who makes many mistakes and hurts a lot of the people around them (as their inspiration did too, I'm sure) but ends up living a more hopeful, freer life by the end, which I also think is important for teenagers to learn about. Overall, I think this is a pretty much fantastic YA book if not retelling, and I'll be keeping an eye on this author.

[The Bookish Chimera - Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The secret in my portrait has shifted from my longings to my sins, but they’ll be guarded just as safely.”

What a gorgeous book it was! This is one of these atmospheric stories that make their way under my skin, and make it difficult for me to gather my thoughts to write a fair and constructed review about them.
The writing is lush, immersive and will take you to this 19th century London… and right into Dorian’s mind. Indeed, the prose drowns you into a haze and you can almost see the shadows sliding in the corner of your eyes. This is a haunting book, quite tortured, but also beautiful.
Dorian is so afraid about who they could become, if left on their own devices. Yet, they long to know who they are anyway, and this self-discovery, this gender exploration, are at the center of the book. However, their own prejudices, the fact they knew only abuse until now, lock Dorian in their very own prison —as fenced as their grandfather’s house— as they tend to reproduce this hurtful pattern and hate themselves for who they are (and are or could become).
What probably shattered me the most, is how the author shows the importance of putting words to describe one’s situation, because naming something is the beginning of knowing it —and it applies, in my opinion, to oneself too— and, consequently, to accept it. Without that, Dorian is almost engulfed by his own shadows, as much as by the predators they couldn’t recognize as such.
Even though most of the book is dark and shadowy, it has its colors too, especially when it comes to art. The mirror between Dorian and their portrait, how the beautiful can turn into ugly, is as terrifying as it’s beautiful, giving us, in the end, a sparkle of light and of hope.

Thank you to ColoredPages PR and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the access to the eARC on NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

I really enjoyed Elle Grenier’s take on The Picture of Dorian Gray. This Wretched Beauty challenges Oscar Wilde’s assertion that art has no material effect on anything other than one’s senses. Grenier seems to convey that art cannot be divorced from the societal and political environment in which it is created. Both works explore the emptiness and inhumanity of obsession with appearances. However, This Wretched Beauty is a character-driven coming-of-age novel that focuses on the damage and danger that forced performances of “acceptable” social, gender, and/or sexual roles cause.

This Wretched Beauty is a lovely retelling and exploration of identity; overcoming abuse; and the difficulty, bravery, and danger in accepting yourself when society decides it knows best.

Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.

[Bekah Mondy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I know the story of Dorian Gray, I haven't ever read the original story. That being said, this retelling made it easily accessible and felt as thought it breathed new life into a story that we all at least vaguely know while making it engaging for a new audience. I love the remixed classics series and this story fit into it well. It allows the audience to relate to Dorian and understand what position they're placed in while still holding onto the original setting and circumstances. This is a great retelling and a wonderful addition to the remixed classics series!

[Gracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, this is my second absolutely surreal review of the year. Shout out to yet another one of my amazing friends achieving their dream. And what a dream it is to get to read this prose in a physical book 😩😩

Elle is an incredible writer, and This Wretched Beauty is some of her best work yet. The characters, setting, and aforementioned prose are all so visceral and gorgeously presented. I especially love the use of color and art references throughout the book. This Wretched Beauty doesn't shy away from its heavier topics, but still presents them subtly. I felt everything 😩💕

I can't wait to see what comes next from this author 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[Marina Marcello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished This Wretched Beauty on audio, narrated by Jenet Le Lacheur, a trans, nonbinary actor. Their voice was excellent for this book. I really felt like I was listening to Dorian & not someone voicing a character.

This retelling brings the queerness of the original–as Oscar Wilde intended!–The Picture of Dorian Gray to the forefront of the story and we are entranced by a 19th Century London in which repressed nobles let themselves explore gender identity and fluidity. Dorian themself is a trans main character, and we get to peek inside their mind as it’s told in the first person. I’m really loving Elle’s exploration and self-discovery of Dorian Gray in their debut novel!

