This Wretched Beauty
$23.61
- Paperback
272 pages
- Release Date
20 May 2026
Summary
London, 1867. Dorian Gray is wealthy, beautiful, and miserable. Heir to both the fortune and reputation of their austere, manipulative grandfather, their only moments of joy are snatched by sneaking out to their father’s gallery for secret visits. One night, they meet a sweet, talented young painter named Basil, who immediately recognizes Dorian as their new muse. Dorian is struck by the beauty and depth that Basil paints into their portrait—and dares to hope there might be more to life than living as their grandfather’s perfect, empty-headed heir. Basil and his friend Henry Wootton introduce Dorian to the heady world of molly houses and drag performers. But Dorian’s double life is shattered when a police investigation implicates them in “indecent” activities, and—terrified of their grandfather’s wrath—they offer evidence against beloved drag performer Sybil Vane. Fleeing London in shame and disgrace, Dorian sets up a scandalous life in the country as Henry’s mistress, throwing extravagant parties and breaking hearts at every turn. As Dorian’s spiral of self-loathing deepens, something strange happens: the portrait begins to change. Their smile becomes a little sharper, the glint in their eyes a little colder. Dorian will soon have to choose: embrace the wickedness within and 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.
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781835417348 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1835417345 |
| Author: | Elle Grenier |
| Publisher: | Titan Books Ltd |
| Imprint: | Titan Books Ltd |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 272 |
| Release Date: | 20 May 2026 |
| Weight: | 255g |
| Dimensions: | 55mm x 130mm x 198mm |
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Critics Review
This Wretched Beauty was plucked from queer history to land on today’s shelves. Sometimes heartbreaking, often thought-provoking, always beautiful.
-Andrew Joseph White, bestselling author of The Spirit Bares Its Teeth
Elle Grenier’s spin on Dorian Gray reminded me to find compassion for the parts of myself I’m most ashamed of. This Wretched Beauty is a haunting portrayal of the insidious nature of guilt, but it’s also a reminder that guilt does not need to spiral forever. If you’ve ever looked at yourself and seen only shame, this book may be for you.
-Sonora Reyes, award-winning and bestselling author of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School
Grenier writes with a fearless passion and a devotion to the gothic bordering on the divine, offering bountiful insights into the messy business of being human… The very existence of this book is an act of resistance as surely as being queer in Victorian times or openly trans in the 21st century. And it’s a book our shelves are richer for.
-Exquisite Terror
Elle Grenier
Elle Grenier is a YA author, bookseller, and former theatre kid who lives in British Columbia on traditional Pocumtuc land with their fiancee and their three cats. They started writing at eight years old and never stopped, now striving to write the books they would’ve wanted to see in their teenage years. Elle studied English Literature at the University of Toronto and started their Masters before deciding to focus their attention on writing instead.
When they aren’t writing, you can probably find Elle rewatching the same three shows online, playing around with Taylor Swift covers on their lyre, or lying by the nearest body of water. When they are writing, you’ll likely see them downing several cups of coffee next to a Shakespeare plush for motivation.
This Wretched Beauty: A Dorian Gray Remix is their debut novel.
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