A Face Without a Heart by Rick R. Reed

Feb 12, 2017 CrabbyPatty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-received, gaybookreviews, met-at-grl, loved-the-writing, mm-fantasy-paranormal, 2017-reads, dreamspinner-dsp-harmony

A Face without a Heart is a retelling of Oscar Wilde's 1890 classic philosophical novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, which basically tossed a grenade into the world of Victorian society, who criticized it as being scandalous and immoral and full of homoeroticism.

I picture young Gary Adrion (an anagram of Dorian Gray) as a young Tab Hunter. Reed writes of Gary's "fine cheekbones and perfect teeth, aquamarine eyes, a cleft in his chin… all these elements that came together to form something more e A Face without a Heart is a retelling of Oscar Wilde's 1890 classic philosophical novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, which basically tossed a grenade into the world of Victorian society, who criticized it as being scandalous and immoral and full of homoeroticism.

I picture young Gary Adrion (an anagram of Dorian Gray) as a young Tab Hunter. Reed writes of Gary's "fine cheekbones and perfect teeth, aquamarine eyes, a cleft in his chin… all these elements that came together to form something more ethereal. His beauty was difficult to describe in a language containing only twenty-six letters."

But even as we are introduced to the beauty, there is also the dark side. Gary is reading a biography of William Blake, author of Songs of Innocence and of Experience Showing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul when Liam first spots him on the L. Liam thinks: "I suddenly had a presentiment, and the feeling persisted … that of fear, a feeling that this young man held a sort of menace."

A Face without a Heart beautifully balances that dichotomy throughout. Is Gary truly innocent, or was evil already there only to be awakened by Henrietta's comments? Is it nature or nurture? Gary's "selling of his soul" seems more a careless wish rather than an outright deal or conscious plan. But once it is set into motion, it is Gary's free will that crafts his life going forward.

As in Oscar Wilde's time, our society too often measures worth by appearance. We adore the surface rather than the depth. It doesn't matter if a man is good at heart, but if his face is good. Reed tantalizes us with the thought that Gary can change - that perhaps we as a society can change our preconceptions - but at the end of the day?

And people whine about how change never really lasts when it comes to others, how they always unfortunately revert to their old ways, the ways you don’t want them to be. Anyone who has ever tried to change another knows this to be true. Oh certainly, the change may last a week, a month, even a year. But soon the real person comes back, the one who has been waiting in the wings for just the right cue, the one that will allow him to say “Ah fuck it, I’ve had enough.”

I am a fan of Rick Reed's romance novels, but please note A Face without a Heart is not a M/M romance novel. It's an unsparing glimpse into a soul which perhaps isn't that much different from our own. And isn't that what a good horror story is all about? 5 stars.

I received an ARC from DSP Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!

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May 28, 2020 ash | novelly rooted rated it it was ok

Shelves: retellings

A modern-day retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Beauty is a quality that can go deeper than what you can see. It can be dark, dense, and make you powerless to resist. It can stir within you a longing that leads straight to your own demise. Now imagine that this beauty, this feeling, can be captured. In A Face without a Heart, the beauty of a single man is captured within a hologram portrait that is stunning and breathtaking.

"It's depressing, though, to think that even if this is really what A modern-day retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Beauty is a quality that can go deeper than what you can see. It can be dark, dense, and make you powerless to resist. It can stir within you a longing that leads straight to your own demise. Now imagine that this beauty, this feeling, can be captured. In A Face without a Heart, the beauty of a single man is captured within a hologram portrait that is stunning and breathtaking.

"It's depressing, though, to think that even if this is really what others see when they look at me, this beauty is nothing I can hold on to, nothing that won't wither on the vine, darken, age..."

It's simply a moment in Gary's existence, captured by Liam, his new friend. Gary begins to struggle with the idea that this moment, this captured image, could very well be the best version of himself. Every moment, every breath he takes, leads to his beauty slipping away towards a darkness that begins swallowing him whole. He ends up bargaining his soul away -- his hologram portrait will age and decay so that Gary will be untouched. He quickly learns that he can engage in earthly pleasures and have it not affect his beauty -- however over the span of 20 years, his soul has not been left untouched. Gary finds himself moving through friends quickly, becoming excluded from locations due to his behaviors. Gary is initially admired for his beauty and appearance however as people begin to see his true self, superficial qualities are not enough to be able to maintain these relationships. Upon first sight, people appear to him as beautiful however an ugliness quickly envelopes his senses when he sees them for who they are, engaging in these same activities as he. It's like turning the mirror towards himself.

The story is told through several different POVs and I enjoyed how this allowed me to connect to some of the secondary characters. I do wish the friendships and backstories were fleshed out a bit more. Liam and Gary became best friends within days of meeting each other and there was a predominance of instant love which is my least favorite trope. Their mutual friend, Henrietta, provided a good balance in the story and moments of humor when it was needed. At the end of the day, I was hoping the narration would've delved a little deeper because it ended up feeling like we didn't scratch the surface with these characters and I was missing the lyrical writing -- the matter of factness left me yearning for me.

CW: Contains sexually explicit content, graphic scenes of death, and use of narcotics.