I’m actually glad I haven’t read the original yet, as I had zero expectations going in and for the conclusion. I know from various media portrayals of Dorian, he is often considered a villain or monster who comes to a bad end. I’m very glad this did not happen with Elle’s Dorian. TWB’s Dorian is a beautiful example of the human ability to change, improve, and rehabilitate relationships–with oneself and others. This story felt very much like a character study and it was full of lush colors, settings, and people with a plot based more around internal conflict. In the end, I am giving it 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories of self-discovery and internal conflict.

[isbah ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

- thank you netgalley for the arc ₊˚⊹♡

3.75 ⭐ "would it be enough to become a beautiful thing, rather than to create one"

"this wretched beauty" is a beautifully written t4t remix of the beloved classic the picture of dorian gray that explores the burden of expectations and the longing to uncover a missing part of you. i really enjoyed reading about elle grenier's take on dorian's character and how challenging gender dysphoria could be. i just overall really loved how they portrayed dorian & basil in this story!
i also liked how vivid the art scenes were written, along with how the painting showcased the freedom and image of herself that dorian had not known she was chasing until that moment.

some of my favorite quotes:

"maybe it's the comfort that would come from someone seeing me as thoroughly as he seems to and still finding something worth cherishing"

"art is a means of connection. i can guarantee you there is nothing i deem more indicative of intimacy and companionship than someone trusting me to paint them"

"time is not so gentle a painter as basil is"

[Chloe]

This was STUNNING. From the writing to the exploration of queerness in a time when it was so completely stigmatized to the growth through the very worst of things. It's an incredible book.

[Mick B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strong concept, weak pacing

"His face reminds me of plants I've heard described in travel journals whose flowers serve as bait to lure their prey I feel studying his features as though his mouth might unhinge if I reach too close ready to swallow me whole. The young man in the portrait I realize with growing horror looks like an heir of whom grandfather might be proud."

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Grenier, and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

CW: Toxic relationship, transphobia, homophobia, fire/fire injury, murder, emotional abuse, drugs, alcohol

Elle Grenier's This Wretched Beauty: A Dorian Gray Remix is part of the Remixed Classics series. Authors from marginalized backgrounds take classic works and reinterpret them through their own cultural lens. This one tackles Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. It's set in London in 1867. Dorian Gray is heir to their family's estate. Their grandfather has been controlling Dorian's life and has specific expectations for what the heir should be. Dorian isn't sure this is the life they want. One night Dorian sneaks out. They meet Basil, a painter who wants Dorian as his muse. Basil paints a portrait that shows Dorian beauty they hadn't seen in themselves before. Through Basil, Dorian discovers molly houses and drag performances. As Dorian struggles with guilt and self loathing, the portrait starts to change.

Jenet LeLacheur reads the audiobook. The narration didn't work for me. It has a breathy, whispery quality. It feels flat and lacks emotion. I only got through it by speeding it up. That helped but it still wasn't what I needed from a narrator.

I've read the original Picture of Dorian Gray. I gave it 3 stars. I didn't love it.

I have a BA in Gender Studies. The trans and nonbinary representation here matters. Dorian's journey with gender is at the center of the story. The book is openly queer without apology. It looks at what it means to struggle with who you are in a world that doesn't want you to exist as yourself. That's important, especially in a YA book set during the Victorian era when people didn't have the language we have now to talk about gender and identity.

Basil stands out as a character. He's well written and compelling. The gothic atmosphere works for the story. The book captures the feel of the time period in a way that's accessible for a YA audience.

The writing is beautiful but it's heavy. The prose drags. This is similar in style to My Dear Henry, another book in the Remixed Classics series, but this one feels much denser. That worries me for a YA book. Younger readers might struggle with how thick the writing is.

The pacing is a real problem. This book moves very slowly. Most of what happens is internal. You're in Dorian's head constantly but not much actually occurs on the page. A lot of events happen off screen. You get told about them after the fact instead of experiencing them. That makes the story feel stagnant.

Dorian's gender journey was confusing to follow at first. The description uses they/them pronouns for Dorian. But in the book itself, Dorian starts with he/him and gradually realizes that doesn't fit. She feels more right. That shift wasn't clear early on. It took time to understand what was happening with Dorian's identity.

