{"product_id":"this-wretched-beauty-by-elle-grenier-9781835417348","title":"This Wretched Beauty","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLondon, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne night, they meet a sweet, talented young painter named Basil, who immediately recognises Dorian as his 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBasil 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFleeing 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDorian 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47344359997676,"sku":"9781835417348","price":25.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/3efe1e53d264a1963046096b0c74eae1.jpg?v=1772311530","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/products\/this-wretched-beauty-by-elle-grenier-9781835417348","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}