Thank you to Netgalley, NineStar press, and Rick R. Reed for the advance reading copy to review! ...more

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Jun 26, 2020 Gerardine Betancourt rated it really liked it

In a face without a heart, Liam is an artist who is fascinated by bizarre things and one day he creates a three-dimensional hologram of Gary a young man whose beauty mesmerizes those who see him. For those who do not know the original story, the painting, or in this case the hologram will continue to age while Dorian or in this case Gary remains eternally young. The painting represents the soul of Gary and in the novel, we see the dilemma that the protagonist faces when taking a side between goo ...more

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Jul 06, 2017 FantasyLiving rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: character-damaged-hero, own-on-ereader-read, character-pan-or-bi-sexual, genre-contemporary, genre-paranormal, genre-horror, boy-meets-boy-reviews, character-lgbtqi

Reviewed for Boy Meets Boy Reviews

I have to admit that I’ve never read The Picture of Dorian Grey but I know the basics of the story, and of course he features in Penny Dreadful so I’m aware of the character.

That being said, I really fell into this adaptation and found it intriguing, poetic, and fantastical. I am actually pleased I read this contemporary adaptation before taking the plunge into the literary classic.

This story is told from multiple points of view but clearly shows the story of Reviewed for Boy Meets Boy Reviews

I have to admit that I’ve never read The Picture of Dorian Grey but I know the basics of the story, and of course he features in Penny Dreadful so I’m aware of the character.

That being said, I really fell into this adaptation and found it intriguing, poetic, and fantastical. I am actually pleased I read this contemporary adaptation before taking the plunge into the literary classic.

This story is told from multiple points of view but clearly shows the story of Gary and his journey from barely legal drifter from a wealthy family to tortured immortal. The contemporary setting made this relatable, and interesting. The hologram had my wheels turning and was completely different to any artist point of view I’ve read before. I was actually enamoured by the description of the artwork and the showing. Mr Reed really sold me on the realism of it.

I have a hard time with recreational drug use so this dimmed my enjoyment somewhat, even though I understood the reason behind it. Addiction is a sore point for me in real life, so it’s not surprising the casualness of it in the beginning turned my stomach. That being said, I appreciated that the grittiness of long term use was clearly shown, and not glamorised in any way. This made it darker for me (and maybe other readers without my issues will feel the same), and gave a depth to the type of destructive lifestyle Gary was leading.

This story is rich in layers, and walked a clear line from beginning to end. I felt connected to all the characters as well as the lead. I appreciated the witty touches of Henrietta and the reverence of Liam the artist.

I had some issues with the beginning, with Gary’s first love, and I’m trying to ignore them as I write this. It was odd to me, and seemed out of place with the rest of the story. I get why it is there, but it didn’t fit for me. As the story progressed I tried to ignore it was even in there.

Overall I think this was a great story. It’s on the grey side of dark *wink* and enjoyable in an atypical way. Mr Reed always gets me with the interpersonal relationships and the creepy descriptives. Wonderful showing as always.

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys the original, the movie adaptation and Rick R. Reed’s other horror/thriller work.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest opinion ...more

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Aug 12, 2009 Kris rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: some-recommended-reads, m-m-romance, paranormal, horror, reviews-for-jessewave

The Review:

Honesty from the outset~

When you get message like this: "Tell Kris A Face Without a Heart, while it does have its moments, isn't all that scary", you would worry... wouldn't you??

First things first~

I'm sure there are some of those among you who have been rolling your eyes at certain people becoming Rick R Reed fangirls. I admit I had even dared to raise an eyebrow at the enthusiasm of our fearless leader, but damned if she wasn't right. Good God, this author can write a gripping tale. ...more

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Jan 31, 2017 Lisa The Novel Approach rated it really liked it · review of another edition

One of the classics of Victorian literature, Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey, is a novel (Wilde’s only novel) whose themes have stood the test of time, and is one of my favorite stories to see reinterpreted for a contemporary audience. The preface of the book, added after the story’s original publication was widely criticized as immoral by the puritanical society of the time, contains one of the author’s now most famous quotes: “There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Book One of the classics of Victorian literature, Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey, is a novel (Wilde’s only novel) whose themes have stood the test of time, and is one of my favorite stories to see reinterpreted for a contemporary audience. The preface of the book, added after the story’s original publication was widely criticized as immoral by the puritanical society of the time, contains one of the author’s now most famous quotes: “There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.” This, of course, was also the novel that was used against Wilde in court, due to its homosexual overtones, in the “gross indecency” trial that sent him to prison for two years.

But, before I get too carried away with my love of all things Oscar Wilde, the reason I was excited to read A Face without a Heart, apart from my being a fan of its author, was to see how Rick R. Reed would put his own signature on the story. In its fourth publication, first released in 2000, Reed’s interpretation of hedonism, and the aesthetic, and the relationship between an idealized youth and beauty gives Gary Adrion’s story a chilling and modern twist on the old adage, “Be careful what you wish for.” Art and morality commingle with the Faustian-esque bargain Gary makes in trading his soul for eternal youth, and we readers watch as that trade sends him spiraling into a decade-plus long hell. Gary is frozen in time, twenty-one in perpetuity, and goes on to immerse himself in a life of debauchery and self-indulgence, maintaining his surface beauty while the art that captured that beauty, initially, begins to rot as he immerses himself in a wasteland of empty sex, alcohol, and hardcore drugs.

Where Wilde’s “Dorian Grey” was written in a florid prose that fit the narrative and Wilde’s own style, Reed’s novel is written for his contemporary audience and showcases his own style equally well. Told from multiple points of view, which the author accomplishes with great success, the narrative voice from one chapter to the next reads seamlessly, each character’s voice distinct. Gary has his own “devil and angel” sitting on his shoulders and whispering in his ears—Henrietta, a sassy and cynical drag queen, is our Lord Henry Watton; while Liam is the novel’s Basil Hallward—it’s his art through which we see the reflection of the artist and his love for his subject.