Dorian is hard to like. They come across as pitiful and passive. Things happen to Dorian more than Dorian makes things happen. For someone who's supposed to be spiraling into corruption and making terrible choices, there's not enough action. The downfall doesn't feel active or deep enough.

The ending rushes through everything. After spending the entire book moving at a crawl, suddenly it all happens fast. It was nice to finally have some momentum after struggling through slow sections. But the payoff doesn't land the way it should. The ending needed more space to develop properly instead of cramming everything in quickly.

This isn't close to the original Picture of Dorian Gray. That's on purpose. This is a remix, not a straight retelling. It takes the concept and goes somewhere different. If you're expecting it to follow Wilde's story closely, you'll be disappointed.

The representation is valuable. The exploration of gender and identity matters. Basil is done well. The atmosphere fits. But the execution has serious issues. The narration didn't work for me. The pacing drags badly. Dorian doesn't have enough agency. The ending rushes what should be the most important moments.

This works for readers who care more about representation than pacing, people who enjoy heavy Victorian style writing even when it's slow, fans of the Remixed Classics series who know what to expect, anyone interested in trans and queer characters in historical settings, and readers who want a gentler version of Dorian Gray. If you need narration with emotional range, tight pacing, characters who drive their own stories, or books that show instead of tell, this won't work.

Strong themes undermined by execution problems.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟

I haven't reread Dorian Gray since I read it 8 years ago, but this "remix" was so lovely it made me want to return to the source material. Though, to be fair, I think this book made the characters of Dorian and Basil feel more real and in reach. From my review of the original text, it seems the only character I "enjoyed" (using this term very loosely) was Henry, but this was only because his presence was impossible to ignore. Meanwhile, I was left wanting more of Basil and unsatisfied with Dorian, but this novel gave me what I wanted.

Let's start with Dorian herself. This is the kind of novel that if you can't find yourself invested in her story early on, you're going to struggle. It's a very interior novel, focused primarily on the feelings and thoughts of Dorian, and this is something I can personally appreciate. I have no problem reading character driven novels or novels that are primarily a character study. This book very much is this. The main conflict of the story is all interior. Dorian is severely struggling with feelings of self-hatred. She's self-isolating. She pushes people away from her out of fear of being known and being rejected--which all just reinforces her negative self-talk about being awful. I would say its actually one of the biggest difference between the source material and this novel. The original Dorian was legitimately doing terrible things, but here Dorian's worst crime was what she did to Sybil Vane, but even this is resolved in a beneficial way for said character... So, really, Dorian's real crime is being selfish and occasionally verbally cruel, but nothing that would legitimately categorize her as an awful person. It was an interesting approach that made my heart ache for Dorian.

Dorian overall had to learn the lesson "When you 'assume' you make an 'ass' out of u and me" because that was the crux of her issues. She was making decisions for others thinking it was the best way to handle things, but this took the agency from other characters who, if given the option, would've helped her and supported her. It was frustrating at times to read 😩 but ultimately it is one of the big lessons Dorian has to learn (and is still working through) by the end of the novel.

Now for the characters of Basil and Henry.

If I'm honest, I would've been happy to have even more of Basil in this novel, but I get why he still remained a little out of reach. He was scared, for his own reasons, of being bold and clear with his affections for Dorian, and he's one of the clear examples of how Dorian pushes away the people who would care for her the most. It still breaks my heart a little thinking of the main scene where Dorian casts Basil aside out of her own guilt and fear of Basil learning what she's done and is capable of. I did appreciate, however, that despite the fact that we didn't get much of him or why there's such a depth of feeling of emotion between him and Dorian, we still see Basil yearn to understand Dorian and help her. He doesn't give up on her.

In the case of Henry, he's as despicable here as he is in the source material. I couldn't help but highlight some of the things he says because they're so disgusting. He truly views Dorian as a possession--worse than that--he considers her an "empty" vessel that needs to be filled. In his eyes, she's not self-sustaining. She has to be given meaning because she has none on her own. It's gross. As the author explains in the author's note, the worst of his crimes are left off the page, but they're easy to insinuate. With what we do get on the page, it's clear Henry is selfish and treats Dorian with no kindness or care. I truly loathed him while reading this book. It was satisfying to see how his story ended 😌 Fuck that guy.