The catalyst for Gary’s downfall, or, maybe I should say the victim of Gary’s scorn which spurs his downfall, is modernized for this novel as well. Zoe D’Angelo is the story’s Sibyl Vane. An exotic dancer rather than an actress, Zoe pays a steep price for Gary’s admiration just as Sibyl did Dorian’s. I also like the unexpected undercurrent Reed gives to Davio D’Angelo’s relationship with his sister. There’s an overall chilling sort of savagery to this novel, both violent and psychological, which allows readers to appreciate it on its own merits rather than as a simple rehashing of Wilde’s story. Trust me, you may recognize the bare bones of this novel’s inspiration, but Reed fleshes his version out and gives readers a few surprises before it all comes full circle.

As is its inspiration, A Face without a Heart is, at the end, a redemption story which is laced with Reed’s particular brand of horror. There are some truly gruesome scenes in this book that added a biting edge to what is otherwise a cautionary tale, and it is, as one would expect from this author, well written.

Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews ...more

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Jun 04, 2020 Sammi rated it liked it

Firstly I'd like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange of an honest review.

A Warning; the book contains graphic sex, drug use and lots of other immoral topics. Take that into consideration before reading.

It's been a long time since I've read Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey, and I have always been fascinated by the story. It's been something that stuck with me, whilst I didn't adore the original I did enjoy the story and the commentary it has Firstly I'd like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange of an honest review.

A Warning; the book contains graphic sex, drug use and lots of other immoral topics. Take that into consideration before reading.

It's been a long time since I've read Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey, and I have always been fascinated by the story. It's been something that stuck with me, whilst I didn't adore the original I did enjoy the story and the commentary it has on corruption.

I found getting into this story, for me at least, took a bit of work. It was unexpected to come across multiple POV's as I thought we would hear the slow decline of our Dorian (named Gary - which I hated but that's beside the point) purely from his point of view. I really didn't like it, and found that I couldn't connect to the story because of this in the early chapters. I felt that all the different characters felt written the same and were indecipherable, at least at the beginning. Later on in the book it changes and each character develops a distinct voice and it improves the flow of the story.

The focus of the story is Gary, his innocence and decline into corruption when given the opportunity to get away with things he otherwise wouldn't have because of his immortal beauty. I really enjoyed how the 'portrait' of Gary was now digital/holographic. I appreciated how none of his actions were glamorised. He was an unlikable and disturbing character and the author had no qualms about showing this. My favourite character was Henrietta, I loved her charm, poise and presence and felt that the story would not be the same without her.

I did feel however that the story both felt too long and too short all at once. I felt there was at times a lot going on without much flesh to it. The relationship he has at the beginning of this book being a prime example, instalove to instahate almost immediately. It felt flippant and annoying, but I suppose it does lend itself to the man he becomes and the start of his downfall.

Overall it was an enjoyable story, I am still fascinated by the plot and idea of it and think this version would make a much more enjoyable movie than the original. I loved the creepiness and it was definitely a book that had me feeling actually disgusted with the main character and making remarks about him out loud.

3.5 stars ...more

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Jun 04, 2020 Sammi rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtq, 2020, fantasy, netgalley, romance, horror, retelling

Firstly I'd like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange of an honest review.

A Warning; the book contains graphic sex, drug use and lots of other immoral topics. Take that into consideration before reading.

It's been a long time since I've read Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey, and I have always been fascinated by the story. It's been something that stuck with me, whilst I didn't adore the original I did enjoy the story and the commentary it has Firstly I'd like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this book in exchange of an honest review.

A Warning; the book contains graphic sex, drug use and lots of other immoral topics. Take that into consideration before reading.

It's been a long time since I've read Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey, and I have always been fascinated by the story. It's been something that stuck with me, whilst I didn't adore the original I did enjoy the story and the commentary it has on corruption.

I found getting into this story, for me at least, took a bit of work. It was unexpected to come across multiple POV's as I thought we would hear the slow decline of our Dorian (named Gary - which I hated but that's beside the point) purely from his point of view. I really didn't like it, and found that I couldn't connect to the story because of this in the early chapters. I felt that all the different characters felt written the same and were indecipherable, at least at the beginning. Later on in the book it changes and each character develops a distinct voice and it improves the flow of the story.

The focus of the story is Gary, his innocence and decline into corruption when given the opportunity to get away with things he otherwise wouldn't have because of his immortal beauty. I really enjoyed how the 'portrait' of Gary was now digital/holographic. I appreciated how none of his actions were glamorised. He was an unlikable and disturbing character and the author had no qualms about showing this. My favourite character was Henrietta, I loved her charm, poise and presence and felt that the story would not be the same without her.

I did feel however that the story both felt too long and too short all at once. I felt there was at times a lot going on without much flesh to it. The relationship he has at the beginning of this book being a prime example, instalove to instahate almost immediately. It felt flippant and annoying, but I suppose it does lend itself to the man he becomes and the start of his downfall.

Overall it was an enjoyable story, I am still fascinated by the plot and idea of it and think this version would make a much more enjoyable movie than the original. I loved the creepiness and it was definitely a book that had me feeling actually disgusted with the main character and making remarks about him out loud.

3.5 stars ...more

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Jun 28, 2020 Siobhán rated it it was ok · review of another edition

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

This is a modern day retelling of Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" with Liam as an artist taking pictures of his muse and modelling them into holograms. The hologram of Gary Adrion (see the pun?) is his masterpiece and he falls in love with the ethereal beauty of young Gary. But Gary soon makes wrong decisions and as his actions become more cruel, violent, and terrible, he remains young and bea ...more

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Jul 21, 2020 Lyndie rated it really liked it

Potential Triggers: suicide, sex, cheating and rape, drug use, suicidal thoughts and murder.

Oscar Wilde's the Picture of Dorian Gray has always been one of my favorite books. When I stumbled across this novel I knew I had to read it.

A Face without a Heart is a retelling of Oscar Wilde's 1890 classic philosophical novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. In A face without a heart we meet Gary Adrion (an anagram of Dorian Gray) and Liam ( The artist), as well as an entire slew of characters. The story i ...more

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Jul 12, 2020 Lyndie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Potential Triggers: suicide, sex, cheating and rape, drug use, suicidal thoughts and murder.

Oscar Wilde's the Picture of Dorian Gray has always been one of my favorite books. When I stumbled across this novel I knew I had to read it.

A Face without a Heart is a retelling of Oscar Wilde's 1890 classic philosophical novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. In A face without a heart we meet Gary Adrion (an anagram of Dorian Gray) and Liam ( The artist), as well as an entire slew of characters. The story i ...more

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Jun 21, 2020 Nemo rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Received a free copy through NetGalley UK in exchange for an honest review.

As much as I would love to claim otherwise, this book was a struggle for me to get through from start to finish. I kept thinking I'd give it one more chapter and see if it improved, but the more I read, the more I wanted to hate it, and I generally try not to abandon books if I can help it, so I kept pushing myself onwards with it. The one good thing about this book is that it's fairly fast-paced, which helped, but at the Received a free copy through NetGalley UK in exchange for an honest review.

As much as I would love to claim otherwise, this book was a struggle for me to get through from start to finish. I kept thinking I'd give it one more chapter and see if it improved, but the more I read, the more I wanted to hate it, and I generally try not to abandon books if I can help it, so I kept pushing myself onwards with it. The one good thing about this book is that it's fairly fast-paced, which helped, but at the same time that's one of the things I wasn't overly fond of about it.

There's too many narrative switches for my liking, especially to characters that play big parts but aren't necessarily important, and although by the end of it it's understandable to a point why they were somewhat necessary, there's always ways around it that could have improved the whip-lash of the reader, pulling us in and out every time we adjust to one - there's no pattern to the changes, either, which makes it worse. But my biggest issue with the narrative changes is that, despite being written in first-person, they all sound the same, and it's a flat, monotone drone from all of them that sounds pretentious regardless of who the characters are. I can understand the main three sounding similar in that way, to a point, but the others didn't come from money, didn't have money, and would never have sounded so full of it and jaded by it when it comes to material possessions in the same way. Honestly, I think if the book had been written in third-person, a lot of the problems I had with it would have been far less noticeable, but alas. Also, the main character, Gary, was written in present tense and all of the others in past tense, and I understand this is to make him stand out as the main character, which is unnecessary since the whole book revolves around him, and I guess as an attempt to make him sound as if he's different to the others, but it again was just a whip-lash issue that was there to throw the audience out of the story rather than keep them gripped into it. The whole writing style didn't work for me in general, and maybe it's just me, maybe no one else reading this had problems with any of this, but having looked at other reviews, I don't think I was the only one who found the endless list of reasons the author throws us out of the story rather than keeping us in. If you notice the writing style while you're reading it over the plot itself, then there's obviously a problem.

My biggest overall issue with this story is that it was originally published twenty years ago as an indie book and is now being re-published on a bigger label all these years later, and it shows its age without any signs of it having been edited to update it. There's the things described in the book that younger readers might not get the way someone who lived through the nineties or earlier might, and the attitudes haven't been updated. There was one particular comment that stuck with me from Gary's point of view within the first few chapters about Henrietta, the drag queen of the cast, concerning how he mistook her for a woman at first, but on closer inspection realised there was 'a coward of a man hidden beneath', and considering that she's represented as more trans than she is a drag queen, I find that highly offensive with the way it came across, not to mention the fact that beyond that character recognising his mistake, there was no real need to make such personal a comment to the subject as the narrative went into - it was almost like the author was preaching his views through the character, and every writer knows never to do that, or to at least make it seem like they're not doing that. There were other such comments throughout as well, and had she not been represented the way she was, it might have been easier to shrug off, but that comment alone, to me, shows the age of the book and the attitudes that have changed since then regarding trans and queer people, which is a subject close to me personally, and it doesn't matter if the author is someone from the community or not, it doesn't excuse it. There were a lot of stereotypical character traits in general, each character being a stereotype and not a lot more, which was perhaps the issue of it.