Lastly, one of the things I really enjoyed about the novel is also one of my criticisms of it. The prose in this novel was lovely. I really enjoyed the diction of it and how it made me feel like I was truly immersed in the time period this is set in. Frankly, it's one of the big reasons why I didn't find myself bored while reading the book. I think the author words things in such a precise way that makes it pleasant to read... However, it is precisely this (and how the conflicts are addressed in the novel) that did not make this read like a YA book. The more I read the novel, the less I could comprehend why it was marketed to a YA audience. As an English teacher, I must say I think teenagers would struggle with this text. It's not particularly accessible to them. Its overall tone and focus on the interior monologue of Dorian also makes it less appealing to a young audience. At best, I would say it's more suitable to an older teen audience, but even that feels like a stretch. I don't know. It's just my biggest frustration with the book.

All this to say, I appreciate this novel and how unabashedly queer it was, but the execution was certainly not flawless.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings- Grooming, child abuse- emotional, sexual assault, depression, mental illness, and murder. Nothing graphic or in detail, but these topics are in the book.

This book, not unlike A Portrait of Dorian Gray was a heavy read. I found myself seething and mad at some of the characters. Rightly so if you've read the former. This Wretched Beauty gave Dorian more of a history and voice. We were able to really read his thoughts and feelings. Many times, that was heartbreaking. This, of course, doesn't excuse his behavior, but it gives a unique look into his story. It also introduces us to the "underbelly" of London in the 1800s. It gives voice to those who have always lived and loved in the same society that so shuns LGBTQIA people. This book not only flows well and is an enjoyable read, but the author is also sensitive in the way she weaves these hard topics into the story.

Description

Haunted by a portrait that seems to taunt them, a conflicted young aristocrat spirals down a path to the worst possible version of themself in this suspenseful retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray, perfect for fans of The Spirit Bares Its Teeth and These Violent Delights.

Happiness needs to be earned in the face of impossible odds, or there’s no beauty in it.

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.

The Remixed Classics Series

In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelmingly cishet, white, and male canon.

A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix by C.B. Lee
So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow
Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix by Aminah Mae Safi
What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore
My Dear Henry: A Jekyll & Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron
Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix by Caleb Roehrig
Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
This Wretched Beauty: A Dorian Gray Remix by Elle Grenier


Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a poignant and well-done remix of a classic.

The inner turmoil and commentary inside Dorian’s head is so sad, always sensing when their grandfather would disapprove of something they’re doing (or want to do), even when their grandfather isn’t present.

And then the self-destructive tendencies when Dorian left their childhood home along with the portrait painted by Basil. Not really a spoiler given how long the classic tale of The Portrait of Dorian Gray has been out, but it almost seems as though Dorian goes even harder into partying and doing the things they know they shouldn’t when they realize that their portrait will bear the stain of their sin, along with their aging.

I am glad that Dorian was able to find themself along with finding peace with Basil at the end of our tale. I feel like this really shows that it’s never too late to come back to the ones who live you, no matter how far you’ve strayed.