For a book that has characters who throw around the saying 'I know you, and this is not you' a whole lot, I don't feel like I really knew any of the characters. Liam is around in the beginning a lot more than he is later on, and as it seems we're getting to know him (and getting to know Gary through his eyes), he's suddenly removed from the narrative, then we get to know more of Henrietta (and Gary through her eyes), who's then also suddenly removed. One of the easier ways to portray a character for the world to know who they are is to have a handful of characters around them showing that they know them because of this or due to that, and every time we get close to that, it's taken away again. Maybe that was intentional? The character does seem to lose himself over the years, but it comes across as much more mistimed narrative switches. We know Henrietta has a husband, we even get to meet him briefly, but then suddenly later on she's going on dates with people without any real explanation as to what happened with the husband - we're supposed to care about these characters, supposed to know them, but we're not shown anything about them and the few things we do see aren't explained. Things happen, no explanation, then things move on. Liam is doing well working in Chicago, the next it's been years, his word changes drastically, and then he's moving to New York, but the progression of this isn't even hinted at nevermind shown. Gary, the main character who is supposed to be the most important, has never met Zoe one minute and the next we're supposed to believe he's madly in love with her. There's not a lot of room in the narrative for us to know the characters, or to care about them, and I think that was the biggest of problems for me in getting into the story and staying tuned into it. I like to know the characters, to see them develop, especially if years are going by from start to finish, and there's no time for any of that, not even with the main character. Gary was a person before Liam did the artwork of him and he practically froze in time, and yet we know little to nothing of that person he was to compare it to how he became towards the end of the story. How can we judge him, even through his eyes, on how different he was at the start to how he was at the end, when it was never shown, and it was never really told to us, either? He could have been a selfish, self-absorbs borderline sociopath at the beginning as well as the end for all we've got to show for it, and those are the kinds of people who know how to keep up an act, so what is there to show the audience that he wasn't like that at the beginning, that he was truly innocent before he stopped physically ageing? Nothing. By the time I read to the end, I was really disappointed that there wasn't anything to really compare the two states of his being to each other and that I'd read a whole book without anything to show for it.

There were narrative issues, the age of the book itself issues and the attitudes to the LGBTQ+, and there are character issues and the lack of solid substance to them or time to get to know them, and those are all pretty big problems to avoid when writing a book, but it doesn't mean the book was out-and-out awful. It wasn't. It was readable. I came close to abandoning it, but the fact is that I didn't, there was always enough to keep me reading it, even if those things weren't things that I look for in a book or the characters within the book, they were enough. My review so far makes it sound as though I hate the book and I don't, but I did really want to love it and couldn't. I think the fact it's a re-telling of such a classic, getting it right is important, or putting enough of a unique spin on it is vital, and for me personally those things weren't lived up to. It doesn't mean there weren't aspects of the book that I liked or didn't mind, or that it was completely unreadable. But for me personally the big things that I look for in a book, in a character, and, most importantly, in a plot, were all missing, and therefore it's difficult for me to point out the good points over the bad ones. However, that doesn't mean to say that someone else will have the same problem, and I hope there are a lot of other people out there who've read the book and can list off all the good points that they found where I fail to do so, because it wasn't awful, and it wasn't unreadable, it just didn't tick all the boxes for me.

This book was okay, I enjoyed it for what it was, but for me it was disappointing that it didn't seem to finish what it started in terms of all the points it made, all the branches it grew, but the plot itself was complete if not predictable - there was only ever going to be one way to put an end to the predicament the main character was in and it ended like that. It was disappointing that I felt worlds apart from being close to relating to the characters in any kind of real way, it was disappointing that I didn't walk away feeling like I knew any of the characters or half of the things that happened to them whilst the story played out, and it was disappointing that there wasn't a bit more to the plot woven around the main part of it to keep things intriguing. I didn't feel able to connect with the characters, their backgrounds, or their stories, even the ones that I should have been able to connect to, and I don't know if that's down to me and how I perceive the world compared to how they did or if it was down to the author's ability to portray that in a real way that translates to the real world and real people, or a bit of both, but unfortunately something went wrong somewhere between this book and me. I wanted to love it, but all I can do it like it. I wanted it to be amazing, but the best it was is readable. I guess despite the themes of the story and the community of people, which are things I rarely struggle to connect with in any given story, for whatever reason, I just couldn't connect with them in this book, and I'm disappointed in that most of all, but it is what it is and that's all there is to it. I'm sorry I couldn't like it more, I wish I could have walked away from it with at least one memorable character and a plot that will stick with me for years to come, but this book wasn't the one for me. Hopefully it can be all those things for someone else.

NG

The synopsis for this book sounded amazing, it ticked a lot of the boxes for me from the community of people it revolves around to the fact that it's a re-telling of a beloved classic, but for whatever reason I couldn't connect with it the way that I had hoped I would. I wanted to love it, but the best I found it to be was 'readable' and 'okay'. I wish I could have walked away loving each and every one of the characters, but the best I can say about them is that they're likeable enough, tolerable at best, and I find that to be a real shame. I don't know if it was the book itself or me, but I was never able to fully connect with it, and every time I got into the book, I was thrown out again by the various narrative and tense changes, the skipping of huge chunks of time with no real explanation as to what happened between, etc. On paper, this should have been one of the books that I usually connect with and fall in love with, but in practice I struggled to finish reading it from start to finish and felt disappointed with the gaps never filled in from previous branches of the plotline.

However, the plot in general is complete, it has a beginning, a middle, and an end, all the highly significant plot points are woven throughout and wrapped up by the end, and for what it is it's all there. It's possible I expected too much of it as a re-telling of such a huge book, or because I expect more of the books that I usually do read, but whatever the reason, unfortunately, the completeness of the story alone wasn't enough for me personally to connect with it in such a way that made me love it rather than merely liking it. Hopefully others will be able to get into and take away from it far more than I managed to, because it is a good book beyond the problems that I struggled with throughout it. ...more

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Jan 28, 2020 Eshmurr rated it it was ok · review of another edition

A Book Without A Point:

First of all, I would like to be totally honest and state that this novel was one that I chose to read out of a list of several modern adaptations given to me for an English class's summer reading. I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise. But I absolutely love the original novel, and found this intriguing enough to pick up. To tell the truth, if not for the fact that I was too far in (and had too little time to choose something else), I would have set it down the second A Book Without A Point:

First of all, I would like to be totally honest and state that this novel was one that I chose to read out of a list of several modern adaptations given to me for an English class's summer reading. I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise. But I absolutely love the original novel, and found this intriguing enough to pick up. To tell the truth, if not for the fact that I was too far in (and had too little time to choose something else), I would have set it down the second I picked it up.

I understand the way in which the author tried to emulate Dorian Gray through edgy topics, but the way in which Reed went about it was not effective, in my opinion. Some changes felt as if they were made just for shock value, and others would have been interesting if not for the way that the author went about writing them. For example, the character of Henrietta stood out to me as a particularly clunky adaptation, mostly because the writing used for her was painfully stereotypical (despite the fact that Henry as a drag queen could be done incredibly well, and be legitimately interesting), only breaking from that to shove a barely connected moral pondering into the book. Speaking of said 'moral ponderings', it seems as if the sole purpose of those were to make the book seem as intellectual as humanly possible, with almost no effort behind it. The way in which characters talked switched between two writing styles: modern coolkid and author begging for literary recognition. Neither of those worked.

Of course, all of this review so far has not mentioned my favorite part of the book. The creme de la creme of strange modern adaptations. The sheer prevalence of drugs and explicit sex in the novel. I've never really had issues with content like that in media, and if I get uncomfortable, I just skip past whatever sexual encounter I'm slogging through as long as it isn't relevant to the plot. But this book. This specific book. For some reason, this produced an immediate reaction of disgust in me. Now, I understand that this is likely the point- Reed wished to emulate the effect that the original novel had on those who read it when released. But there were so many better, more interesting ways to go about that.

I believe that what made the sexual content (and the stuff with drugs, but that's less important) stand out so much to me is the way in which it was written. Nuance was thrown out the window, and everything was stated clearly in the most matter-of-fact way possible. Even the most horrific moments (view spoiler) were talked about, it was as if the author had no idea just how impactful a moment like that could be, choosing instead to plainly state it with no emotion behind the thoughts.

I would like to completely apologise if this review was not very good- I've never actually done one before- but I hope that at least a few of my points made sense. If you are given the option to read this book, out of a long list of potentials, I would recommend choosing something else. And if you're like me, and prefer well-written ponderings on the nature of evil compared to explicit sex just to invoke a strong reaction? Just re-read The Picture of Dorian Gray.

(And one last incredibly irrelevant thing. The main character's name is Gary. I understand that this is supposed to be a rearranging of the letters in Dorian's last name, in order to call back to the source material, but in my mind, it is absolutely impossible to connect the descriptions of a man so attractive and manipulative he can get away with murder with a name like Gary.) ...more

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Jan 25, 2017 Kit (Metaphors and Moonlight) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqia, read-2017-books, reviewed, review-copy, fantasy, m-m, retelling, dorian-gray-retelling

3 Stars

Full Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher. This has in no way influenced my review.*

To be honest, I probably should’ve stopped reading this after the first few pages because I could tell it wasn’t for me. But a Dorian Gray retelling! I had to keep reading because that’s one of the only classics I’ve ever loved, plus it’s just got a great premise with lots of potential, and I really wanted to see how this author would put his own spin on it.

Unfortunately, it seemed l ...more

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Jun 07, 2020 Natrosette rated it it was ok

Shelves: type-standalone-sff, review-copy, trope-retelling, genre-romance, period-contemporary, genre-fantasy-low, rep-lgbtq-achillean, rep-lgbtq-trans

Gary, raised by an aloof grandfather in a rich family, has never wanted for money or beauty, only for love. Liam, a photographer who creates holograms, sees Gary on the train one day and, astonished by his beauty, requests to make a hologram of him. Gary agrees and Liam creates a masterpiece which highlights both his artistic skill and his awe for the other man. Liam's best friend, the cynical drag queen Lady Henrietta, believes this awe to be only a passing fancy but quickly becomes Gary's best ...more

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Jan 29, 2017 Elaine White rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: divine-magazine

Book – A Face Without A Heart
Author – Rick R. Reed
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 200
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 1st person, multi-POV
Would I read it again – Yes.
Genre – LGBT, Horror, Paranormal

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine

Warning: contains references to suicide, MM sex, cheating and rape. Contains 1st person accounts of MF sex, drug use, suicidal thoughts and murder.

Disclosure: I haven't read the original The Picture of Dorian Gray,
and I didn't re ...more

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May 29, 2020 Charlotte rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, death-of-character, drag-queens, violence, retelling, crime, paranormal, substance-abuse

Rick R. Reed has undertaken a big task in re-telling “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and I have a mixed response to it.

It’s pretty clear in “A Face Without a Name” who the characters are. Gary Adrion is an anagram for Dorian Gray, Henrietta is Henry but as a drag queen… etc. Reed’s version of this story is in a contemporary setting. In some ways that makes the story more gritty and visceral. It’s much less subtle than the original story was and I think that both ways work when it comes down to it.

L Rick R. Reed has undertaken a big task in re-telling “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and I have a mixed response to it.