Some favorite quotes:
Happiness needs to be earned in the face of impossible, odds, or there’s no beauty in it. Even joy becomes ugly when it grows mundane.
How can I consider myself to be living, knowing any glimpse of a life I might scavenge comes only at night time, when there’s nobody around to see me?
I doubt studying art would be any different from my Latin lessons, anyway – I see it everywhere, and I understand it just fine, but I lack the language to express it.
Would it be enough to become a beautiful thing, rather than to create one?
I see in the intensity of his stare, all the power that art gives me. I could fascinate the world, if I chose to.
It almost feels as though, when Basil is painting me, he is hiding away a piece of me in his oils, storing it where I’ll never need to compromise it.
The tender sharpness of their features seems not quite masculine nor feminine, but rather like a nymph or faerie. Even the tilt of their chin, communicates and ethereal grace, though the quiet sadness in their eyes is unbearably human.
I would offer my very soul, if it meant this portrait might age and I might wear its beauty forever.”
My thoughts warned me, when Basil and I met, that he would wreck me, but I had no warning how thoroughly he might do so. His portrait has broken something in me I did not know was there,
There’s a certain pleasure to pain, I decide, when it’s in service of some other enjoyment.
I will forge myself in the flames until they cannot hurt me. I’ll be the one thing they cannot burn.
Perhaps, if I can twist the fear into foresight and the calculation into cunning, I might one day use the wounds he caused me to build a life for myself.
There’s no part of me I despise quite so much as the one pathetic enough to find comfort and so begrudging an embrace.
I remember thinking on the day I met Basil that destruction is yet another medium from which one might make art. If that’s true, I failed to see why I shouldn’t be able to sculpt something new from the wreckage I’ve made of my life and character.
To love someone, I decide as we walk to the nicest sitting room, is to give them the tools with which they might break you, and to trust they would not use them.
I cannot hope he might understand me if I don’t allow him to see me.

If you love historical fiction that’s also a fantasy retelling with a queer and trans MC, self-sabatoge, friends to strangers to lovers, and a story that makes you question “Am I the monster?" then check out This Wretched Beauty!

I received a review copy. This review contains my honest opinion and is being left voluntarily.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oscar Wilde's classic Gothic horror tale of an audacious young man in Victorian society, the companions he captivates, and the painting that is refuge to for his digressions gets a new perspective in “This Wretched Beauty.” The book goes beyond shifting the narrative's viewpoint of the talented painter Basil to the infamous Dorian Gray. It reframes the character of Dorian in a way that brings an even darker and more terrifying setup than the original's for his circumstance's plausibility in the era.

In this version, Dorian is the barely tolerated illegitimate child of a Lady from a good family and a young French galley owner. With his mother long gone,his father forbidden from contact, Dorian is suffocating under the Grandfather's impossible standards. Befriending a young artist who paints them, Basil, and his acquaintance, Lord Henry, that Dorian's monochromatic world is splattered with color. The two introduce Dorian to the forbidden entertainments of underground clubs with their lurid patrons who live freely there despite was is socially and legally acceptable.

Even as Dorian starts to contextualize themself as someone beyond the conventions of gender and love laid out for them. This revelation starts crystallizing a new sort of cage around them. After a terrible discretion Dorian flees his grandfather's manor. They tuck themself away from scandal in Lord Henry's country estate. Left to their own mind, the dark echoes born from years of criticism from Grandfather and the seeds from a new manipulator start to dig in. They work in conjunction with knowledge of their own culpability to claw every foul thought into Dorian's mind. Their marks don't leave traces on Dorian, but onto the portrait so skillfully rendered by Basil's hand.

Being a retelling of one of my favorite books, I was ecstatic to receive and ARC of this title from NetGalley. I was met with a book dripping in the same beloved stylistic lyrical voice of the time the original was written. Quickly it became an absolutely gut wrenching psychological game that chimed some personally familiar tunes. I have to applaud what in retrospect is the most obvious, but in the moment most brilliant, take on body dysmorphia I can recall.

At first I felt a certain lack in the narration. Then it dawned on me that the performer was deliberately restraining their performance. The at times borderline monotone reflected the distance and walls Dorian has mentally put up as a subconscious survival technique.

As a cisgendered person from a loving, stable, home I can't say I share all of the things that plague Dorian. Regardless, the commonalities etched in deep. I understand what it is to continually fixate on your self-perceived flaws and failures. The depiction of what I begrudgingly call 'brain demons' and the ongoing dance even after your lowest lows and see the other side tugged at my heart.

The underlying message of how harmful closing yourself off, assuming loved ones' opinions, and that we are often our worst enemies could have so easily been saccharine. “This Wretched Beauty” manages to keep that at bay with Dorian's ongoing healing process. The opening warns that those who have had some of Dorian's experiences could be triggered. I'd like to preface that it can also be a tool of teaching and being seen. With its sometimes gritty mix of realism, historical reminders, and through it all hope, his is a book I'll treasure.