It’s pretty clear in “A Face Without a Name” who the characters are. Gary Adrion is an anagram for Dorian Gray, Henrietta is Henry but as a drag queen… etc. Reed’s version of this story is in a contemporary setting. In some ways that makes the story more gritty and visceral. It’s much less subtle than the original story was and I think that both ways work when it comes down to it.

Liam is an artist who creates holograms of people. When he sees Gary he knows that he wants to relate a hologram of him in spite of the fact that he immediately feels as though Gary is a threat. The hologram is created… and Gary says that he would “sell his soul to the devil” to stay as beautiful as the way Liam has depicted him. Thus begins the supernatural connection between Gary and the portrait.

Reed’s story focuses on the downward spiral of Gary Adrion’s life. Once he learns that the hologram takes on the aging that his physical being would normally do, Gary hides it away. At the same time as he is bothered by the connection, he is aware enough that he doesn’t want anyone to know about it.

The main theme of the story is that a focus on pleasure and hedonistic behavior as the dark side of human nature. The more that Gary does that is cruel, dark, evil, the older, and more disgusting the hologram becomes. As a fan of the original story, I found Reed’s to be much more literal. There’s a finesse in Oscar Wilde’s version that makes Dorian still likable in a way… even as he spirals out of control. I found Gary to be unliveable. He was at best, naïve and at worst he was a complete monster. It was a bit too black and white for me.

I would say that none of Reed’s characters in this story are likable.. that makes this a hard read if you like to connect with characters.

If you haven’t read the original and like very dark literature, this may be the book for you. If you’re interested in comparing them, Reed is certainly a great writer. I’ve been a fan of quite a few of his books. I wouldn’t say this book was a “favorite” but I can see the great writing and appreciate the attempt to retell and modernize a great story. ...more

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May 30, 2020 Linda rated it really liked it

To live life without a moral compass or conscience: chilling!😈

What a horror story for our times when the search for physical perfection dominates the culture! The author really gave me chills as he described one man's descent into ever more depravity and a friend who seems intent on egging him on.

Young Gary Adrion somehow bargains his way to maintain his peak 20 year old physical perfection but the deal leaves him free to live a life without consequence. His 17 year descent into a murky world o ...more

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Jun 05, 2020 Samantha rated it really liked it

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

TW: graphic sex, drug use, murder

This was a brilliant and graphic modern retelling of the Dorian Gray story we all know. Where Oscar Wilde held back and edited himself, Rick went for it and for the most part it totally hit the mark for me.

I love how this version told the story from multiple viewpoints and gave us a glimpse into the thoughts and perspectives of the secondary characters. This is a format that I love in books whe ...more

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Jun 02, 2020 BooksAndRae rated it liked it

This book provided me with the opportunity to try to read the original work by Oscar Wilde so I could fully appreciate both works and their creators.

'A Face Without A Heart' is a modern retelling of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' that follows a more modern setting with Drag Queens and a more heavily set LGBT+ themes.

It commences with a holographic maker rather than painter, Liam, who spots the gorgeous Gary Adrion (Love the anagram by the way) and asks the beautiful young man to be a model for hi ...more

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Jun 12, 2020 Michael Herbert rated it liked it

In Rick R. Reed's Face without a Heart, he does his take on Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. For Reed it seems more of a challenge to take on and is relevant to the live the fast lane culture that youth sometimes decide to take on.

Reed's story moves at a fast pace to keep my interest. The major problem I had was most particularly in the beginning in how it is written. Gary Adrion, an anagram for Dorian Gray, talks about how he falls in love, and the next time he narrates he talks about how h ...more

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May 27, 2020 Zandt McCue rated it liked it

For those of you who saw the movie "Beastly" and liked it, this is the book for you.

It's a modernized version of the Picture of Dorian Gray with a drag queen named Henrietta whose humor makes up for the lack of Wilde himself writing this book. Yes, I'm aware. The main character, the handsome Dorian of this story, is oddly named Gary. Maybe because of how close it is to Gray? Gary doesn't scream hunky guy. He's perfection personified. Despite the brief backstory we get in one of the earlier chap ...more

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Jun 10, 2020 Amanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley-arcs, june-2020

Thank you to Netgalley and Ninestar Press for providing a copy for review.

This was so different from what I was expecting. I really liked the characters. Gary had a crazy character arc, Liam was interesting, and Henrietta was a riot. This book starts with a punch to the gut, and a slight mystery. There is quite a bit of insta-lust going on. Gary is basically walking perfection. He just seems to naturally draw attraction. Liam is a photographer, with a penchant for younger men. Henrietta is a bra ...more

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Jun 01, 2020 Pygmy Puff Reads rated it really liked it

A Face Without a Heart is a fantastic take on all of the amazing themes from Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray. The great thinks discussed in Wilde's novel like the human soul, but more importantly, the sins that corrupt a human being are brought to light in this modern version. We discuss in the modern day society what is a sin in a society that is supposed to be more advanced and less judgemental than it was in the Victorian era. The book also covers the topic of corruption of innocence and ...more

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Jun 26, 2020 Coltostallion rated it liked it

I rated this a 3 because it was well-written, etc. but it was more of a 2 or 2.5 for me. There were a lot of POVs. I kind of get why they were necessary in the end, but it was overwhelming at the beginning. Zoe's POV especially was a bit... much. Like I get why it was that way but I didn't really get her. Even if she didn't care about the dancing anymore, why would she purposely dance badly? Especially if she knew people were coming to see. Like I get that she didn't care anymore but it seemed m ...more

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Feb 26, 2021 Moony (The Burglar Baggins) MeowPoff rated it did not like it

I got this eARC from Netgalley in exhange for a honest review
DN 35%
I will admit that i have never read the picture of Dorian Grey but i know the general story. But this was sadly just boring, it seemed intruiging by the blurb and the cover was beautiful and mysterious but that was just it. It was so many different characters that came and went and i ended up just being bored and generally not feeling any interest or care for the characters.

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Apr 21, 2019 Jovan rated it liked it · review of another edition

It's fine. Many of Reed's updates and interpretations are creative and interesting. I think I just enjoy Wilde's lovely writing style and lyrical flow in the original too much to separate the two enough to enjoy this one as much as I probably should. ...more

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Jun 06, 2020 Tanya rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I should have read TPODG but this book is so good. I mean seriously portraying lust, greed and all emotions with the best aptness. Go for it.

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Feb 06, 2010 Kassa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Although this was originally released in 2000 to rave reviews, the test of the author’s work and skill shows as the story is equally moving and relevant today as it was then and also when Wilde originally published The Picture of Dorian Gray. In this thought provoking and masterfully written take on the timeless story of obsession, avarice, decadence, and the quest for endless beauty, Reed has delivered a poignant adaptation able to delve more deeply into themes the original shied away from.

Liam Although this was originally released in 2000 to rave reviews, the test of the author’s work and skill shows as the story is equally moving and relevant today as it was then and also when Wilde originally published The Picture of Dorian Gray. In this thought provoking and masterfully written take on the timeless story of obsession, avarice, decadence, and the quest for endless beauty, Reed has delivered a poignant adaptation able to delve more deeply into themes the original shied away from.

Liam Howard, a photographer and artist, spies an innocent Gary Adrion on the el train and can’t help following the younger man to ask Gary to pose for him. After seeing the disturbing brilliance of Liam’s unique work, he agrees and sets into motion unexpected but far reaching implications. Liam creates a hologram of Gary’s youthful beauty, shinning brightly with the evidence of Liam’s love for his subject. In a flash of fearful mockery, Gary offers to give up his soul to remain as beautiful as the hologram forever. Of course Gary’s wish is fulfilled, allowing him to live a bacchanalian lifestyle full of anonymous sex, endless parties and drug cocktails with no fear of repercussions. Eventually the emptiness of his life and lack of morality begins to eat at Gary, forcing him to face the reality of his so-called gifted existence.

Gary is the embodiment of privileged youth from his emotionless upbringing to his entitled gallivants through endless parties, shopping sprees, and drug and sex escapades. Confident in the knowledge his hologram bears all ill effects of his actions; Gary employs an out of sight, out of mind philosophy to avoid the any consequences of his behavior. Blithely altering and ruining numerous lives in his destructive wake, there is no limit to the depths Gary sinks within the seemingly charmed life he leads. Not even cold-blooded murder shakes the foundation of his empty life and it takes true despair for him to realize that even his acts of generosity are selfish in origin. This mirror on the attributes and priorities of past and present society is a stark and vivid characterization.

Told in alternating first person point of view, each character gives their thoughts on Gary, his actions, and their philosophy on life. Each figure is fully developed and thoughtfully written from Henrietta’s carefree theories with an obsession about youth and beauty to Liam’s cautious unrequited love. Reed’s powerful writing style evokes vivid meaning without long, flowery prose allowing the story to move swiftly without the slow dragging buildup of the original. Rotating viewpoints allows a refreshing change and reprieve to the escalating intensity and dramatic tension of the story.

Although Reed’s take is more explicit, it does allow more depth and attention to be paid to various homoerotic elements such as Gary’s appetite for sex and his willingness to take either sex partner for the thrill of release. Additionally the character of Henrietta as his best friend who happens to be a drag queen adds another layer of sensibility to the story in sharp contrast to Liam’s gentle forbidden love for Gary. While this book is not necessarily gay fiction, Reed doesn’t shy away from sexuality in any form as exemplified in the scene of Gary’s corruption by Lucinda.

Gary’s perpetual life amidst the underground partying circuit of urban Chicago is often viscerally charged, urged on at every turn by Henrietta and her belief in the shallow delights of life as the only interesting topic of conversation and action. Even though Henrietta ends up alone and unable to escape the ravages of time, she clings to the bitter end to her carefree philosophy and best described by Gary as “endlessly entertaining but rarely compassionate”. Although not necessarily a likable set of characters, each fulfills the purpose of echoing society’s endless fascination and obsession with youth, beauty and chemical delights.

It’s arguable whether the subject matter is more applicable today versus in the past, but the themes are undoubtedly timeless as is the excellent writing. Not always an easy book to read, the greatest compliment that I can pay the author is that this book will remain in my thoughts for a very long time to come. It may not surpass the original, but it certainly is a brilliant adaptation that is comparable. Is eternal youth and beauty worth your soul? If you need further help to find the answer, I definitely recommend this wonderful take on a classic dilemma. ...more

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May 29, 2020 Julia rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs-netgalley

I've always been fascinated by Oscar Wilde's story about Dorian Gray. I think it is an absolute must read for those that enjoy classics. So, when I saw that A Face Without a Heart is labeled as a modern day retelling of it, I knew I had to read it.

The book follows Gary Adrion (very clever), who is basically a 21 year old trust fund kid. He has been extremely spoiled with material things his entire life, yet he lacked any emotional guidance. After being spotted by Liam; who is not a painter, but ...more

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